CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html><html lang="en"><head><script data-integration="inlineScripts"> (function() { var _sf_async_config = window._sf_async_config = (window._sf_async_config || {}); _sf_async_config.uid = 31036; _sf_async_config.domain = "irishtimes.com"; _sf_async_config.useCanonical = true; _sf_async_config.useCanonicalDomain = true; _sf_async_config.sections = "life-style"; _sf_async_config.flickerControl = false; var _cbq = window._cbq = (window._cbq || []); const OT = document.cookie.split('; ').find(row => row.startsWith('blaize_jwt')); if (OT) { _cbq.push(['_acct', 'paid']); } else { _cbq.push(['_acct', 'anon']); } })(); ; var _comscore = _comscore || []; _comscore.push({ c1: "2", c2: "8946263" }); ;gtmParamsString='';if(new RegExp("^https://irishtimes.arcpublishing.com", "i").test(window.location)){gtmParamsString='&gtm_auth=om4Ly4wwqa_7E-fLbBv46g&gtm_preview=env-6&gtm_cookies_win=x'};(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl+gtmParamsString;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-NRHQKJ4');; window.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', (event) => { queryly.init("954cd8bb239245f9", document.querySelectorAll("#fusion-app")); }); ;window.isIE = !!window.MSInputMethodContext && !!document.documentMode;</script><script type="text/plain" class="optanon-category-C0002" async="" data-integration="chartbeat" src="https://static.chartbeat.com/js/chartbeat.js"></script><script type="text/plain" class="optanon-category-C0002" async="" src="https://static.chartbeat.com/js/chartbeat_mab.js"></script><script>!function(n,e,i){if(!n){n=n||{},window.permutive=n,n.q=[],n.config=i||{},n.config.apiKey=e,n.config.environment=n.config.environment||"production";for(var o=["addon","identify","track","trigger","query","segment","segments","ready","on","once","user","consent"],r=0;r<o.length;r++){var t=o[r];n[t]=function(e){return function(){var i=Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments,0);n.q.push({functionName:e,arguments:i})}}(t)}}}(window.permutive, "4888a725-f640-4782-bd70-a3dd37877c2f", { "consentRequired": true }); window.googletag=window.googletag||{},window.googletag.cmd=window.googletag.cmd||[],window.googletag.cmd.push(function(){if(0===window.googletag.pubads().getTargeting("permutive").length){var g=window.localStorage.getItem("_pdfps");window.googletag.pubads().setTargeting("permutive",g?JSON.parse(g):[])}});</script><script async="" src="https://fce2b75e-f11a-48ad-a60f-7e004eb1d340.edge.permutive.app/fce2b75e-f11a-48ad-a60f-7e004eb1d340-web.js"></script><script type="text/plain" class="optanon-category-C0002-C0004">window.addEventListener('OneTrustGroupsUpdated', function() { if (document.cookie.indexOf("OptanonAlertBoxClosed=") >=0 && OptanonActiveGroups.match(/(?=.*,C0002,)(?=.*,C0004,).*/)) { const OTConsentToken = document.cookie .split('; ') .find(row => row.startsWith('OptanonConsent=')) .split('&') .find(row => row.startsWith('consentId')) .split('=')[1]; permutive.consent({ "opt_in": true, "token": OTConsentToken }); } else{ permutive.consent({ "opt_in": false }); } });</script><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"/><link rel="icon" type="image/x-icon" href="/pf/resources/favicon.ico?d=155"/><title>Life & Style | The Irish Times</title><meta name="description" content="The latest Life & Style news, analysis and comment brought to you by the definitive brand of quality journalism. Read The Irish Times."/><meta property="og:description" content="The latest Life & Style news, analysis and comment brought to you by the definitive brand of quality journalism. Read The Irish Times."/><meta name="twitter:description" content="The latest Life & Style news, analysis and comment brought to you by the definitive brand of quality journalism. Read The Irish Times."/><meta property="og:title" content="Life & Style - The Irish Times"/><meta name="twitter:title" content="Life & Style - The Irish Times"/><meta property="og:image" content="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.themebuilder.aws.arc.pub%2Firishtimes%2F1647534191476.png?auth=631eeaa12e7a61c005c8eb0bbf348f785c131b10c4d6b25c28247a15965b5a36&width=1200"/><meta property="og:image:alt" content="Life & Style - The Irish Times"/><meta name="twitter:image" content="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.themebuilder.aws.arc.pub%2Firishtimes%2F1647534191476.png?auth=631eeaa12e7a61c005c8eb0bbf348f785c131b10c4d6b25c28247a15965b5a36&width=1200"/><meta name="twitter:image:alt" content="Life & Style - The Irish Times"/><meta property="og:site_name" content="The Irish Times"/><meta name="twitter:site" content="@IrishTimes"/><meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/><link rel="canonical" href="https://www.irishtimes.com/life-style/"/><link rel="alternate" hrefLang="en-IE" href="https://www.irishtimes.com/life-style/"/><link id="fusion-template-styles" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/pf/dist/components/combinations/default.css?d=155"/><link id="fusion-siteStyles-styles" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/pf/dist/css/irishtimes.css?d=155"/><style data-styled="" data-styled-version="5.3.5">.bTOMGw{display:none;}/*!sc*/ .bTOMGw .arcad > [id^='google_ads_iframe']:not(:empty){max-width:100%;}/*!sc*/ .bTOMGw .arcad > [id^='google_ads_iframe']:not(:empty)::before{content:'ADVERTISEMENT';display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;font-family:star-font,'Roboto',sans-serif;}/*!sc*/ .bTOMGw .arcad > [id^='google_ads_iframe']:empty[style]{width:0 !important;height:0 !important;}/*!sc*/ .gKEhzJ .arcad > [id^='google_ads_iframe']:not(:empty){max-width:100%;}/*!sc*/ .gKEhzJ .arcad > [id^='google_ads_iframe']:not(:empty)::before{content:'ADVERTISEMENT';display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;font-family:star-font,'Roboto',sans-serif;}/*!sc*/ .gKEhzJ .arcad > [id^='google_ads_iframe']:empty[style]{width:0 !important;height:0 !important;}/*!sc*/ .kjbLvz .arcad > [id^='google_ads_iframe']:not(:empty){max-width:100%;}/*!sc*/ .kjbLvz .arcad > [id^='google_ads_iframe']:not(:empty)::before{content:'ADVERTISEMENT';display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;font-family:star-font,'Roboto',sans-serif;display:none;}/*!sc*/ .kjbLvz .arcad > [id^='google_ads_iframe']:empty[style]{width:0 !important;height:0 !important;}/*!sc*/ data-styled.g8[id="default__StyledAdUnit-sc-1moicrg-0"]{content:"bTOMGw,gKEhzJ,kjbLvz,"}/*!sc*/ </style><script type="application/javascript" id="polyfill-script">if(!Array.prototype.includes||!(window.Object && window.Object.assign)||!window.Promise||!window.Symbol||!window.fetch){document.write('<script type="application/javascript" src="/pf/dist/engine/polyfill.js?d=155" defer=""><\/script>')}</script><script id="fusion-engine-react-script" type="application/javascript" src="/pf/dist/engine/react.js?d=155" defer=""></script><script id="fusion-engine-combinations-script" type="application/javascript" src="/pf/dist/components/combinations/default.js?d=155" defer=""></script><script async="" src="https://polyfill-fastly.io/v3/polyfill.min.js?version=3.111.0&features=IntersectionObserver%2CElement.prototype.prepend%2CElement.prototype.remove%2CArray.prototype.find%2CArray.prototype.includes%2CString.prototype.repeat%2CURLSearchParams"></script><script type="text/plain" class="optanon-category-C0004" async="" data-integration="nativo-ad" src="https://s.ntv.io/serve/load.js"></script><script type="text/plain" class="optanon-category-C0002" async="" data-integration="comscore" src="https://sb.scorecardresearch.com/beacon.js"></script><script defer="" data-integration="queryly" src="https://www.queryly.com/js/queryly.v4.min.js"></script><script id="xtreme-push" type="text/javascript"> (function(p,u,s,h,e,r,l,i,b) {p['XtremePushObject']=s;p[s]=function(){ (p[s].q=p[s].q||[]).push(arguments)};i=u.createElement('script');i.async=1; i.src=h;b=u.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];b.parentNode.insertBefore(i,b); })(window,document,'xtremepush','https://prod.webpu.sh/tEEXuB8vRMsRMzIydjRZIQjnQzT-EXwR/sdk.js'); xtremepush('ready', function () { if (window.safari !== undefined) { const permission = xtremepush('push', 'permission'); const views = JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem('xtremepush.data'))?.page_views; const sendPush = views % 55 === 0 || views === 1; if ((permission === 'default' || !permission) && (permission !== 'unavailable' && permission !== 'denied' ) && sendPush) { xtremepush('event', 'User Gesture'); } } else { xtremepush('push', 'auto_prompt', true); } }); </script><script type="application/ld+json">{ "@context": "http://schema.org/", "@type": "Organization", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "postOfficeBoxNumber": "PO Box 74", "streetAddress": "24-28 Tara Street", "addressLocality": "Dublin 2", "addressRegion": "County Dublin", "addressCountry": "Ireland", "postalCode": "D02 CX89" }, "contactPoint": [ { "@type": "ContactPoint", "contactType": "Customer Support", "email": "services@irishtimes.com", "telephone": "+353 1 9203901" }, { "@type": "ContactPoint", "contactType": "Sales", "email": "mediasolutions@irishtimes.com", "telephone": "+353 1 5320978" }, { "@type": "ContactPoint", "contactType": "News Desk", "email": "newsdesk@irishtimes.com", "telephone": "" } ], "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "", "width": 1024, "height": 547 }, "name": "The Irish Times", "sameAs": [ "https://www.facebook.com/irishtimes/", "http://www.linkedin.com/company/the-irish-times", "https://www.youtube.com/user/IrishTimes", "https://twitter.com/IrishTimes" ], "url": "https://www.irishtimes.com" }</script><link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com"/><link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.gstatic.com" crossorigin=""/><link rel="stylesheet" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Noto+Serif+JP:wght@400;700&family=Roboto:wght@400;700&display=swap"/><script> function PoWaReady() { // 0. DEFAULTS window.PoWaSettings = window.PoWaSettings || []; window.PoWaSettings.advertising = window.PoWaSettings.advertising || []; // 1. CookieBanner ONLOAD window.addEventListener("powaRender", function() { window.PoWaSettings.advertising.adBar = {skipOffset: 6}; if (typeof OptanonActiveGroups==="string" && OptanonActiveGroups.match(/(?=.*,C0002,).*/)) { // 2. Cookies Granted window.PoWaSettings.advertising.gdprConsentGranted = true; } else { // 3. Set Default value window.PoWaSettings.advertising.gdprConsentGranted = window.PoWaSettings.advertising.gdprConsentGranted || false; } }); // 4. CookieBanner ONCLICK window.addEventListener("OneTrustGroupsUpdated", function() { // 1. Set Default value window.PoWaSettings.advertising.gdprConsentGranted = !!OptanonActiveGroups.match(/(?=.,C0002,)./); }); // 5. DataLayer event window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; dataLayer.push({ "has_PoWaSettings_load": true, "event": "donewith_PoWaSettings" }); } var i = 0; function checkIsPoWaReady() { i = i + 1; if (typeof window.PoWaSettings==="object" && typeof OptanonActiveGroups==="string") { //stop the polling PoWaReady(); clearInterval(pollforPoWaReady); } else if (i > 500) { //give up after 5 sec clearInterval(pollforPoWaReady); } } // Start polling var pollforPoWaReady = setInterval(checkIsPoWaReady, 10); </script><script src="https://cdn.cookielaw.org/consent/tcf.stub.js" type="text/javascript"></script></head><body class="custom-it"><noscript data-integration="comscore"><img alt="comscore" src="https://sb.scorecardresearch.com/p?c1=2&c2=8946263&cv=2.0&cj=1"/></noscript><noscript><iframe src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-NRHQKJ4" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript><div id="fusion-app"><div id="pw-zpr-modal"></div><div class="b-it-right-rail-advanced"><header class="c-stack b-it-right-rail-advanced__navigation page-header" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><nav id="main-nav" class="b-header-nav-chain " aria-label="Sections Menu"><div class="b-header-nav-chain__top-layout"><div class="b-header-nav-chain__nav-left"><div class="nav-components--mobile" data-testid="nav-chain-nav-components-mobile-left"><button data-testid="nav-chain-nav-section-button" aria-label="Sections" class="c-button c-button--small c-button--secondary-reverse" type="button"><svg class="c-icon" width="48" height="48" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M25 96C25 78.33 39.33 64 57 64H441C458.7 64 473 78.33 473 96C473 113.7 458.7 128 441 128H57C39.33 128 25 113.7 25 96ZM25 256C25 238.3 39.33 224 57 224H441C458.7 224 473 238.3 473 256C473 273.7 458.7 288 441 288H57C39.33 288 25 273.7 25 256ZM441 448H57C39.33 448 25 433.7 25 416C25 398.3 39.33 384 57 384H441C458.7 384 473 398.3 473 416C473 433.7 458.7 448 441 448Z"></path></svg></button></div><div class="nav-components--desktop" data-testid="nav-chain-nav-components-desktop-left"><button aria-label="Search" class="c-button c-button--small c-button--secondary-reverse" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="48" height="48" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M505 442.7L405.3 343c-4.5-4.5-10.6-7-17-7H372c27.6-35.3 44-79.7 44-128C416 93.1 322.9 0 208 0S0 93.1 0 208s93.1 208 208 208c48.3 0 92.7-16.4 128-44v16.3c0 6.4 2.5 12.5 7 17l99.7 99.7c9.4 9.4 24.6 9.4 33.9 0l28.3-28.3c9.4-9.4 9.4-24.6.1-34zM208 336c-70.7 0-128-57.2-128-128 0-70.7 57.2-128 128-128 70.7 0 128 57.2 128 128 0 70.7-57.2 128-128 128z"></path></svg></span></button><button data-testid="nav-chain-nav-section-button" aria-label="Sections" class="c-button c-button--small c-button--secondary-reverse" type="button"><span>Sections</span><svg class="c-icon" width="48" height="48" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M25 96C25 78.33 39.33 64 57 64H441C458.7 64 473 78.33 473 96C473 113.7 458.7 128 441 128H57C39.33 128 25 113.7 25 96ZM25 256C25 238.3 39.33 224 57 224H441C458.7 224 473 238.3 473 256C473 273.7 458.7 288 441 288H57C39.33 288 25 273.7 25 256ZM441 448H57C39.33 448 25 433.7 25 416C25 398.3 39.33 384 57 384H441C458.7 384 473 398.3 473 416C473 433.7 458.7 448 441 448Z"></path></svg></button></div></div><a title="The Irish Times" class="c-link b-header-nav-chain__logo b-header-nav-chain__logo--center nav-logo-hidden svg-logo" href="/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img src="https://static.themebuilder.aws.arc.pub/irishtimes/1647534191733.svg" alt="The Irish Times" data-chromatic="ignore"/></a><div class="b-header-nav-chain__nav-right"><div class="nav-components--mobile" data-testid="nav-chain-nav-components-mobile-right"><div style="display:none" id="f0fe6HNJvtOK8J1-0-0-2" data-fusion-collection="features" data-fusion-type="signin-subscribe/default" data-fusion-message="Could not render component [features:signin-subscribe/default]"></div></div><div class="nav-components--desktop" data-testid="nav-chain-nav-components-desktop-right"><div id="fusion-static-enter:html-block-f0f1j0n1myTR7B9-0-0-0" style="display:none" data-fusion-component="html-block-f0f1j0n1myTR7B9-0-0-0"></div><div><iframe scrolling="no" id="fw-desktop" data-src="https://lw.foreca.com/v3/en/site/irishtimes/widget/?name=Dublin&id=102964574" style="width: 85px; height: 40px; border:0; margin: 0; display: flex; align-items: center;"></iframe></div><div id="fusion-static-exit:html-block-f0f1j0n1myTR7B9-0-0-0" style="display:none" data-fusion-component="html-block-f0f1j0n1myTR7B9-0-0-0"></div><div style="display:none" id="f0fe6HNJvtOK8J1-0-0-2" data-fusion-collection="features" data-fusion-type="signin-subscribe/default" data-fusion-message="Could not render component [features:signin-subscribe/default]"></div></div></div></div><div id="flyout-overlay" data-testid="nav-chain-flyout-overlay" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__flyout-overlay closed" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div><div class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__flyout-nav-wrapper closed" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="b-header-nav-chain__flyout-close-button"><button aria-label="Close" class="c-button c-button--small c-button--secondary-reverse" type="button"><svg class="c-icon" width="24" height="24" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M406.6 361.4C419.1 373.9 419.1 394.15 406.6 406.65C400.4 412.9 392.2 416 384 416C375.8 416 367.62 412.875 361.38 406.625L256 301.3L150.63 406.6C144.38 412.9 136.19 416 128 416C119.81 416 111.63 412.9 105.375 406.6C92.875 394.1 92.875 373.85 105.375 361.35L210.775 255.95L105.375 150.6C92.875 138.1 92.875 117.85 105.375 105.35C117.875 92.85 138.125 92.85 150.625 105.35L256 210.8L361.4 105.4C373.9 92.9 394.15 92.9 406.65 105.4C419.15 117.9 419.15 138.15 406.65 150.65L301.25 256.05L406.6 361.4Z"></path></svg></button></div><div class="nav-menu"><div data-testid="nav-chain-nav-components-mobile" class="c-stack nav-components--mobile" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div style="display:none" id="f0fcuF3rugfL8OV-0-0-1" data-fusion-collection="features" data-fusion-type="subscribe-button/default" data-fusion-message="Could not render component [features:subscribe-button/default]"></div><button aria-label="Search" class="c-button c-button--small c-button--secondary-reverse" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="48" height="48" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M505 442.7L405.3 343c-4.5-4.5-10.6-7-17-7H372c27.6-35.3 44-79.7 44-128C416 93.1 322.9 0 208 0S0 93.1 0 208s93.1 208 208 208c48.3 0 92.7-16.4 128-44v16.3c0 6.4 2.5 12.5 7 17l99.7 99.7c9.4 9.4 24.6 9.4 33.9 0l28.3-28.3c9.4-9.4 9.4-24.6.1-34zM208 336c-70.7 0-128-57.2-128-128 0-70.7 57.2-128 128-128 70.7 0 128 57.2 128 128 0 70.7-57.2 128-128 128z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div data-testid="nav-chain-nav-components-desktop" class="c-stack nav-components--desktop" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"></div></div><ul class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__flyout-nav" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Home</a></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="/latest/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Latest</a></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="/subscriber-only/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Subscriber Only</a></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/crosswords-puzzles" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Crosswords & Puzzles</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_crosswords-puzzles" aria-label="Show Crosswords & Puzzles sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_crosswords-puzzles"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/crosswords-puzzles/crosaire" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Crosaire</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/crosswords-puzzles/simplex" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Simplex</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/crosswords-puzzles/sudoku" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Sudoku</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/crosswords-puzzles/news-quiz/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">News Quiz</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="/election2024/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Election 2024</a></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/ireland" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Ireland</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_ireland" aria-label="Show Ireland sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_ireland"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/ireland/dublin" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Dublin</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/ireland/education" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Education</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/ireland/housing-planning" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Housing & Planning</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/ireland/social-affairs" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Social Affairs</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/ireland/stardust/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Stardust</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/politics" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Politics</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_politics" aria-label="Show Politics sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_politics"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/election2024/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Election 2024</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/politics/poll/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Poll</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/politics/oireachtas" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Oireachtas</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/common-ground/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Common Ground</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/politics/elections-referendums/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Elections & Referendums</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Opinion</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_opinion" aria-label="Show Opinion sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_opinion"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/editorials" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Editorials</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/an-irish-diary" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">An Irish Diary</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/letters" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Letters</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/opinion/cartoon" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Cartoon</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/business" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Business</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_business" aria-label="Show Business sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_business"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/business/economy" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Economy</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/business/farming-food" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Farming & Food</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/business/financial-services" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Financial Services</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/business/innovation" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Innovation</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/business/markets" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Markets</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/business/work" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Work</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/property/commercial-property" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Commercial Property</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/world" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">World</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_world" aria-label="Show World sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_world"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/world/us-election/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">US Election</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/world/europe" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Europe</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/world/uk" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">UK</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/world/us" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">US</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/world/canada" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Canada</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/world/australia" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Australia</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/world/africa" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Africa</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/world/americas" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Americas</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/world/asia-pacific" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Asia-Pacific</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/world/middle-east" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Middle East</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/sport" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Sport</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_sport" aria-label="Show Sport sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_sport"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/sport/gaelic-games" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Gaelic Games</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/sport/rugby" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Rugby</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/sport/soccer" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Soccer</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/sport/golf" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Golf</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/sport/racing" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Racing</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/sport/athletics" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Athletics</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/sport/boxing" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Boxing</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/sport/cycling" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Cycling</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/sport/hockey" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Hockey</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/sport/tennis" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Tennis</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/your-money" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Your Money</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_your-money" aria-label="Show Your Money sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_your-money"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/tags/pricewatch" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Pricewatch</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/budget/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Budget 2025</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/crime-law" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Crime & Law</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_crime-law" aria-label="Show Crime & Law sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_crime-law"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/crime-law/courts" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Courts</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/property" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Property</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_property" aria-label="Show Property sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_property"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/property/residential" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Residential</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/property/commercial-property" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Commercial Property</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/property/interiors" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Interiors</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/food" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Food</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_food" aria-label="Show Food sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_food"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/food/drink" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Drink</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/food/recipes" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Recipes</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/food/restaurants" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Restaurants</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/health" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Health</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_health" aria-label="Show Health sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_health"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/health/your-family" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Your Family</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/health/your-fitness" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Your Fitness</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/health/your-wellness" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Your Wellness</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/health/your-fitness/get-running" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Get Running</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Life & Style</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_life-style" aria-label="Show Life & Style sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_life-style"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/fashion" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Fashion</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/tags/beauty/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Beauty</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/fine-art-antiques" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Fine Art & Antiques</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/gardening" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Gardening</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/people" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">People</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/travel" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Travel</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/culture" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Culture</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_culture" aria-label="Show Culture sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_culture"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/culture/art" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Art</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/culture/books" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Books</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/culture/film" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Film</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/culture/music" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Music</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/culture/stage" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Stage</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/culture/tv-radio" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">TV & Radio</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/environment" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Environment</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_environment" aria-label="Show Environment sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_environment"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/environment/climate-crisis" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Climate Crisis</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/technology" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Technology</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_technology" aria-label="Show Technology sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_technology"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/technology/big-tech" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Big Tech</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/technology/consumer-tech" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Consumer Tech</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/technology/data-security" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Data & Security</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/technology/gaming" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Gaming</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/science" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Science</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_science" aria-label="Show Science sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_science"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/science/space" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Space</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="/media" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Media</a></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="/abroad" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Abroad</a></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="/obituaries" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Obituaries</a></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="/transport" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Transport</a></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/motors" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Motors</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_motors" aria-label="Show Motors sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_motors"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/motors/car-reviews/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Car Reviews</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="/listen/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Listen</a></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/podcasts" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Podcasts</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_podcasts" aria-label="Show Podcasts sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_podcasts"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/podcasts/in-the-news" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">In the News Podcast</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/podcasts/inside-politics" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Inside Politics Podcast</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/podcasts/the-womens-podcast" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">The Women's Podcast</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/podcasts/inside-business" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Inside Business Podcast</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Ross O'Carroll-Kelly</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/podcasts/the-counter-ruck" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">The Counter Ruck Podcast</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/podcasts/conversations-with-parents" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Conversations with Parents Podcast</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="/video" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Video</a></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="/photography" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Photography</a></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/history" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">History</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_history" aria-label="Show History sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_history"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/history/century" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Century</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="/tuarascail" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Tuarascáil</a></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="/student-hub" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Student Hub</a></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="/offbeat" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Offbeat</a></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="https://notices.irishtimes.com" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Family Notices<span class="visually-hidden">Opens in new window</span></a></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/sponsored" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Sponsored</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_sponsored" aria-label="Show Sponsored sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_sponsored"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/advertising-feature" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Advertising Feature</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/special-reports" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Special Reports</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="/subscriber-rewards/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Subscriber Rewards</a></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="/competitions" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Competitions</a></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="/weather/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Weather Forecast</a></li><li class="section-menu--bottom-placeholder"></li></ul></div></div></div></nav></header><section role="main" tabindex="-1" class="b-it-right-rail-advanced__main" id="main"><div class="c-stack b-it-right-rail-advanced__full-width-1" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div id="arcad-feature-f0fwlWOLvfHY5aU-45e529358a551" class="default__StyledAdUnit-sc-1moicrg-0 bTOMGw arcad-feature"><div class="arcad-container width_100" style="max-width:970px"><div id="arcad_f0fwlWOLvfHY5aU-45e529358a551" class="arcad ad-970x90"></div></div></div><div class="c-stack b-section-title" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><h1 class="c-heading">Life & Style</h1><div class="b-section-title__links"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/fashion/">Fashion</a><span class="c-separator"></span><a class="c-link" href="/tags/beauty/">Beauty</a><span class="c-separator"></span><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/fine-art-antiques/">Fine Art & Antiques</a><span class="c-separator"></span><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/gardening/">Gardening</a><span class="c-separator"></span><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/people/">People</a><span class="c-separator"></span><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/travel/">Travel</a><span class="c-separator"></span><a class="c-link" href="/tags/new-to-the-parish/">New to the Parish</a><span class="c-separator"></span><a class="c-link" href="/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly/">Ross O'Carroll-Kelly</a><span class="c-separator"></span><a class="c-link" href="/podcasts/the-womens-podcast/">The Women's Podcast</a></div></div><hr class="c-divider b-it-divider-block"/><div id="lazy_78345" class="lazy_container"><div class="b-flex-chain"><div class="b-flex-chain__grid-container b-flex-chain__grid-container__633 has-divider gap-divider"><div class="c-stack grid-item grid-column-span-6" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1.5;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/life-style/people/2024/12/03/a-californian-woman-in-dublin-irelands-not-perfect-but-i-do-think-as-a-whole-it-is-moving-in-the-right-direction/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="A Californian woman in Dublin: ‘Ireland’s not perfect, but I do think as a whole it is moving in the right direction’" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/PWTZLKGV6NDSPJEXBQXCQZKN2M.jpg?smart=true&auth=bb1567c2de361eb277c0088196ffac0c9e569390701c1e3567ca46856766607a&width=800&height=533" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/PWTZLKGV6NDSPJEXBQXCQZKN2M.jpg?smart=true&auth=bb1567c2de361eb277c0088196ffac0c9e569390701c1e3567ca46856766607a&width=400&height=266 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/PWTZLKGV6NDSPJEXBQXCQZKN2M.jpg?smart=true&auth=bb1567c2de361eb277c0088196ffac0c9e569390701c1e3567ca46856766607a&width=440&height=293 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/PWTZLKGV6NDSPJEXBQXCQZKN2M.jpg?smart=true&auth=bb1567c2de361eb277c0088196ffac0c9e569390701c1e3567ca46856766607a&width=800&height=533 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="533"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__md text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/life-style/people/2024/12/03/a-californian-woman-in-dublin-irelands-not-perfect-but-i-do-think-as-a-whole-it-is-moving-in-the-right-direction/">A Californian woman in Dublin: ‘Ireland’s not perfect, but I do think as a whole it is moving in the right direction’</a></h3><p class="c-paragraph"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/life-style/people/2024/12/03/a-californian-woman-in-dublin-irelands-not-perfect-but-i-do-think-as-a-whole-it-is-moving-in-the-right-direction/">Morgan Steele from Los Angeles, California, first moved to Ireland in 2017</a></p><div class="b-flex-promo-card__metadata"><span class="c-it-byline c-it-byline--list"><span>By</span><span> Deirdre Falvey</span></span></div></div></div></article></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item grid-column-span-3" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/life-style/2024/12/02/exciting-and-fun-things-to-do-on-a-budget-over-the-festive-season/">Exciting and fun things to do on a budget over the festive season</a></h3></div></div></article><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/life-style/travel/2024/12/02/hiking-across-romania-several-times-i-noticed-car-keys-left-in-the-ignition-a-nostalgic-reminder-of-ireland-in-bygone-years/">Hiking across Romania: ‘Several times, I noticed car keys left in the ignition, a nostalgic reminder of Ireland in bygone years’</a></h3></div></div></article><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/life-style/fashion/2024/12/02/irish-designer-aoife-rooneys-eco-approach-to-fashion-i-use-anything-i-can-get-my-hands-on/">Irish designer Aoife Rooney’s eco approach to fashion: ‘I use anything I can get my hands on’</a></h3></div></div></article><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/life-style/people/2024/11/30/buswells-hotel-manager-bids-farewell-to-his-ringside-seat-to-history-in-the-third-house-of-the-oireachtas/">Buswells Hotel manager bids farewell to his ringside seat to history in the ‘third house of the Oireachtas’</a></h3></div></div></article><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/life-style/people/2024/12/01/it-is-a-right-that-was-violently-taken-away-the-jews-who-want-to-be-german-again/">‘It is a right that was violently taken away’: The Jews who want to be German again</a></h3></div></div></article></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item grid-column-span-3" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="c-stack c-audio-overline" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:0.5rem"><svg class="c-icon" width="22" height="19" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="#000000" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 32C114.52 32 0 146.496 0 288v48a32 32 0 0 0 17.689 28.622l14.383 7.191C34.083 431.903 83.421 480 144 480h24c13.255 0 24-10.745 24-24V280c0-13.255-10.745-24-24-24h-24c-31.342 0-59.671 12.879-80 33.627V288c0-105.869 86.131-192 192-192s192 86.131 192 192v1.627C427.671 268.879 399.342 256 368 256h-24c-13.255 0-24 10.745-24 24v176c0 13.255 10.745 24 24 24h24c60.579 0 109.917-48.098 111.928-108.187l14.382-7.191A32 32 0 0 0 512 336v-48c0-141.479-114.496-256-256-256z"></path></svg><div class="c-grid b-it-overline-block"><div class="c-stack" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:0"><span class="c-stack b-it-overline-block__text" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="center" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="wrap"><a class="c-link false" href="/podcasts/the-womens-podcast/">The Women's Podcast</a></span></div></div></div><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/podcasts/the-womens-podcast/inside-afghanistans-secret-schools-for-girls-we-dont-talk-about-our-students-to-anyone/">Inside Afghanistan’s secret schools for girls: ‘We don’t talk about our students to anyone’</a></h3><div class="b-flex-promo-card__audio"><button aria-label="Listen to Inside Afghanistan’s secret schools for girls: ‘We don’t talk about our students to anyone’" class="c-button c-button--small c-button--primary-reverse" type="button"><svg class="c-icon" width="48" height="48" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M425 215C439.3 223.8 448 239.3 448 256C448 272.7 439.3 288.2 425 296.1L137.03 472.1C122.21 482 103.66 482.4 88.52 473.9C73.377 465.4 64 449.4 64 432V80C64 62.64 73.377 46.63 88.52 38.13C103.66 29.64 122.21 29.99 137.03 39.04L425 215Z"></path></svg></button><span class="b-flex-promo-card__audio-text">Listen | 49:36</span></div></div></div></article></div><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="c-stack" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="start" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><span class="c-pill c-it-subscriber-pill ">Subscriber Only</span></div><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly/sorcha-im-wondering-is-climate-justice-maybe-a-bit-above-santas-pay-grade/">‘Sorcha, I’m wondering is climate justice maybe a bit above Santa’s pay grade?’</a></h3><div class="b-flex-promo-card__audio"><button aria-label="Listen to ‘Sorcha, I’m wondering is climate justice maybe a bit above Santa’s pay grade?’" class="c-button c-button--small c-button--primary-reverse" type="button"><svg class="c-icon" width="48" height="48" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M425 215C439.3 223.8 448 239.3 448 256C448 272.7 439.3 288.2 425 296.1L137.03 472.1C122.21 482 103.66 482.4 88.52 473.9C73.377 465.4 64 449.4 64 432V80C64 62.64 73.377 46.63 88.52 38.13C103.66 29.64 122.21 29.99 137.03 39.04L425 215Z"></path></svg></button><span class="b-flex-promo-card__audio-text">Listen | 06:22</span></div></div></div></article></div><div id="arcad-feature-f0fleAdpwfHY5cr-b3f94147675a5" class="default__StyledAdUnit-sc-1moicrg-0 gKEhzJ arcad-feature"><div class="arcad-container width_100" style="max-width:fluidpx"><div id="arcad_f0fleAdpwfHY5cr-b3f94147675a5" class="arcad ad-fluid"></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><hr class="c-divider b-it-divider-block"/><div class="c-grid b-it-header-block"><div class="b-it-header-block__header-block font-normal "><div class="c-stack b-it-header-block__heading-h5 font-normal" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack headline-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:0"><h2 as="h5" class="c-heading font-normal margin_none">OUR WRITERS </h2></div></div></div></div><div id="lazy_20898" class="lazy_container"><div class="b-flex-chain"><div class="b-flex-chain__grid-container b-flex-chain__grid-container__444 has-divider gap-divider"><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div direction="horizontal" wrap="wrap" class="c-grid b-it-our-writers"><div class="c-stack b-it-our-writers__writer" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="start" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-it-our-writers__writer_promo image_hide" data-style-direction="unset" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/people/2024/12/01/sean-moncrieff-under-elon-musk-x-is-tapping-ever-more-into-a-dark-human-need-to-be-mean-to-other-people/"><div style="aspect-ratio:1.7777777777777777;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Promo Image" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/5I33AVBGUTBNU2XTMVZ3M64OOI.jpg?smart=true&auth=ffc9916b5324ab795dea86d65019d7a74a4377e73cf53058f12734943238ff97&width=800&height=450" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/5I33AVBGUTBNU2XTMVZ3M64OOI.jpg?smart=true&auth=ffc9916b5324ab795dea86d65019d7a74a4377e73cf53058f12734943238ff97&width=400&height=225 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/5I33AVBGUTBNU2XTMVZ3M64OOI.jpg?smart=true&auth=ffc9916b5324ab795dea86d65019d7a74a4377e73cf53058f12734943238ff97&width=440&height=247 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/5I33AVBGUTBNU2XTMVZ3M64OOI.jpg?smart=true&auth=ffc9916b5324ab795dea86d65019d7a74a4377e73cf53058f12734943238ff97&width=800&height=450 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="450"/></div></a></div><div class="c-stack b-it-our-writers__writer_wrapper" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="space-between" data-style-alignment="start" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-it-our-writers__writer_text" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="start" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/author/sean-moncrieff/"><h3 class="c-heading b-it-our-writers__writer_name">Seán Moncrieff</h3></a><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/people/2024/12/01/sean-moncrieff-under-elon-musk-x-is-tapping-ever-more-into-a-dark-human-need-to-be-mean-to-other-people/"><h4 class="c-heading b-it-our-writers__writer_description">Social media taps into a dark human need to be mean to other people</h4></a></div><div class="c-stack b-it-our-writers__writer_image" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="center" data-style-alignment="start" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/people/2024/12/01/sean-moncrieff-under-elon-musk-x-is-tapping-ever-more-into-a-dark-human-need-to-be-mean-to-other-people/"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Seán Moncrieff" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Firishtimes%2Fad017706-1265-42b1-98ab-03ab023901b4.png?auth=803bac25fcc2671310abaf1a8e9f3c3b55e6dd537e628fbc0f6734f8c0cdf72d&width=118" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Firishtimes%2Fad017706-1265-42b1-98ab-03ab023901b4.png?auth=803bac25fcc2671310abaf1a8e9f3c3b55e6dd537e628fbc0f6734f8c0cdf72d&width=400 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Firishtimes%2Fad017706-1265-42b1-98ab-03ab023901b4.png?auth=803bac25fcc2671310abaf1a8e9f3c3b55e6dd537e628fbc0f6734f8c0cdf72d&width=440 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Firishtimes%2Fad017706-1265-42b1-98ab-03ab023901b4.png?auth=803bac25fcc2671310abaf1a8e9f3c3b55e6dd537e628fbc0f6734f8c0cdf72d&width=800 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="118"/></a></div></div></div></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div direction="horizontal" wrap="wrap" class="c-grid b-it-our-writers"><div class="c-stack b-it-our-writers__writer" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="start" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-it-our-writers__writer_promo image_hide" data-style-direction="unset" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/gardening/2024/11/30/gardening-tools-that-will-last-a-lifetime-if-treated-right/"><div style="aspect-ratio:1.7777777777777777;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Promo Image" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/EH74CSCYYA3XKWKTVIILEWQD2U.jpg?focal=695%2C263&auth=97e2df804a24faaa9458a3c7b8e846f86b6f65e9b6bc28041c7bd3c56f6e4eaf&width=800&height=450" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/EH74CSCYYA3XKWKTVIILEWQD2U.jpg?focal=695%2C263&auth=97e2df804a24faaa9458a3c7b8e846f86b6f65e9b6bc28041c7bd3c56f6e4eaf&width=400&height=225 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/EH74CSCYYA3XKWKTVIILEWQD2U.jpg?focal=695%2C263&auth=97e2df804a24faaa9458a3c7b8e846f86b6f65e9b6bc28041c7bd3c56f6e4eaf&width=440&height=247 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/EH74CSCYYA3XKWKTVIILEWQD2U.jpg?focal=695%2C263&auth=97e2df804a24faaa9458a3c7b8e846f86b6f65e9b6bc28041c7bd3c56f6e4eaf&width=800&height=450 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="450"/></div></a></div><div class="c-stack b-it-our-writers__writer_wrapper" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="space-between" data-style-alignment="start" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-it-our-writers__writer_text" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="start" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/author/fionnuala-fallon/"><h3 class="c-heading b-it-our-writers__writer_name">Fionnuala Fallon</h3></a><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/gardening/2024/11/30/gardening-tools-that-will-last-a-lifetime-if-treated-right/"><h4 class="c-heading b-it-our-writers__writer_description">Gardening tools that will last a lifetime if treated right</h4></a></div><div class="c-stack b-it-our-writers__writer_image" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="center" data-style-alignment="start" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/gardening/2024/11/30/gardening-tools-that-will-last-a-lifetime-if-treated-right/"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Fionnuala Fallon" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Firishtimes%2F16c73468-a8ad-41f8-ae74-102a10eb7410.png?auth=3015df5d67a4959600365795286af641f2b48c8abb4b7369cce70e34c6d241a0&width=118" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Firishtimes%2F16c73468-a8ad-41f8-ae74-102a10eb7410.png?auth=3015df5d67a4959600365795286af641f2b48c8abb4b7369cce70e34c6d241a0&width=400 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Firishtimes%2F16c73468-a8ad-41f8-ae74-102a10eb7410.png?auth=3015df5d67a4959600365795286af641f2b48c8abb4b7369cce70e34c6d241a0&width=440 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Firishtimes%2F16c73468-a8ad-41f8-ae74-102a10eb7410.png?auth=3015df5d67a4959600365795286af641f2b48c8abb4b7369cce70e34c6d241a0&width=800 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="118"/></a></div></div></div></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div direction="horizontal" wrap="wrap" class="c-grid b-it-our-writers"><div class="c-stack b-it-our-writers__writer" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="start" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-it-our-writers__writer_promo image_hide" data-style-direction="unset" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/world/us/2024/11/30/america-letter-podcast-giant-joe-rogan-may-have-played-key-role-in-us-elections/"><div style="aspect-ratio:1.7777777777777777;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Promo Image" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/RQUM7ATVPI7IE3QNTQYOOCUN5Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=2ef4c4f55e09284f4293cdfd70172f2a1c01b95c9815fc10f516f7ab30e65c21&width=800&height=450" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/RQUM7ATVPI7IE3QNTQYOOCUN5Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=2ef4c4f55e09284f4293cdfd70172f2a1c01b95c9815fc10f516f7ab30e65c21&width=400&height=225 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/RQUM7ATVPI7IE3QNTQYOOCUN5Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=2ef4c4f55e09284f4293cdfd70172f2a1c01b95c9815fc10f516f7ab30e65c21&width=440&height=247 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/RQUM7ATVPI7IE3QNTQYOOCUN5Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=2ef4c4f55e09284f4293cdfd70172f2a1c01b95c9815fc10f516f7ab30e65c21&width=800&height=450 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="450"/></div></a></div><div class="c-stack b-it-our-writers__writer_wrapper" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="space-between" data-style-alignment="start" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-it-our-writers__writer_text" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="start" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/author/keith-duggan/"><h3 class="c-heading b-it-our-writers__writer_name">Keith Duggan</h3></a><a class="c-link" href="/world/us/2024/11/30/america-letter-podcast-giant-joe-rogan-may-have-played-key-role-in-us-elections/"><h4 class="c-heading b-it-our-writers__writer_description">Podcast giant Joe Rogan may have played key role in US elections </h4></a></div><div class="c-stack b-it-our-writers__writer_image" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="center" data-style-alignment="start" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/world/us/2024/11/30/america-letter-podcast-giant-joe-rogan-may-have-played-key-role-in-us-elections/"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Keith Duggan" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Firishtimes%2F142e9869-5a99-49bd-a9f5-90adedbadb25.png?auth=1c06bc7c835e4be10e82a2801f2f5eedf66f511cf61e427371c21f70fb071728&width=118" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Firishtimes%2F142e9869-5a99-49bd-a9f5-90adedbadb25.png?auth=1c06bc7c835e4be10e82a2801f2f5eedf66f511cf61e427371c21f70fb071728&width=400 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Firishtimes%2F142e9869-5a99-49bd-a9f5-90adedbadb25.png?auth=1c06bc7c835e4be10e82a2801f2f5eedf66f511cf61e427371c21f70fb071728&width=440 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Firishtimes%2F142e9869-5a99-49bd-a9f5-90adedbadb25.png?auth=1c06bc7c835e4be10e82a2801f2f5eedf66f511cf61e427371c21f70fb071728&width=800 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="118"/></a></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><hr class="c-divider b-it-divider-block"/><div id="arcad-feature-f0fKrY37xfHY5XC-1c4d214f0cc801" class="default__StyledAdUnit-sc-1moicrg-0 gKEhzJ arcad-feature"><div class="arcad-container width_100" style="max-width:970px"><div id="arcad_f0fKrY37xfHY5XC-1c4d214f0cc801" class="arcad ad-970x90"></div></div></div><hr class="c-divider b-it-divider-block"/><div class="c-grid b-it-header-block"><div class="b-it-header-block__header-block font-normal "><a class="c-link b-it-header-block__link font-normal" href="/life-style/people"><div class="c-stack b-it-header-block__heading-h5 font-normal" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack headline-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:0"><h2 as="h5" class="c-heading font-normal margin_none"><span class=" font-normal">PEOPLE<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="14" height="24" viewBox="0 0 14 24" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" clip-rule="evenodd" class="c-icon"><path d="M1.13096 0.799122C1.80974 0.102652 2.7203 -0.288062 3.25008 0.255525L13.3161 10.5835C14.2279 11.4523 14.228 12.9331 13.3161 13.802L3.78 23.0857C2.92237 23.9029 2.18997 24.7165 0.637788 22.9345C-0.650965 21.455 0.273466 20.6414 1.1311 19.8243L8.71733 12.5593C8.91647 12.3686 8.92364 12.0527 8.73336 11.8531L0.748709 3.47961C-0.108924 2.6625 0.0713963 1.88627 1.13096 0.799122Z"></path></svg></span></h2></div></div></a></div></div><div id="lazy_29784" class="lazy_container"><div class="b-flex-chain"><div class="b-flex-chain__grid-container b-flex-chain__grid-container__3522 has-divider gap-divider"><div class="c-stack grid-item grid-column-span-3" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1.5;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/life-style/people/2024/11/30/buswells-hotel-manager-bids-farewell-to-his-ringside-seat-to-history-in-the-third-house-of-the-oireachtas/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Buswells Hotel manager bids farewell to his ringside seat to history in the ‘third house of the Oireachtas’" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/BQQRYVUXIBCBPARS4DFFP22KME.JPG?smart=true&auth=eb99ffba308e03eaae6e6ef3c92acd92e71537d7e138f8d2e815a7a79b2a5f6a&width=800&height=533" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/BQQRYVUXIBCBPARS4DFFP22KME.JPG?smart=true&auth=eb99ffba308e03eaae6e6ef3c92acd92e71537d7e138f8d2e815a7a79b2a5f6a&width=400&height=266 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/BQQRYVUXIBCBPARS4DFFP22KME.JPG?smart=true&auth=eb99ffba308e03eaae6e6ef3c92acd92e71537d7e138f8d2e815a7a79b2a5f6a&width=440&height=293 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/BQQRYVUXIBCBPARS4DFFP22KME.JPG?smart=true&auth=eb99ffba308e03eaae6e6ef3c92acd92e71537d7e138f8d2e815a7a79b2a5f6a&width=800&height=533 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="533"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/life-style/people/2024/11/30/buswells-hotel-manager-bids-farewell-to-his-ringside-seat-to-history-in-the-third-house-of-the-oireachtas/">Buswells Hotel manager bids farewell to his ringside seat to history in the ‘third house of the Oireachtas’</a></h3></div></div></article></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item grid-column-span-5" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1.5;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/life-style/people/2024/12/01/it-is-a-right-that-was-violently-taken-away-the-jews-who-want-to-be-german-again/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="‘It is a right that was violently taken away’: The Jews who want to be German again" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FI53HNL5VRFYDHYOAOEDIKOEIE.jpg?smart=true&auth=32ca12fd9f22f65356c3dfad75fd892ac855bf8e4ff7ea8b0c895d854b229e9a&width=800&height=533" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FI53HNL5VRFYDHYOAOEDIKOEIE.jpg?smart=true&auth=32ca12fd9f22f65356c3dfad75fd892ac855bf8e4ff7ea8b0c895d854b229e9a&width=400&height=266 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FI53HNL5VRFYDHYOAOEDIKOEIE.jpg?smart=true&auth=32ca12fd9f22f65356c3dfad75fd892ac855bf8e4ff7ea8b0c895d854b229e9a&width=440&height=293 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FI53HNL5VRFYDHYOAOEDIKOEIE.jpg?smart=true&auth=32ca12fd9f22f65356c3dfad75fd892ac855bf8e4ff7ea8b0c895d854b229e9a&width=800&height=533 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="533"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/life-style/people/2024/12/01/it-is-a-right-that-was-violently-taken-away-the-jews-who-want-to-be-german-again/">‘It is a right that was violently taken away’: The Jews who want to be German again</a></h3></div></div></article></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item grid-column-span-2" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1.5;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/life-style/people/2024/12/01/fake-flowers-make-me-sad-and-mad-plastic-plastic-everywhere-and-i-cant-stand-it/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Fake flowers make me sad and mad: Plastic, plastic everywhere and I can’t stand it" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/4OSQFH3JIBDNFO7USE2V3AQKBU.jpg?focal=1470%2C1214&auth=6cbf51800303d20f7be06cd1c5ae2887f9947ac4ad713b1254f4d6e82374673b&width=800&height=533" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/4OSQFH3JIBDNFO7USE2V3AQKBU.jpg?focal=1470%2C1214&auth=6cbf51800303d20f7be06cd1c5ae2887f9947ac4ad713b1254f4d6e82374673b&width=400&height=266 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/4OSQFH3JIBDNFO7USE2V3AQKBU.jpg?focal=1470%2C1214&auth=6cbf51800303d20f7be06cd1c5ae2887f9947ac4ad713b1254f4d6e82374673b&width=440&height=293 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/4OSQFH3JIBDNFO7USE2V3AQKBU.jpg?focal=1470%2C1214&auth=6cbf51800303d20f7be06cd1c5ae2887f9947ac4ad713b1254f4d6e82374673b&width=800&height=533 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="533"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/life-style/people/2024/12/01/fake-flowers-make-me-sad-and-mad-plastic-plastic-everywhere-and-i-cant-stand-it/">Fake flowers make me sad and mad: Plastic, plastic everywhere and I can’t stand it</a></h3></div></div></article></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item grid-column-span-2" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1.5;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/life-style/people/2024/12/01/dermot-whelan-mindfulness-isnt-a-cult-we-dont-have-to-get-naked-and-cover-ourselves-in-hummus/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Dermot Whelan: ‘Mindfulness isn’t a cult. We don’t have to get naked and cover ourselves in hummus’" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/M325QSHNBNDBDLRBKATWDD6OMU.jpg?focal=3110%2C1560&auth=a8e8bcc90980b18b1686b491dee3b2a55be179b8588c1d409c50e6482f891887&width=800&height=533" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/M325QSHNBNDBDLRBKATWDD6OMU.jpg?focal=3110%2C1560&auth=a8e8bcc90980b18b1686b491dee3b2a55be179b8588c1d409c50e6482f891887&width=400&height=266 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/M325QSHNBNDBDLRBKATWDD6OMU.jpg?focal=3110%2C1560&auth=a8e8bcc90980b18b1686b491dee3b2a55be179b8588c1d409c50e6482f891887&width=440&height=293 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/M325QSHNBNDBDLRBKATWDD6OMU.jpg?focal=3110%2C1560&auth=a8e8bcc90980b18b1686b491dee3b2a55be179b8588c1d409c50e6482f891887&width=800&height=533 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="533"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/life-style/people/2024/12/01/dermot-whelan-mindfulness-isnt-a-cult-we-dont-have-to-get-naked-and-cover-ourselves-in-hummus/">Dermot Whelan: ‘Mindfulness isn’t a cult. We don’t have to get naked and cover ourselves in hummus’</a></h3></div></div></article></div></div></div></div></div><hr class="c-divider b-it-divider-block"/><div class="c-grid b-it-header-block"><div class="b-it-header-block__header-block font-normal "><a class="c-link b-it-header-block__link font-normal" href="/tags/new-to-the-parish"><div class="c-stack b-it-header-block__heading-h5 font-normal" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack headline-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:0"><h2 as="h5" class="c-heading font-normal margin_none"><span class=" font-normal">NEW TO THE PARISH<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="14" height="24" viewBox="0 0 14 24" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" clip-rule="evenodd" class="c-icon"><path d="M1.13096 0.799122C1.80974 0.102652 2.7203 -0.288062 3.25008 0.255525L13.3161 10.5835C14.2279 11.4523 14.228 12.9331 13.3161 13.802L3.78 23.0857C2.92237 23.9029 2.18997 24.7165 0.637788 22.9345C-0.650965 21.455 0.273466 20.6414 1.1311 19.8243L8.71733 12.5593C8.91647 12.3686 8.92364 12.0527 8.73336 11.8531L0.748709 3.47961C-0.108924 2.6625 0.0713963 1.88627 1.13096 0.799122Z"></path></svg></span></h2></div></div></a></div></div><div id="lazy_76796" class="lazy_container"><div class="b-flex-chain"><div class="b-flex-chain__grid-container b-flex-chain__grid-container__444 has-divider gap-divider"><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1.5;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/life-style/people/2024/12/03/a-californian-woman-in-dublin-irelands-not-perfect-but-i-do-think-as-a-whole-it-is-moving-in-the-right-direction/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="A Californian woman in Dublin: ‘Ireland’s not perfect, but I do think as a whole it is moving in the right direction’" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/PWTZLKGV6NDSPJEXBQXCQZKN2M.jpg?smart=true&auth=bb1567c2de361eb277c0088196ffac0c9e569390701c1e3567ca46856766607a&width=800&height=533" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/PWTZLKGV6NDSPJEXBQXCQZKN2M.jpg?smart=true&auth=bb1567c2de361eb277c0088196ffac0c9e569390701c1e3567ca46856766607a&width=400&height=266 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/PWTZLKGV6NDSPJEXBQXCQZKN2M.jpg?smart=true&auth=bb1567c2de361eb277c0088196ffac0c9e569390701c1e3567ca46856766607a&width=440&height=293 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/PWTZLKGV6NDSPJEXBQXCQZKN2M.jpg?smart=true&auth=bb1567c2de361eb277c0088196ffac0c9e569390701c1e3567ca46856766607a&width=800&height=533 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="533"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/life-style/people/2024/12/03/a-californian-woman-in-dublin-irelands-not-perfect-but-i-do-think-as-a-whole-it-is-moving-in-the-right-direction/">A Californian woman in Dublin: ‘Ireland’s not perfect, but I do think as a whole it is moving in the right direction’</a></h3></div></div></article></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1.5;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/life-style/people/2024/11/26/an-englishman-on-irish-life-there-is-an-underlying-positivity-in-ireland-certainly-in-comparison-to-your-anglo-saxon-neighbours/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="An Englishman on Irish life: ‘There is an underlying positivity in Ireland, certainly in comparison to your Anglo-Saxon neighbours’" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/ETLNR2SLEFAMVBFZGMDRVEPJJQ.JPG?focal=4970%2C2280&auth=c5e4424a2ace8f8f77dda85d03aa02e5b54e1139c7d6c718a3167b94eebfc6a9&width=800&height=533" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/ETLNR2SLEFAMVBFZGMDRVEPJJQ.JPG?focal=4970%2C2280&auth=c5e4424a2ace8f8f77dda85d03aa02e5b54e1139c7d6c718a3167b94eebfc6a9&width=400&height=266 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/ETLNR2SLEFAMVBFZGMDRVEPJJQ.JPG?focal=4970%2C2280&auth=c5e4424a2ace8f8f77dda85d03aa02e5b54e1139c7d6c718a3167b94eebfc6a9&width=440&height=293 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/ETLNR2SLEFAMVBFZGMDRVEPJJQ.JPG?focal=4970%2C2280&auth=c5e4424a2ace8f8f77dda85d03aa02e5b54e1139c7d6c718a3167b94eebfc6a9&width=800&height=533 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="533"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/life-style/people/2024/11/26/an-englishman-on-irish-life-there-is-an-underlying-positivity-in-ireland-certainly-in-comparison-to-your-anglo-saxon-neighbours/">An Englishman on Irish life: ‘There is an underlying positivity in Ireland, certainly in comparison to your Anglo-Saxon neighbours’</a></h3></div></div></article></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div id="arcad-feature-f0fmbpNfIV6p5Ag-1bba196d3ad191" class="default__StyledAdUnit-sc-1moicrg-0 kjbLvz arcad-feature"><div class="arcad-container width_100" style="max-width:fluidpx"><div id="arcad_f0fmbpNfIV6p5Ag-1bba196d3ad191" class="arcad ad-fluid"></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><hr class="c-divider b-it-divider-block"/><div class="c-grid b-it-header-block"><div class="b-it-header-block__header-block font-normal "><a class="c-link b-it-header-block__link font-normal" href="/life-style/travel"><div class="c-stack b-it-header-block__heading-h5 font-normal" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack headline-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:0"><h2 as="h5" class="c-heading font-normal margin_none"><span class=" font-normal">TRAVEL<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="14" height="24" viewBox="0 0 14 24" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" clip-rule="evenodd" class="c-icon"><path d="M1.13096 0.799122C1.80974 0.102652 2.7203 -0.288062 3.25008 0.255525L13.3161 10.5835C14.2279 11.4523 14.228 12.9331 13.3161 13.802L3.78 23.0857C2.92237 23.9029 2.18997 24.7165 0.637788 22.9345C-0.650965 21.455 0.273466 20.6414 1.1311 19.8243L8.71733 12.5593C8.91647 12.3686 8.92364 12.0527 8.73336 11.8531L0.748709 3.47961C-0.108924 2.6625 0.0713963 1.88627 1.13096 0.799122Z"></path></svg></span></h2></div></div></a></div></div><div id="lazy_22741" class="lazy_container"><div class="b-flex-chain"><div class="b-flex-chain__grid-container b-flex-chain__grid-container__3522 has-divider gap-divider"><div class="c-stack grid-item grid-column-span-3" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1.5;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/life-style/travel/2024/12/02/hiking-across-romania-several-times-i-noticed-car-keys-left-in-the-ignition-a-nostalgic-reminder-of-ireland-in-bygone-years/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Hiking across Romania: ‘Several times, I noticed car keys left in the ignition, a nostalgic reminder of Ireland in bygone years’" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/2ZTOPKRPOVBKFD4TWEKPY7OFIU.jpg?smart=true&auth=e61466b2c71f0e7c3836217b0869d4dce02d1c92ea474280c902264d7142f87d&width=800&height=533" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/2ZTOPKRPOVBKFD4TWEKPY7OFIU.jpg?smart=true&auth=e61466b2c71f0e7c3836217b0869d4dce02d1c92ea474280c902264d7142f87d&width=400&height=266 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/2ZTOPKRPOVBKFD4TWEKPY7OFIU.jpg?smart=true&auth=e61466b2c71f0e7c3836217b0869d4dce02d1c92ea474280c902264d7142f87d&width=440&height=293 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/2ZTOPKRPOVBKFD4TWEKPY7OFIU.jpg?smart=true&auth=e61466b2c71f0e7c3836217b0869d4dce02d1c92ea474280c902264d7142f87d&width=800&height=533 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="533"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/life-style/travel/2024/12/02/hiking-across-romania-several-times-i-noticed-car-keys-left-in-the-ignition-a-nostalgic-reminder-of-ireland-in-bygone-years/">Hiking across Romania: ‘Several times, I noticed car keys left in the ignition, a nostalgic reminder of Ireland in bygone years’</a></h3></div></div></article></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item grid-column-span-5" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1.5;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/life-style/travel/2024/11/24/goodbye-to-the-46a-end-of-legendary-dublin-bus-route-made-famous-in-song/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Goodbye to the 46A: End of legendary Dublin bus route made famous in song" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/D7UNGXJQURF4ZFWOP5QTYE623A.JPG?smart=true&auth=438756f291ce480e1a9349feef7c5050f3a000d96d7c19fe2c18298333a9c5ce&width=800&height=533" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/D7UNGXJQURF4ZFWOP5QTYE623A.JPG?smart=true&auth=438756f291ce480e1a9349feef7c5050f3a000d96d7c19fe2c18298333a9c5ce&width=400&height=266 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/D7UNGXJQURF4ZFWOP5QTYE623A.JPG?smart=true&auth=438756f291ce480e1a9349feef7c5050f3a000d96d7c19fe2c18298333a9c5ce&width=440&height=293 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/D7UNGXJQURF4ZFWOP5QTYE623A.JPG?smart=true&auth=438756f291ce480e1a9349feef7c5050f3a000d96d7c19fe2c18298333a9c5ce&width=800&height=533 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="533"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/life-style/travel/2024/11/24/goodbye-to-the-46a-end-of-legendary-dublin-bus-route-made-famous-in-song/">Goodbye to the 46A: End of legendary Dublin bus route made famous in song</a></h3></div></div></article></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item grid-column-span-2" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1.5;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/life-style/travel/2024/11/24/in-need-of-minibreak-before-or-after-christmas-here-are-16-of-the-best-around-ireland/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Looking for a minibreak before or after Christmas? Here are 16 of the best around Ireland" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/QRH3IETGDRA4XOT5BTRN4CNU3M.jpg?focal=1250%2C1070&auth=807251378aba504be44ce82a9144a73a756af2d39e60eb602b1af3ce573f7bc2&width=800&height=533" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/QRH3IETGDRA4XOT5BTRN4CNU3M.jpg?focal=1250%2C1070&auth=807251378aba504be44ce82a9144a73a756af2d39e60eb602b1af3ce573f7bc2&width=400&height=266 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/QRH3IETGDRA4XOT5BTRN4CNU3M.jpg?focal=1250%2C1070&auth=807251378aba504be44ce82a9144a73a756af2d39e60eb602b1af3ce573f7bc2&width=440&height=293 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/QRH3IETGDRA4XOT5BTRN4CNU3M.jpg?focal=1250%2C1070&auth=807251378aba504be44ce82a9144a73a756af2d39e60eb602b1af3ce573f7bc2&width=800&height=533 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="533"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/life-style/travel/2024/11/24/in-need-of-minibreak-before-or-after-christmas-here-are-16-of-the-best-around-ireland/">Looking for a minibreak before or after Christmas? Here are 16 of the best around Ireland</a></h3></div></div></article></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item grid-column-span-2" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1.5;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/life-style/travel/2024/11/21/markets-in-vienna-or-christmas-at-the-shelbourne-10-holiday-escapes-2/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Markets in Vienna or Christmas at The Shelbourne? 10 holiday escapes over the festive season" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/F5YGPTEKIZBCDFDSF46XHPALHY.jpg?smart=true&auth=1b18bbd9e5530f9a0d6e51a15d91a13cf4dd21dc129969401767d350030457a1&width=800&height=533" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/F5YGPTEKIZBCDFDSF46XHPALHY.jpg?smart=true&auth=1b18bbd9e5530f9a0d6e51a15d91a13cf4dd21dc129969401767d350030457a1&width=400&height=266 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/F5YGPTEKIZBCDFDSF46XHPALHY.jpg?smart=true&auth=1b18bbd9e5530f9a0d6e51a15d91a13cf4dd21dc129969401767d350030457a1&width=440&height=293 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/F5YGPTEKIZBCDFDSF46XHPALHY.jpg?smart=true&auth=1b18bbd9e5530f9a0d6e51a15d91a13cf4dd21dc129969401767d350030457a1&width=800&height=533 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="533"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/life-style/travel/2024/11/21/markets-in-vienna-or-christmas-at-the-shelbourne-10-holiday-escapes-2/">Markets in Vienna or Christmas at The Shelbourne? 10 holiday escapes over the festive season</a></h3></div></div></article></div></div></div></div></div><hr class="c-divider b-it-divider-block"/><div class="c-grid b-it-header-block"><div class="b-it-header-block__header-block font-normal "><a class="c-link b-it-header-block__link font-normal" href="/life-style/gardening"><div class="c-stack b-it-header-block__heading-h5 font-normal" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack headline-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:0"><h2 as="h5" class="c-heading font-normal margin_none"><span class=" font-normal">GARDENING<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="14" height="24" viewBox="0 0 14 24" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" clip-rule="evenodd" class="c-icon"><path d="M1.13096 0.799122C1.80974 0.102652 2.7203 -0.288062 3.25008 0.255525L13.3161 10.5835C14.2279 11.4523 14.228 12.9331 13.3161 13.802L3.78 23.0857C2.92237 23.9029 2.18997 24.7165 0.637788 22.9345C-0.650965 21.455 0.273466 20.6414 1.1311 19.8243L8.71733 12.5593C8.91647 12.3686 8.92364 12.0527 8.73336 11.8531L0.748709 3.47961C-0.108924 2.6625 0.0713963 1.88627 1.13096 0.799122Z"></path></svg></span></h2></div></div></a></div></div><div id="lazy_75558" class="lazy_container"><div class="b-flex-chain"><div class="b-flex-chain__grid-container b-flex-chain__grid-container__3333 has-divider gap-divider"><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1.5;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/life-style/gardening/2024/11/30/does-a-tree-fern-need-extra-protection-from-the-elements/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Does a tree fern need extra protection from the elements?" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/MWSDR7SEPNVLMG53FAH4FZ7UOA.jpg?focal=750%2C430&auth=481136bcbfe3d94af1dc5d1aa69678b59c2f9618f9f3cb5f07eb040a4d69ed9b&width=800&height=533" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/MWSDR7SEPNVLMG53FAH4FZ7UOA.jpg?focal=750%2C430&auth=481136bcbfe3d94af1dc5d1aa69678b59c2f9618f9f3cb5f07eb040a4d69ed9b&width=400&height=266 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/MWSDR7SEPNVLMG53FAH4FZ7UOA.jpg?focal=750%2C430&auth=481136bcbfe3d94af1dc5d1aa69678b59c2f9618f9f3cb5f07eb040a4d69ed9b&width=440&height=293 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/MWSDR7SEPNVLMG53FAH4FZ7UOA.jpg?focal=750%2C430&auth=481136bcbfe3d94af1dc5d1aa69678b59c2f9618f9f3cb5f07eb040a4d69ed9b&width=800&height=533 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="533"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/life-style/gardening/2024/11/30/does-a-tree-fern-need-extra-protection-from-the-elements/">Does a tree fern need extra protection from the elements?</a></h3></div></div></article></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1.5;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/life-style/gardening/2024/11/30/gardening-tools-that-will-last-a-lifetime-if-treated-right/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Gardening tools that will last a lifetime if treated right" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/EH74CSCYYA3XKWKTVIILEWQD2U.jpg?focal=695%2C263&auth=97e2df804a24faaa9458a3c7b8e846f86b6f65e9b6bc28041c7bd3c56f6e4eaf&width=800&height=533" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/EH74CSCYYA3XKWKTVIILEWQD2U.jpg?focal=695%2C263&auth=97e2df804a24faaa9458a3c7b8e846f86b6f65e9b6bc28041c7bd3c56f6e4eaf&width=400&height=266 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/EH74CSCYYA3XKWKTVIILEWQD2U.jpg?focal=695%2C263&auth=97e2df804a24faaa9458a3c7b8e846f86b6f65e9b6bc28041c7bd3c56f6e4eaf&width=440&height=293 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/EH74CSCYYA3XKWKTVIILEWQD2U.jpg?focal=695%2C263&auth=97e2df804a24faaa9458a3c7b8e846f86b6f65e9b6bc28041c7bd3c56f6e4eaf&width=800&height=533 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="533"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/life-style/gardening/2024/11/30/gardening-tools-that-will-last-a-lifetime-if-treated-right/">Gardening tools that will last a lifetime if treated right</a></h3></div></div></article></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1.5;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/life-style/gardening/2024/11/23/gardening-qa-my-young-escallonia-hedge-looks-tatty-what-have-i-done/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Gardening Q&A: My young hedge looks tatty - what have I done?" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/HFDBANDDLZDUFGQR7NHJL5LUYM.jpg?focal=1767%2C1580&auth=31c6b18a4db8de49bcee254e30f4e835726b347c92c5e659c87772bfae73fb62&width=800&height=533" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/HFDBANDDLZDUFGQR7NHJL5LUYM.jpg?focal=1767%2C1580&auth=31c6b18a4db8de49bcee254e30f4e835726b347c92c5e659c87772bfae73fb62&width=400&height=266 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/HFDBANDDLZDUFGQR7NHJL5LUYM.jpg?focal=1767%2C1580&auth=31c6b18a4db8de49bcee254e30f4e835726b347c92c5e659c87772bfae73fb62&width=440&height=293 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/HFDBANDDLZDUFGQR7NHJL5LUYM.jpg?focal=1767%2C1580&auth=31c6b18a4db8de49bcee254e30f4e835726b347c92c5e659c87772bfae73fb62&width=800&height=533 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="533"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/life-style/gardening/2024/11/23/gardening-qa-my-young-escallonia-hedge-looks-tatty-what-have-i-done/">Gardening Q&A: My young hedge looks tatty - what have I done?</a></h3></div></div></article></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1.5;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/life-style/gardening/2024/11/23/five-life-lessons-my-garden-taught-me-nature-often-has-a-quiet-but-not-unkind-laugh-at-our-expense/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Five life lessons my garden taught me: Nature often has a quiet but not unkind laugh at our expense" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/IKLCQ6ZNZNBD7GIYCLE67PASJU.jpg?focal=1920%2C1520&auth=fbb225a69a2b3c4431d7ce7570332e346ffc15b186e93476bfec5a742a37d98a&width=800&height=533" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/IKLCQ6ZNZNBD7GIYCLE67PASJU.jpg?focal=1920%2C1520&auth=fbb225a69a2b3c4431d7ce7570332e346ffc15b186e93476bfec5a742a37d98a&width=400&height=266 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/IKLCQ6ZNZNBD7GIYCLE67PASJU.jpg?focal=1920%2C1520&auth=fbb225a69a2b3c4431d7ce7570332e346ffc15b186e93476bfec5a742a37d98a&width=440&height=293 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/IKLCQ6ZNZNBD7GIYCLE67PASJU.jpg?focal=1920%2C1520&auth=fbb225a69a2b3c4431d7ce7570332e346ffc15b186e93476bfec5a742a37d98a&width=800&height=533 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="533"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/life-style/gardening/2024/11/23/five-life-lessons-my-garden-taught-me-nature-often-has-a-quiet-but-not-unkind-laugh-at-our-expense/">Five life lessons my garden taught me: Nature often has a quiet but not unkind laugh at our expense</a></h3></div></div></article></div></div></div></div></div><hr class="c-divider b-it-divider-block"/><div id="arcad-feature-f0fBMSocQVNe1gM-124a23f67d8df9" class="default__StyledAdUnit-sc-1moicrg-0 gKEhzJ arcad-feature"><div class="arcad-container width_100" style="max-width:970px;min-height:107px"><div id="arcad_f0fBMSocQVNe1gM-124a23f67d8df9" class="arcad ad-970x90"></div></div></div><hr class="c-divider b-it-divider-block"/><div class="c-grid b-it-header-block"><div class="b-it-header-block__header-block font-normal "><a class="c-link b-it-header-block__link font-normal" href="/life-style/fashion"><div class="c-stack b-it-header-block__heading-h5 font-normal" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack headline-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:0"><h2 as="h5" class="c-heading font-normal margin_none"><span class=" font-normal">FASHION<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="14" height="24" viewBox="0 0 14 24" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" clip-rule="evenodd" class="c-icon"><path d="M1.13096 0.799122C1.80974 0.102652 2.7203 -0.288062 3.25008 0.255525L13.3161 10.5835C14.2279 11.4523 14.228 12.9331 13.3161 13.802L3.78 23.0857C2.92237 23.9029 2.18997 24.7165 0.637788 22.9345C-0.650965 21.455 0.273466 20.6414 1.1311 19.8243L8.71733 12.5593C8.91647 12.3686 8.92364 12.0527 8.73336 11.8531L0.748709 3.47961C-0.108924 2.6625 0.0713963 1.88627 1.13096 0.799122Z"></path></svg></span></h2></div></div></a></div></div><div id="lazy_32645" class="lazy_container"><div class="b-flex-chain"><div class="b-flex-chain__grid-container b-flex-chain__grid-container__3522 has-divider gap-divider"><div class="c-stack grid-item grid-column-span-3" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1.5;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/life-style/fashion/2024/12/02/irish-designer-aoife-rooneys-eco-approach-to-fashion-i-use-anything-i-can-get-my-hands-on/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Irish designer Aoife Rooney’s eco approach to fashion: ‘I use anything I can get my hands on’" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/RMHUQRZE45DXHAYD2M4GU2VI74.jpg?focal=1600%2C755&auth=a50825467b68b2430f5f3ec35199ccab9446f72a70733d7d5ab93baf036ae4fe&width=800&height=533" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/RMHUQRZE45DXHAYD2M4GU2VI74.jpg?focal=1600%2C755&auth=a50825467b68b2430f5f3ec35199ccab9446f72a70733d7d5ab93baf036ae4fe&width=400&height=266 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/RMHUQRZE45DXHAYD2M4GU2VI74.jpg?focal=1600%2C755&auth=a50825467b68b2430f5f3ec35199ccab9446f72a70733d7d5ab93baf036ae4fe&width=440&height=293 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/RMHUQRZE45DXHAYD2M4GU2VI74.jpg?focal=1600%2C755&auth=a50825467b68b2430f5f3ec35199ccab9446f72a70733d7d5ab93baf036ae4fe&width=800&height=533 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="533"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/life-style/fashion/2024/12/02/irish-designer-aoife-rooneys-eco-approach-to-fashion-i-use-anything-i-can-get-my-hands-on/">Irish designer Aoife Rooney’s eco approach to fashion: ‘I use anything I can get my hands on’</a></h3></div></div></article></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item grid-column-span-5" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1.5;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/life-style/fashion/2024/11/29/five-of-the-best-beauty-gifts-for-christmas-from-irish-brands/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Five of the best beauty gifts for Christmas from Irish brands " class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/KGKI3YFV3JEK5K6XJTU5QPCQLM.png?focal=780%2C640&auth=c98994ca7b1d6728ea8bab4225ea8c2fc40da0cd4e89003604607a2e9ddaa0de&width=800&height=533" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/KGKI3YFV3JEK5K6XJTU5QPCQLM.png?focal=780%2C640&auth=c98994ca7b1d6728ea8bab4225ea8c2fc40da0cd4e89003604607a2e9ddaa0de&width=400&height=266 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/KGKI3YFV3JEK5K6XJTU5QPCQLM.png?focal=780%2C640&auth=c98994ca7b1d6728ea8bab4225ea8c2fc40da0cd4e89003604607a2e9ddaa0de&width=440&height=293 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/KGKI3YFV3JEK5K6XJTU5QPCQLM.png?focal=780%2C640&auth=c98994ca7b1d6728ea8bab4225ea8c2fc40da0cd4e89003604607a2e9ddaa0de&width=800&height=533 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="533"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/life-style/fashion/2024/11/29/five-of-the-best-beauty-gifts-for-christmas-from-irish-brands/">Five of the best beauty gifts for Christmas from Irish brands </a></h3></div></div></article></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item grid-column-span-2" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1.5;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/life-style/fashion/2024/11/23/festive-fashion-what-to-wear-for-christmas-party-season/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Festive fashion: what to wear for Christmas party season" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/R35JA2OI2FBDVF3GBYCJFG77E4.jpg?focal=797%2C348&auth=bf6ef230fe2fed55c998e722fb57b85fee5554076439c17aabecec63c34d5af1&width=800&height=533" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/R35JA2OI2FBDVF3GBYCJFG77E4.jpg?focal=797%2C348&auth=bf6ef230fe2fed55c998e722fb57b85fee5554076439c17aabecec63c34d5af1&width=400&height=266 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/R35JA2OI2FBDVF3GBYCJFG77E4.jpg?focal=797%2C348&auth=bf6ef230fe2fed55c998e722fb57b85fee5554076439c17aabecec63c34d5af1&width=440&height=293 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/R35JA2OI2FBDVF3GBYCJFG77E4.jpg?focal=797%2C348&auth=bf6ef230fe2fed55c998e722fb57b85fee5554076439c17aabecec63c34d5af1&width=800&height=533 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="533"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/life-style/fashion/2024/11/23/festive-fashion-what-to-wear-for-christmas-party-season/">Festive fashion: what to wear for Christmas party season</a></h3></div></div></article></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item grid-column-span-2" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1.5;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/life-style/fashion/2024/11/24/standout-jewellery-for-the-christmas-party-season/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Standout jewellery for the Christmas party season" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/5SEGEXRFTBE6VHQGPM4HTOFVRU.jpg?smart=true&auth=d780134fa6fa6a109788b9bebe1dd0460f1c245286613e300938d0ab76af0029&width=800&height=533" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/5SEGEXRFTBE6VHQGPM4HTOFVRU.jpg?smart=true&auth=d780134fa6fa6a109788b9bebe1dd0460f1c245286613e300938d0ab76af0029&width=400&height=266 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/5SEGEXRFTBE6VHQGPM4HTOFVRU.jpg?smart=true&auth=d780134fa6fa6a109788b9bebe1dd0460f1c245286613e300938d0ab76af0029&width=440&height=293 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/5SEGEXRFTBE6VHQGPM4HTOFVRU.jpg?smart=true&auth=d780134fa6fa6a109788b9bebe1dd0460f1c245286613e300938d0ab76af0029&width=800&height=533 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="533"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/life-style/fashion/2024/11/24/standout-jewellery-for-the-christmas-party-season/">Standout jewellery for the Christmas party season</a></h3></div></div></article></div></div></div></div></div><hr class="c-divider b-it-divider-block"/><div class="c-grid b-it-header-block"><div class="b-it-header-block__header-block font-normal "><a class="c-link b-it-header-block__link font-normal" href="/life-style/fine-art-antiques"><div class="c-stack b-it-header-block__heading-h5 font-normal" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack headline-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:0"><h2 as="h5" class="c-heading font-normal margin_none"><span class=" font-normal">FINE ART & ANTIQUES<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="14" height="24" viewBox="0 0 14 24" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" clip-rule="evenodd" class="c-icon"><path d="M1.13096 0.799122C1.80974 0.102652 2.7203 -0.288062 3.25008 0.255525L13.3161 10.5835C14.2279 11.4523 14.228 12.9331 13.3161 13.802L3.78 23.0857C2.92237 23.9029 2.18997 24.7165 0.637788 22.9345C-0.650965 21.455 0.273466 20.6414 1.1311 19.8243L8.71733 12.5593C8.91647 12.3686 8.92364 12.0527 8.73336 11.8531L0.748709 3.47961C-0.108924 2.6625 0.0713963 1.88627 1.13096 0.799122Z"></path></svg></span></h2></div></div></a></div></div><div id="lazy_98711" class="lazy_container"><div class="b-flex-chain"><div class="b-flex-chain__grid-container b-flex-chain__grid-container__3333 has-divider gap-divider"><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1.5;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/life-style/fine-art-antiques/2024/11/30/female-pioneers-of-modernism-shine-in-irish-art-sale/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Female pioneers of modernism shine in Irish art sale" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/AUS35HOKFJBSNBDK2VKCK3ODAI.jpg?smart=true&auth=fd4f7d0c607a3b8e796184a9e39ac31919f57c51de98953927d4b9e98ec0da17&width=800&height=533" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/AUS35HOKFJBSNBDK2VKCK3ODAI.jpg?smart=true&auth=fd4f7d0c607a3b8e796184a9e39ac31919f57c51de98953927d4b9e98ec0da17&width=400&height=266 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/AUS35HOKFJBSNBDK2VKCK3ODAI.jpg?smart=true&auth=fd4f7d0c607a3b8e796184a9e39ac31919f57c51de98953927d4b9e98ec0da17&width=440&height=293 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/AUS35HOKFJBSNBDK2VKCK3ODAI.jpg?smart=true&auth=fd4f7d0c607a3b8e796184a9e39ac31919f57c51de98953927d4b9e98ec0da17&width=800&height=533 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="533"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/life-style/fine-art-antiques/2024/11/30/female-pioneers-of-modernism-shine-in-irish-art-sale/">Female pioneers of modernism shine in Irish art sale</a></h3></div></div></article></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1.5;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/life-style/fine-art-antiques/2024/11/23/luxury-gifts-diamonds-watches-and-art-deco-brooches-under-the-hammer/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Luxury gifts: diamonds, watches and art deco brooches under the hammer" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/OJIQ5MQAYZASLITTVBCE4NDGAY.jpg?smart=true&auth=487e68a881e509fa788d42fc06e24bf7f95ce23eb40ac66737a9dd6f45d26c1c&width=800&height=533" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/OJIQ5MQAYZASLITTVBCE4NDGAY.jpg?smart=true&auth=487e68a881e509fa788d42fc06e24bf7f95ce23eb40ac66737a9dd6f45d26c1c&width=400&height=266 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/OJIQ5MQAYZASLITTVBCE4NDGAY.jpg?smart=true&auth=487e68a881e509fa788d42fc06e24bf7f95ce23eb40ac66737a9dd6f45d26c1c&width=440&height=293 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/OJIQ5MQAYZASLITTVBCE4NDGAY.jpg?smart=true&auth=487e68a881e509fa788d42fc06e24bf7f95ce23eb40ac66737a9dd6f45d26c1c&width=800&height=533 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="533"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/life-style/fine-art-antiques/2024/11/23/luxury-gifts-diamonds-watches-and-art-deco-brooches-under-the-hammer/">Luxury gifts: diamonds, watches and art deco brooches under the hammer</a></h3></div></div></article></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1.5;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/life-style/fine-art-antiques/2024/11/23/irish-art-sale-standing-room-only-anticipated-at-live-auction-return/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Irish art sale: Standing room only anticipated at live auction return" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/X2AHOELJZNCKNNEUN52FAH45QU.jpg?smart=true&auth=29e4adb823e5b3a137f94b5c2ff7a36e73fedb8fae9a913b4de10ca0bcf507ad&width=800&height=533" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/X2AHOELJZNCKNNEUN52FAH45QU.jpg?smart=true&auth=29e4adb823e5b3a137f94b5c2ff7a36e73fedb8fae9a913b4de10ca0bcf507ad&width=400&height=266 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/X2AHOELJZNCKNNEUN52FAH45QU.jpg?smart=true&auth=29e4adb823e5b3a137f94b5c2ff7a36e73fedb8fae9a913b4de10ca0bcf507ad&width=440&height=293 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/X2AHOELJZNCKNNEUN52FAH45QU.jpg?smart=true&auth=29e4adb823e5b3a137f94b5c2ff7a36e73fedb8fae9a913b4de10ca0bcf507ad&width=800&height=533 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="533"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/life-style/fine-art-antiques/2024/11/23/irish-art-sale-standing-room-only-anticipated-at-live-auction-return/">Irish art sale: Standing room only anticipated at live auction return</a></h3></div></div></article></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1.5;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/life-style/fine-art-antiques/2024/11/16/the-story-behind-the-object-upcoming-sales-of-antique-furniture-art-and-historic-prints/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="The story behind the object: upcoming sales of antique furniture, art and historic prints" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/UT6AHOZRL5FENGDJY57DDGSGOA.JPG?smart=true&auth=1636f8e833179b73ec2c1d042aeeff76a324c77fcccb34f27a11c907779fddb6&width=800&height=533" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/UT6AHOZRL5FENGDJY57DDGSGOA.JPG?smart=true&auth=1636f8e833179b73ec2c1d042aeeff76a324c77fcccb34f27a11c907779fddb6&width=400&height=266 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/UT6AHOZRL5FENGDJY57DDGSGOA.JPG?smart=true&auth=1636f8e833179b73ec2c1d042aeeff76a324c77fcccb34f27a11c907779fddb6&width=440&height=293 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/UT6AHOZRL5FENGDJY57DDGSGOA.JPG?smart=true&auth=1636f8e833179b73ec2c1d042aeeff76a324c77fcccb34f27a11c907779fddb6&width=800&height=533 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="533"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/life-style/fine-art-antiques/2024/11/16/the-story-behind-the-object-upcoming-sales-of-antique-furniture-art-and-historic-prints/">The story behind the object: upcoming sales of antique furniture, art and historic prints</a></h3></div></div></article></div></div></div></div></div><hr class="c-divider b-it-divider-block"/><div id="lazy_96827" class="lazy_container"><div class="b-flex-chain"><div class="b-flex-chain__grid-container b-flex-chain__grid-container__444 has-divider gap-divider"><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div id="arcad-feature-f0fVGvkwVHGO84L-14f989a75704db" class="default__StyledAdUnit-sc-1moicrg-0 kjbLvz arcad-feature"><div class="arcad-container width_100" style="max-width:fluidpx"><div id="arcad_f0fVGvkwVHGO84L-14f989a75704db" class="arcad ad-fluid"></div></div></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="b-newsletter-block c-border__bottom "><div class="c-stack b-newsletter-block__horizontal" data-style-direction="inherit" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="image-wrapper_side right"><div style="aspect-ratio:84 / 84;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Food & Drink Club" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fcloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com%2Firishtimes%2FSFRFEEUV6JFPZM2DYC6XGBDQ7I.png?auth=558f5877a77ad42fe7f16bcd3d5910a8754513c9e3204d1fbb70fb0bc62f0b8f&width=84&height=84" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fcloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com%2Firishtimes%2FSFRFEEUV6JFPZM2DYC6XGBDQ7I.png?auth=558f5877a77ad42fe7f16bcd3d5910a8754513c9e3204d1fbb70fb0bc62f0b8f&width=84&height=84 84w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fcloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com%2Firishtimes%2FSFRFEEUV6JFPZM2DYC6XGBDQ7I.png?auth=558f5877a77ad42fe7f16bcd3d5910a8754513c9e3204d1fbb70fb0bc62f0b8f&width=168&height=168 168w" sizes="(max-width: 440px) 84px, (min-width: 441px) 168px" width="84" height="84"/></div></div><div class=""><h2 class="c-heading">Food & Drink Club</h2><p class="c-paragraph">Exclusive competitions and restaurant offers, plus reviews, the latest food and drink news, recipes and lots more</p></div></div><div><button class="c-button c-button--full-width c-button--large c-button--primary b-newsletter-block__button " type="submit"><span>Sign up</span></button></div></div><div class="b-newsletter-block c-border__bottom "><div class="c-stack b-newsletter-block__horizontal" data-style-direction="inherit" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="image-wrapper_side right"><div style="aspect-ratio:84 / 84;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="The Gloss" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fcloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com%2Firishtimes%2F25FGI4R7IRBOFIIF35WMQY7HCQ.jpg?auth=ac57dec984423eac02da5e321d6ee451697513312105337b4fcddda4fe69134a&width=84&height=84" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fcloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com%2Firishtimes%2F25FGI4R7IRBOFIIF35WMQY7HCQ.jpg?auth=ac57dec984423eac02da5e321d6ee451697513312105337b4fcddda4fe69134a&width=84&height=84 84w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fcloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com%2Firishtimes%2F25FGI4R7IRBOFIIF35WMQY7HCQ.jpg?auth=ac57dec984423eac02da5e321d6ee451697513312105337b4fcddda4fe69134a&width=168&height=168 168w" sizes="(max-width: 440px) 84px, (min-width: 441px) 168px" width="84" height="84"/></div></div><div class=""><h2 class="c-heading">The Gloss</h2><p class="c-paragraph">Keep up to date with the glossiest fashion news, looks and trends for you and your home. Make sure you never miss a copy of The Gloss</p></div></div><div><button class="c-button c-button--full-width c-button--large c-button--primary b-newsletter-block__button " type="submit"><span>Sign up</span></button></div></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="b-newsletter-block c-border__bottom "><div class="c-stack b-newsletter-block__horizontal" data-style-direction="inherit" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="image-wrapper_side right"><div style="aspect-ratio:84 / 84;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Abroad" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fcloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com%2Firishtimes%2FI3YWMZ37B5FZJDXOENGSQ35TEI.jpg?auth=c59ac72d8a3ab10347dbbac08428107919cd19801331f4f94d4611df5e20fdf8&width=84&height=84" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fcloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com%2Firishtimes%2FI3YWMZ37B5FZJDXOENGSQ35TEI.jpg?auth=c59ac72d8a3ab10347dbbac08428107919cd19801331f4f94d4611df5e20fdf8&width=84&height=84 84w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fcloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com%2Firishtimes%2FI3YWMZ37B5FZJDXOENGSQ35TEI.jpg?auth=c59ac72d8a3ab10347dbbac08428107919cd19801331f4f94d4611df5e20fdf8&width=168&height=168 168w" sizes="(max-width: 440px) 84px, (min-width: 441px) 168px" width="84" height="84"/></div></div><div class=""><h2 class="c-heading">Abroad</h2><p class="c-paragraph">Emigration issues and stories from the Irish diaspora. Members can contribute their own experiences and views</p></div></div><div><a class="c-button c-button--link c-button--full-width c-button--large c-button--primary b-newsletter-block__button" href="/abroad/join-us/"><span>Sign up</span></a></div></div><div class="b-newsletter-block c-border__bottom "><div class="c-stack b-newsletter-block__horizontal" data-style-direction="inherit" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="image-wrapper_side right"><div style="aspect-ratio:84 / 84;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Something for the Weekend" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fcloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com%2Firishtimes%2FCIXY47VSPBC2RGG5EGS4NJHSDY.jpg?auth=18e85ac75afd4bd58e875296ae5caafdfb5c282fa10fe499e28267a8ee95de65&width=84&height=84" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fcloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com%2Firishtimes%2FCIXY47VSPBC2RGG5EGS4NJHSDY.jpg?auth=18e85ac75afd4bd58e875296ae5caafdfb5c282fa10fe499e28267a8ee95de65&width=84&height=84 84w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fcloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com%2Firishtimes%2FCIXY47VSPBC2RGG5EGS4NJHSDY.jpg?auth=18e85ac75afd4bd58e875296ae5caafdfb5c282fa10fe499e28267a8ee95de65&width=168&height=168 168w" sizes="(max-width: 440px) 84px, (min-width: 441px) 168px" width="84" height="84"/></div></div><div class=""><h2 class="c-heading">Something for the Weekend</h2><p class="c-paragraph">Sign up to be the first getting the offers, competitions, and a sneak preview of what's coming up over the weekend</p></div></div><div><button class="c-button c-button--full-width c-button--large c-button--primary b-newsletter-block__button " type="submit"><span>Sign up</span></button></div></div></div></div></div></div><hr class="c-divider b-it-divider-block"/><div class="c-grid b-it-header-block"><div class="b-it-header-block__header-block font-normal "><a class="c-link b-it-header-block__link font-normal" href="/podcasts/the-womens-podcast"><div class="c-stack b-it-header-block__heading-h5 font-normal" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack headline-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:0"><h2 as="h5" class="c-heading font-normal margin_none"><span class=" font-normal">THE WOMEN'S PODCAST<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="14" height="24" viewBox="0 0 14 24" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" clip-rule="evenodd" class="c-icon"><path d="M1.13096 0.799122C1.80974 0.102652 2.7203 -0.288062 3.25008 0.255525L13.3161 10.5835C14.2279 11.4523 14.228 12.9331 13.3161 13.802L3.78 23.0857C2.92237 23.9029 2.18997 24.7165 0.637788 22.9345C-0.650965 21.455 0.273466 20.6414 1.1311 19.8243L8.71733 12.5593C8.91647 12.3686 8.92364 12.0527 8.73336 11.8531L0.748709 3.47961C-0.108924 2.6625 0.0713963 1.88627 1.13096 0.799122Z"></path></svg></span></h2></div></div></a></div></div><div id="lazy_65068" class="lazy_container"><div class="b-flex-chain"><div class="b-flex-chain__grid-container b-flex-chain__grid-container__3333 has-divider gap-divider"><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/podcasts/the-womens-podcast/general-election-weve-had-1345-people-elected-to-the-dail-and-only-131-of-them-have-been-women/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="General Election: ‘We’ve had 1,345 people elected to the Daíl and only 131 of them have been women’" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/E5GVMYO2HFH3XM4TVPH5HCFB6A.jpg?smart=true&auth=f2daf229f085c8ea757b3be4d50b0524aa7bdf2aeb074cca299ba7a533167724&width=800&height=800" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/E5GVMYO2HFH3XM4TVPH5HCFB6A.jpg?smart=true&auth=f2daf229f085c8ea757b3be4d50b0524aa7bdf2aeb074cca299ba7a533167724&width=400&height=400 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/E5GVMYO2HFH3XM4TVPH5HCFB6A.jpg?smart=true&auth=f2daf229f085c8ea757b3be4d50b0524aa7bdf2aeb074cca299ba7a533167724&width=440&height=440 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/E5GVMYO2HFH3XM4TVPH5HCFB6A.jpg?smart=true&auth=f2daf229f085c8ea757b3be4d50b0524aa7bdf2aeb074cca299ba7a533167724&width=800&height=800 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="800"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/podcasts/the-womens-podcast/general-election-weve-had-1345-people-elected-to-the-dail-and-only-131-of-them-have-been-women/">General Election: ‘We’ve had 1,345 people elected to the Daíl and only 131 of them have been women’</a></h3><div class="b-flex-promo-card__audio"><button aria-label="Listen to General Election: ‘We’ve had 1,345 people elected to the Daíl and only 131 of them have been women’" class="c-button c-button--small c-button--primary-reverse" type="button"><svg class="c-icon" width="48" height="48" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M425 215C439.3 223.8 448 239.3 448 256C448 272.7 439.3 288.2 425 296.1L137.03 472.1C122.21 482 103.66 482.4 88.52 473.9C73.377 465.4 64 449.4 64 432V80C64 62.64 73.377 46.63 88.52 38.13C103.66 29.64 122.21 29.99 137.03 39.04L425 215Z"></path></svg></button><span class="b-flex-promo-card__audio-text">Listen | 52:44</span></div></div></div></article></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/podcasts/the-womens-podcast/what-teenagers-wish-their-parents-knew-adults-presume-that-phones-are-used-for-only-bad-things/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="What teenagers wish their parents knew: ‘Adults presume that phones are used for only bad things’ " class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/RQU6L6KYERCHDKUSCXQJWUTXEM.jpg?smart=true&auth=63c2139d0406c3510cf988fffacb321b2670e36fcc342b5375e5245f13cd0803&width=800&height=800" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/RQU6L6KYERCHDKUSCXQJWUTXEM.jpg?smart=true&auth=63c2139d0406c3510cf988fffacb321b2670e36fcc342b5375e5245f13cd0803&width=400&height=400 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/RQU6L6KYERCHDKUSCXQJWUTXEM.jpg?smart=true&auth=63c2139d0406c3510cf988fffacb321b2670e36fcc342b5375e5245f13cd0803&width=440&height=440 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/RQU6L6KYERCHDKUSCXQJWUTXEM.jpg?smart=true&auth=63c2139d0406c3510cf988fffacb321b2670e36fcc342b5375e5245f13cd0803&width=800&height=800 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="800"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/podcasts/the-womens-podcast/what-teenagers-wish-their-parents-knew-adults-presume-that-phones-are-used-for-only-bad-things/">What teenagers wish their parents knew: ‘Adults presume that phones are used for only bad things’ </a></h3><div class="b-flex-promo-card__audio"><button aria-label="Listen to What teenagers wish their parents knew: ‘Adults presume that phones are used for only bad things’ " class="c-button c-button--small c-button--primary-reverse" type="button"><svg class="c-icon" width="48" height="48" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M425 215C439.3 223.8 448 239.3 448 256C448 272.7 439.3 288.2 425 296.1L137.03 472.1C122.21 482 103.66 482.4 88.52 473.9C73.377 465.4 64 449.4 64 432V80C64 62.64 73.377 46.63 88.52 38.13C103.66 29.64 122.21 29.99 137.03 39.04L425 215Z"></path></svg></button><span class="b-flex-promo-card__audio-text">Listen | 63:28</span></div></div></div></article></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/podcasts/the-womens-podcast/trumps-election-win-im-thinking-of-the-dozens-of-women-who-have-accused-him-of-sexual-assault-and-his-deep-friendship-with-jeffrey-epstein/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Trump’s election win: ‘I’m thinking of the dozens of women who have accused him of sexual assault'" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FP7HV5ZI5DKKRVLPURIWZ35W5Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=41cf9ab4725e6c3682f97cf33db95c1b1656e9a4e4fcc4b13888e0af5cac6550&width=800&height=800" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FP7HV5ZI5DKKRVLPURIWZ35W5Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=41cf9ab4725e6c3682f97cf33db95c1b1656e9a4e4fcc4b13888e0af5cac6550&width=400&height=400 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FP7HV5ZI5DKKRVLPURIWZ35W5Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=41cf9ab4725e6c3682f97cf33db95c1b1656e9a4e4fcc4b13888e0af5cac6550&width=440&height=440 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FP7HV5ZI5DKKRVLPURIWZ35W5Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=41cf9ab4725e6c3682f97cf33db95c1b1656e9a4e4fcc4b13888e0af5cac6550&width=800&height=800 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="800"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/podcasts/the-womens-podcast/trumps-election-win-im-thinking-of-the-dozens-of-women-who-have-accused-him-of-sexual-assault-and-his-deep-friendship-with-jeffrey-epstein/">Trump’s election win: ‘I’m thinking of the dozens of women who have accused him of sexual assault'</a></h3><div class="b-flex-promo-card__audio"><button aria-label="Listen to Trump’s election win: ‘I’m thinking of the dozens of women who have accused him of sexual assault'" class="c-button c-button--small c-button--primary-reverse" type="button"><svg class="c-icon" width="48" height="48" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M425 215C439.3 223.8 448 239.3 448 256C448 272.7 439.3 288.2 425 296.1L137.03 472.1C122.21 482 103.66 482.4 88.52 473.9C73.377 465.4 64 449.4 64 432V80C64 62.64 73.377 46.63 88.52 38.13C103.66 29.64 122.21 29.99 137.03 39.04L425 215Z"></path></svg></button><span class="b-flex-promo-card__audio-text">Listen | 66:21</span></div></div></div></article></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/podcasts/the-womens-podcast/jenny-kelly-on-giving-up-alcohol-i-was-scared-of-peoples-reaction/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Jenny Kelly on giving up alcohol: ‘I was scared of people’s reaction’" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/TBRJPQCSOFEZHGSINQEV52E4WY.png?smart=true&auth=2191a450687f48db3689b55aa5232bc395cf26d5b758cb7b3dda28794be4f3b5&width=800&height=800" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/TBRJPQCSOFEZHGSINQEV52E4WY.png?smart=true&auth=2191a450687f48db3689b55aa5232bc395cf26d5b758cb7b3dda28794be4f3b5&width=400&height=400 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/TBRJPQCSOFEZHGSINQEV52E4WY.png?smart=true&auth=2191a450687f48db3689b55aa5232bc395cf26d5b758cb7b3dda28794be4f3b5&width=440&height=440 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/TBRJPQCSOFEZHGSINQEV52E4WY.png?smart=true&auth=2191a450687f48db3689b55aa5232bc395cf26d5b758cb7b3dda28794be4f3b5&width=800&height=800 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="800"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/podcasts/the-womens-podcast/jenny-kelly-on-giving-up-alcohol-i-was-scared-of-peoples-reaction/">Jenny Kelly on giving up alcohol: ‘I was scared of people’s reaction’</a></h3><div class="b-flex-promo-card__audio"><button aria-label="Listen to Jenny Kelly on giving up alcohol: ‘I was scared of people’s reaction’" class="c-button c-button--small c-button--primary-reverse" type="button"><svg class="c-icon" width="48" height="48" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M425 215C439.3 223.8 448 239.3 448 256C448 272.7 439.3 288.2 425 296.1L137.03 472.1C122.21 482 103.66 482.4 88.52 473.9C73.377 465.4 64 449.4 64 432V80C64 62.64 73.377 46.63 88.52 38.13C103.66 29.64 122.21 29.99 137.03 39.04L425 215Z"></path></svg></button><span class="b-flex-promo-card__audio-text">Listen | 78:25</span></div></div></div></article></div></div></div></div></div><hr class="c-divider b-it-divider-block"/><div class="c-grid b-it-header-block"><div class="b-it-header-block__header-block font-normal "><a class="c-link b-it-header-block__link font-normal" href="/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly"><div class="c-stack b-it-header-block__heading-h5 font-normal" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack headline-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:0"><h2 as="h5" class="c-heading font-normal margin_none"><span class=" font-normal">ROSS O'CARROLL-KELLY<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="14" height="24" viewBox="0 0 14 24" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" clip-rule="evenodd" class="c-icon"><path d="M1.13096 0.799122C1.80974 0.102652 2.7203 -0.288062 3.25008 0.255525L13.3161 10.5835C14.2279 11.4523 14.228 12.9331 13.3161 13.802L3.78 23.0857C2.92237 23.9029 2.18997 24.7165 0.637788 22.9345C-0.650965 21.455 0.273466 20.6414 1.1311 19.8243L8.71733 12.5593C8.91647 12.3686 8.92364 12.0527 8.73336 11.8531L0.748709 3.47961C-0.108924 2.6625 0.0713963 1.88627 1.13096 0.799122Z"></path></svg></span></h2></div></div></a></div></div><div id="lazy_12603" class="lazy_container"><div class="b-flex-chain"><div class="b-flex-chain__grid-container b-flex-chain__grid-container__3333 has-divider gap-divider"><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly/sorcha-goes-i-make-no-apologies-for-saying-it-honor-you-are-a-danger-to-democracy/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Sorcha goes, ‘I make no apologies for saying it, Honor. You are a danger to democracy’ " class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/3GAWAJSHXJCJTMLZBVZZPFHE3M.jpg?focal=1217%2C633&auth=939f5f1729cf574b098f7dcf7243dd43d4887394f9f9096955a1b33770d3f2f3&width=800&height=800" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/3GAWAJSHXJCJTMLZBVZZPFHE3M.jpg?focal=1217%2C633&auth=939f5f1729cf574b098f7dcf7243dd43d4887394f9f9096955a1b33770d3f2f3&width=400&height=400 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/3GAWAJSHXJCJTMLZBVZZPFHE3M.jpg?focal=1217%2C633&auth=939f5f1729cf574b098f7dcf7243dd43d4887394f9f9096955a1b33770d3f2f3&width=440&height=440 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/3GAWAJSHXJCJTMLZBVZZPFHE3M.jpg?focal=1217%2C633&auth=939f5f1729cf574b098f7dcf7243dd43d4887394f9f9096955a1b33770d3f2f3&width=800&height=800 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="800"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly/sorcha-goes-i-make-no-apologies-for-saying-it-honor-you-are-a-danger-to-democracy/">Sorcha goes, ‘I make no apologies for saying it, Honor. You are a danger to democracy’ </a></h3><div class="b-flex-promo-card__audio"><button aria-label="Listen to Sorcha goes, ‘I make no apologies for saying it, Honor. You are a danger to democracy’ " class="c-button c-button--small c-button--primary-reverse" type="button"><svg class="c-icon" width="48" height="48" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M425 215C439.3 223.8 448 239.3 448 256C448 272.7 439.3 288.2 425 296.1L137.03 472.1C122.21 482 103.66 482.4 88.52 473.9C73.377 465.4 64 449.4 64 432V80C64 62.64 73.377 46.63 88.52 38.13C103.66 29.64 122.21 29.99 137.03 39.04L425 215Z"></path></svg></button><span class="b-flex-promo-card__audio-text">Listen | 06:13</span></div></div></div></article></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly/when-they-see-the-copper-the-triplets-think-its-about-them-gobbing-on-the-cauliflower-and-turmeric-latte-crowd-which-im-not-even-sure-is-a-crime/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="‘When they see the copper, the triplets think it’s about them gobbing on the cauliflower and turmeric latte crowd - which I’m not even sure is a crime’" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/2YYZ6XOJMJBTNNT5U2IPQBC6BU.jpg?focal=1302%2C975&auth=ce9515e92d72b629eb2d343932922ce35f6d8861795c81404197f0ffd8bdf691&width=800&height=800" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/2YYZ6XOJMJBTNNT5U2IPQBC6BU.jpg?focal=1302%2C975&auth=ce9515e92d72b629eb2d343932922ce35f6d8861795c81404197f0ffd8bdf691&width=400&height=400 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/2YYZ6XOJMJBTNNT5U2IPQBC6BU.jpg?focal=1302%2C975&auth=ce9515e92d72b629eb2d343932922ce35f6d8861795c81404197f0ffd8bdf691&width=440&height=440 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/2YYZ6XOJMJBTNNT5U2IPQBC6BU.jpg?focal=1302%2C975&auth=ce9515e92d72b629eb2d343932922ce35f6d8861795c81404197f0ffd8bdf691&width=800&height=800 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="800"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly/when-they-see-the-copper-the-triplets-think-its-about-them-gobbing-on-the-cauliflower-and-turmeric-latte-crowd-which-im-not-even-sure-is-a-crime/">‘When they see the copper, the triplets think it’s about them gobbing on the cauliflower and turmeric latte crowd - which I’m not even sure is a crime’</a></h3><div class="b-flex-promo-card__audio"><button aria-label="Listen to ‘When they see the copper, the triplets think it’s about them gobbing on the cauliflower and turmeric latte crowd - which I’m not even sure is a crime’" class="c-button c-button--small c-button--primary-reverse" type="button"><svg class="c-icon" width="48" height="48" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M425 215C439.3 223.8 448 239.3 448 256C448 272.7 439.3 288.2 425 296.1L137.03 472.1C122.21 482 103.66 482.4 88.52 473.9C73.377 465.4 64 449.4 64 432V80C64 62.64 73.377 46.63 88.52 38.13C103.66 29.64 122.21 29.99 137.03 39.04L425 215Z"></path></svg></button><span class="b-flex-promo-card__audio-text">Listen | 05:53</span></div></div></div></article></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly/weve-no-idea-what-caused-the-fire-and-were-sticking-to-that-story/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="‘We’ve no idea what caused the fire. And we’re sticking to that story’" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/2YYZ6XOJMJBTNNT5U2IPQBC6BU.jpg?focal=1302%2C975&auth=ce9515e92d72b629eb2d343932922ce35f6d8861795c81404197f0ffd8bdf691&width=800&height=800" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/2YYZ6XOJMJBTNNT5U2IPQBC6BU.jpg?focal=1302%2C975&auth=ce9515e92d72b629eb2d343932922ce35f6d8861795c81404197f0ffd8bdf691&width=400&height=400 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/2YYZ6XOJMJBTNNT5U2IPQBC6BU.jpg?focal=1302%2C975&auth=ce9515e92d72b629eb2d343932922ce35f6d8861795c81404197f0ffd8bdf691&width=440&height=440 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/2YYZ6XOJMJBTNNT5U2IPQBC6BU.jpg?focal=1302%2C975&auth=ce9515e92d72b629eb2d343932922ce35f6d8861795c81404197f0ffd8bdf691&width=800&height=800 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="800"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly/weve-no-idea-what-caused-the-fire-and-were-sticking-to-that-story/">‘We’ve no idea what caused the fire. And we’re sticking to that story’</a></h3><div class="b-flex-promo-card__audio"><button aria-label="Listen to ‘We’ve no idea what caused the fire. And we’re sticking to that story’" class="c-button c-button--small c-button--primary-reverse" type="button"><svg class="c-icon" width="48" height="48" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M425 215C439.3 223.8 448 239.3 448 256C448 272.7 439.3 288.2 425 296.1L137.03 472.1C122.21 482 103.66 482.4 88.52 473.9C73.377 465.4 64 449.4 64 432V80C64 62.64 73.377 46.63 88.52 38.13C103.66 29.64 122.21 29.99 137.03 39.04L425 215Z"></path></svg></button><span class="b-flex-promo-card__audio-text">Listen | 06:02</span></div></div></div></article></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly/people-in-the-crowd-are-staring-at-honor-like-shes-a-cold-sore-on-debs-night/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="‘People in the crowd are staring at Honor like she’s a cold sore on debs night’" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/76PFUHT66JBTND3MVBTHPU5NME.jpg?focal=862%2C616&auth=4df7010b0f7f8aa6338f41d1d6323edd485ecf67fd88a110b4d407fd86b41547&width=800&height=800" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/76PFUHT66JBTND3MVBTHPU5NME.jpg?focal=862%2C616&auth=4df7010b0f7f8aa6338f41d1d6323edd485ecf67fd88a110b4d407fd86b41547&width=400&height=400 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/76PFUHT66JBTND3MVBTHPU5NME.jpg?focal=862%2C616&auth=4df7010b0f7f8aa6338f41d1d6323edd485ecf67fd88a110b4d407fd86b41547&width=440&height=440 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/76PFUHT66JBTND3MVBTHPU5NME.jpg?focal=862%2C616&auth=4df7010b0f7f8aa6338f41d1d6323edd485ecf67fd88a110b4d407fd86b41547&width=800&height=800 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="800"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly/people-in-the-crowd-are-staring-at-honor-like-shes-a-cold-sore-on-debs-night/">‘People in the crowd are staring at Honor like she’s a cold sore on debs night’</a></h3><div class="b-flex-promo-card__audio"><button aria-label="Listen to ‘People in the crowd are staring at Honor like she’s a cold sore on debs night’" class="c-button c-button--small c-button--primary-reverse" type="button"><svg class="c-icon" width="48" height="48" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M425 215C439.3 223.8 448 239.3 448 256C448 272.7 439.3 288.2 425 296.1L137.03 472.1C122.21 482 103.66 482.4 88.52 473.9C73.377 465.4 64 449.4 64 432V80C64 62.64 73.377 46.63 88.52 38.13C103.66 29.64 122.21 29.99 137.03 39.04L425 215Z"></path></svg></button><span class="b-flex-promo-card__audio-text">Listen | 05:50</span></div></div></div></article></div></div></div></div></div><hr class="c-divider b-it-divider-block"/><div id="arcad-feature-f0fsMbr4TRFD4pH-ef1bcb0a33687" class="default__StyledAdUnit-sc-1moicrg-0 gKEhzJ arcad-feature"><div class="arcad-container width_100" style="max-width:970px"><div id="arcad_f0fsMbr4TRFD4pH-ef1bcb0a33687" class="arcad ad-970x90"></div></div></div><hr class="c-divider b-it-divider-block"/></div><div class="c-grid b-it-right-rail-advanced__rail-container"><div class="c-stack b-it-right-rail-advanced__main-interior-item b-it-right-rail-advanced__empty" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-it-right-rail-advanced__main-interior-item-1" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div id="lazy_22793" class="lazy_container"><div class="b-flex-chain"><div class="b-flex-chain__grid-container b-flex-chain__grid-container__12 gap"><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-results-list__wrapper" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/culture/music/2024/12/04/debbie-nelson-mother-of-rapper-eminem-dies-at-69/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Debbie Nelson, mother of rapper Eminem, dies at 69" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/U3VDBUAXPRFCXHD4GNBO2XMK2Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=d1a2e7689efc9c8874ccc4e7194b6885b170e00c74bd76705b01b28ad4c11c75&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/U3VDBUAXPRFCXHD4GNBO2XMK2Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=d1a2e7689efc9c8874ccc4e7194b6885b170e00c74bd76705b01b28ad4c11c75&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/U3VDBUAXPRFCXHD4GNBO2XMK2Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=d1a2e7689efc9c8874ccc4e7194b6885b170e00c74bd76705b01b28ad4c11c75&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h3 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/culture/music/2024/12/04/debbie-nelson-mother-of-rapper-eminem-dies-at-69/">Debbie Nelson, mother of rapper Eminem, dies at 69</a></h3></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/people/2024/12/03/a-californian-woman-in-dublin-irelands-not-perfect-but-i-do-think-as-a-whole-it-is-moving-in-the-right-direction/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="A Californian woman in Dublin: ‘Ireland’s not perfect, but I do think as a whole it is moving in the right direction’" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/PWTZLKGV6NDSPJEXBQXCQZKN2M.jpg?smart=true&auth=bb1567c2de361eb277c0088196ffac0c9e569390701c1e3567ca46856766607a&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/PWTZLKGV6NDSPJEXBQXCQZKN2M.jpg?smart=true&auth=bb1567c2de361eb277c0088196ffac0c9e569390701c1e3567ca46856766607a&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/PWTZLKGV6NDSPJEXBQXCQZKN2M.jpg?smart=true&auth=bb1567c2de361eb277c0088196ffac0c9e569390701c1e3567ca46856766607a&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h3 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/people/2024/12/03/a-californian-woman-in-dublin-irelands-not-perfect-but-i-do-think-as-a-whole-it-is-moving-in-the-right-direction/">A Californian woman in Dublin: ‘Ireland’s not perfect, but I do think as a whole it is moving in the right direction’</a></h3></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/2024/12/02/exciting-and-fun-things-to-do-on-a-budget-over-the-festive-season/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Exciting and fun things to do on a budget over the festive season" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/QEX35PVPR5KJVTGCUJ6U4TRBYI.jpg?smart=true&auth=12ce221feca20bc9fc5f2ddc9bfd61296f59ea3705b3a0f1c7afd487dfd53aef&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/QEX35PVPR5KJVTGCUJ6U4TRBYI.jpg?smart=true&auth=12ce221feca20bc9fc5f2ddc9bfd61296f59ea3705b3a0f1c7afd487dfd53aef&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/QEX35PVPR5KJVTGCUJ6U4TRBYI.jpg?smart=true&auth=12ce221feca20bc9fc5f2ddc9bfd61296f59ea3705b3a0f1c7afd487dfd53aef&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h3 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/2024/12/02/exciting-and-fun-things-to-do-on-a-budget-over-the-festive-season/">Exciting and fun things to do on a budget over the festive season</a></h3></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/people/2024/12/02/how-did-granny-became-the-byword-for-dimness-thats-so-wrong/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="How did ‘granny’ become the byword for dimness? That’s so wrong" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/XEWBVL5TRNDRNNKWSQPRTAUKNA.jpg?smart=true&auth=201fd114a4c2654dcd6cdc1911c2f78ef91b50a15db7cb6e39644ecd62dd9dd1&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/XEWBVL5TRNDRNNKWSQPRTAUKNA.jpg?smart=true&auth=201fd114a4c2654dcd6cdc1911c2f78ef91b50a15db7cb6e39644ecd62dd9dd1&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/XEWBVL5TRNDRNNKWSQPRTAUKNA.jpg?smart=true&auth=201fd114a4c2654dcd6cdc1911c2f78ef91b50a15db7cb6e39644ecd62dd9dd1&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h3 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/people/2024/12/02/how-did-granny-became-the-byword-for-dimness-thats-so-wrong/">How did ‘granny’ become the byword for dimness? That’s so wrong</a></h3></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/travel/2024/12/02/hiking-across-romania-several-times-i-noticed-car-keys-left-in-the-ignition-a-nostalgic-reminder-of-ireland-in-bygone-years/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Hiking across Romania: ‘Several times, I noticed car keys left in the ignition, a nostalgic reminder of Ireland in bygone years’" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/2ZTOPKRPOVBKFD4TWEKPY7OFIU.jpg?smart=true&auth=e61466b2c71f0e7c3836217b0869d4dce02d1c92ea474280c902264d7142f87d&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/2ZTOPKRPOVBKFD4TWEKPY7OFIU.jpg?smart=true&auth=e61466b2c71f0e7c3836217b0869d4dce02d1c92ea474280c902264d7142f87d&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/2ZTOPKRPOVBKFD4TWEKPY7OFIU.jpg?smart=true&auth=e61466b2c71f0e7c3836217b0869d4dce02d1c92ea474280c902264d7142f87d&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h3 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/travel/2024/12/02/hiking-across-romania-several-times-i-noticed-car-keys-left-in-the-ignition-a-nostalgic-reminder-of-ireland-in-bygone-years/">Hiking across Romania: ‘Several times, I noticed car keys left in the ignition, a nostalgic reminder of Ireland in bygone years’</a></h3></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/fashion/2024/12/02/irish-designer-aoife-rooneys-eco-approach-to-fashion-i-use-anything-i-can-get-my-hands-on/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Irish designer Aoife Rooney’s eco approach to fashion: ‘I use anything I can get my hands on’" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/RMHUQRZE45DXHAYD2M4GU2VI74.jpg?focal=1600%2C755&auth=a50825467b68b2430f5f3ec35199ccab9446f72a70733d7d5ab93baf036ae4fe&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/RMHUQRZE45DXHAYD2M4GU2VI74.jpg?focal=1600%2C755&auth=a50825467b68b2430f5f3ec35199ccab9446f72a70733d7d5ab93baf036ae4fe&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/RMHUQRZE45DXHAYD2M4GU2VI74.jpg?focal=1600%2C755&auth=a50825467b68b2430f5f3ec35199ccab9446f72a70733d7d5ab93baf036ae4fe&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h3 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/fashion/2024/12/02/irish-designer-aoife-rooneys-eco-approach-to-fashion-i-use-anything-i-can-get-my-hands-on/">Irish designer Aoife Rooney’s eco approach to fashion: ‘I use anything I can get my hands on’</a></h3></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/culture/books/2024/12/01/amitav-ghosh-ireland-is-where-the-british-created-all-their-colonial-methods-its-where-they-tried-it-out-first/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Amitav Ghosh: ‘Ireland is where the British created all their colonial methods, it’s where they tried it out first’" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/BSYMYMRWC5EUJNJDFNAHCSEE5I.jpg?smart=true&auth=e70ba5b7bccf8ab728e2be9f546d91cfc2bbedac11d268138c6592dc8ec39b85&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/BSYMYMRWC5EUJNJDFNAHCSEE5I.jpg?smart=true&auth=e70ba5b7bccf8ab728e2be9f546d91cfc2bbedac11d268138c6592dc8ec39b85&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/BSYMYMRWC5EUJNJDFNAHCSEE5I.jpg?smart=true&auth=e70ba5b7bccf8ab728e2be9f546d91cfc2bbedac11d268138c6592dc8ec39b85&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h3 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/culture/books/2024/12/01/amitav-ghosh-ireland-is-where-the-british-created-all-their-colonial-methods-its-where-they-tried-it-out-first/">Amitav Ghosh: ‘Ireland is where the British created all their colonial methods, it’s where they tried it out first’</a></h3></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/people/2024/12/01/it-is-a-right-that-was-violently-taken-away-the-jews-who-want-to-be-german-again/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="‘It is a right that was violently taken away’: The Jews who want to be German again" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FI53HNL5VRFYDHYOAOEDIKOEIE.jpg?smart=true&auth=32ca12fd9f22f65356c3dfad75fd892ac855bf8e4ff7ea8b0c895d854b229e9a&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FI53HNL5VRFYDHYOAOEDIKOEIE.jpg?smart=true&auth=32ca12fd9f22f65356c3dfad75fd892ac855bf8e4ff7ea8b0c895d854b229e9a&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FI53HNL5VRFYDHYOAOEDIKOEIE.jpg?smart=true&auth=32ca12fd9f22f65356c3dfad75fd892ac855bf8e4ff7ea8b0c895d854b229e9a&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h3 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/people/2024/12/01/it-is-a-right-that-was-violently-taken-away-the-jews-who-want-to-be-german-again/">‘It is a right that was violently taken away’: The Jews who want to be German again</a></h3></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/people/2024/11/30/buswells-hotel-manager-bids-farewell-to-his-ringside-seat-to-history-in-the-third-house-of-the-oireachtas/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Buswells Hotel manager bids farewell to his ringside seat to history in the ‘third house of the Oireachtas’" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/BQQRYVUXIBCBPARS4DFFP22KME.JPG?smart=true&auth=eb99ffba308e03eaae6e6ef3c92acd92e71537d7e138f8d2e815a7a79b2a5f6a&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/BQQRYVUXIBCBPARS4DFFP22KME.JPG?smart=true&auth=eb99ffba308e03eaae6e6ef3c92acd92e71537d7e138f8d2e815a7a79b2a5f6a&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/BQQRYVUXIBCBPARS4DFFP22KME.JPG?smart=true&auth=eb99ffba308e03eaae6e6ef3c92acd92e71537d7e138f8d2e815a7a79b2a5f6a&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h3 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/people/2024/11/30/buswells-hotel-manager-bids-farewell-to-his-ringside-seat-to-history-in-the-third-house-of-the-oireachtas/">Buswells Hotel manager bids farewell to his ringside seat to history in the ‘third house of the Oireachtas’</a></h3></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/people/2024/11/30/kids-are-showing-up-for-the-environment-this-unboxing-season-cleaning-up-what-adults-have-left-behind/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Kids are showing up for the environment this unboxing season, cleaning up what adults have left behind" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/RDRWYIZLU4H2M4IOTT24L572PQ.jpg?focal=893%2C257&auth=aeda1e7792927d7f10d256cc61808d6c5c5c48fd36206c367a0c0ab8a849527c&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/RDRWYIZLU4H2M4IOTT24L572PQ.jpg?focal=893%2C257&auth=aeda1e7792927d7f10d256cc61808d6c5c5c48fd36206c367a0c0ab8a849527c&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/RDRWYIZLU4H2M4IOTT24L572PQ.jpg?focal=893%2C257&auth=aeda1e7792927d7f10d256cc61808d6c5c5c48fd36206c367a0c0ab8a849527c&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h3 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/people/2024/11/30/kids-are-showing-up-for-the-environment-this-unboxing-season-cleaning-up-what-adults-have-left-behind/">Kids are showing up for the environment this unboxing season, cleaning up what adults have left behind</a></h3></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/people/2024/12/01/fake-flowers-make-me-sad-and-mad-plastic-plastic-everywhere-and-i-cant-stand-it/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Fake flowers make me sad and mad: Plastic, plastic everywhere and I can’t stand it" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/4OSQFH3JIBDNFO7USE2V3AQKBU.jpg?focal=1470%2C1214&auth=6cbf51800303d20f7be06cd1c5ae2887f9947ac4ad713b1254f4d6e82374673b&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/4OSQFH3JIBDNFO7USE2V3AQKBU.jpg?focal=1470%2C1214&auth=6cbf51800303d20f7be06cd1c5ae2887f9947ac4ad713b1254f4d6e82374673b&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/4OSQFH3JIBDNFO7USE2V3AQKBU.jpg?focal=1470%2C1214&auth=6cbf51800303d20f7be06cd1c5ae2887f9947ac4ad713b1254f4d6e82374673b&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h3 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/people/2024/12/01/fake-flowers-make-me-sad-and-mad-plastic-plastic-everywhere-and-i-cant-stand-it/">Fake flowers make me sad and mad: Plastic, plastic everywhere and I can’t stand it</a></h3></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/people/2024/12/01/dermot-whelan-mindfulness-isnt-a-cult-we-dont-have-to-get-naked-and-cover-ourselves-in-hummus/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Dermot Whelan: ‘Mindfulness isn’t a cult. We don’t have to get naked and cover ourselves in hummus’" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/M325QSHNBNDBDLRBKATWDD6OMU.jpg?focal=3110%2C1560&auth=a8e8bcc90980b18b1686b491dee3b2a55be179b8588c1d409c50e6482f891887&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/M325QSHNBNDBDLRBKATWDD6OMU.jpg?focal=3110%2C1560&auth=a8e8bcc90980b18b1686b491dee3b2a55be179b8588c1d409c50e6482f891887&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/M325QSHNBNDBDLRBKATWDD6OMU.jpg?focal=3110%2C1560&auth=a8e8bcc90980b18b1686b491dee3b2a55be179b8588c1d409c50e6482f891887&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h3 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/people/2024/12/01/dermot-whelan-mindfulness-isnt-a-cult-we-dont-have-to-get-naked-and-cover-ourselves-in-hummus/">Dermot Whelan: ‘Mindfulness isn’t a cult. We don’t have to get naked and cover ourselves in hummus’</a></h3></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/people/2024/12/01/sean-moncrieff-under-elon-musk-x-is-tapping-ever-more-into-a-dark-human-need-to-be-mean-to-other-people/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Social media taps into a dark human need to be mean to other people" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/5I33AVBGUTBNU2XTMVZ3M64OOI.jpg?smart=true&auth=ffc9916b5324ab795dea86d65019d7a74a4377e73cf53058f12734943238ff97&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/5I33AVBGUTBNU2XTMVZ3M64OOI.jpg?smart=true&auth=ffc9916b5324ab795dea86d65019d7a74a4377e73cf53058f12734943238ff97&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/5I33AVBGUTBNU2XTMVZ3M64OOI.jpg?smart=true&auth=ffc9916b5324ab795dea86d65019d7a74a4377e73cf53058f12734943238ff97&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h3 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/people/2024/12/01/sean-moncrieff-under-elon-musk-x-is-tapping-ever-more-into-a-dark-human-need-to-be-mean-to-other-people/">Social media taps into a dark human need to be mean to other people</a></h3></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/people/2024/11/30/there-could-be-two-cars-but-the-fridge-is-empty-hidden-poverty-in-middle-class-ireland/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="‘There could be two cars, but the fridge is empty’: Hidden poverty in middle-class Ireland" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/3CYMILO3VNAZFPPXZRLZVUR7AQ.JPG?focal=2743%2C2403&auth=17410ac65b0c4a472b687d631ff94a06bfd0b5f3b9dc6dd952ea081c90cadd02&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/3CYMILO3VNAZFPPXZRLZVUR7AQ.JPG?focal=2743%2C2403&auth=17410ac65b0c4a472b687d631ff94a06bfd0b5f3b9dc6dd952ea081c90cadd02&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/3CYMILO3VNAZFPPXZRLZVUR7AQ.JPG?focal=2743%2C2403&auth=17410ac65b0c4a472b687d631ff94a06bfd0b5f3b9dc6dd952ea081c90cadd02&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h3 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/people/2024/11/30/there-could-be-two-cars-but-the-fridge-is-empty-hidden-poverty-in-middle-class-ireland/">‘There could be two cars, but the fridge is empty’: Hidden poverty in middle-class Ireland</a></h3></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/people/2024/11/30/prof-donal-o-shea-the-positioning-of-ronald-mcdonald-house-at-the-entrance-to-the-new-childrens-hospital-makes-me-angry/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Prof Donal O’ Shea: ‘The positioning of Ronald McDonald House at the entrance to the new children’s hospital makes me angry’" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/APOKUOEUS56FINWOQIK6RJKS5E.jpg?smart=true&auth=28c208fb9038200b8f66022de16967eac40b0654cff8b4c4a15105ce083b07d3&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/APOKUOEUS56FINWOQIK6RJKS5E.jpg?smart=true&auth=28c208fb9038200b8f66022de16967eac40b0654cff8b4c4a15105ce083b07d3&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/APOKUOEUS56FINWOQIK6RJKS5E.jpg?smart=true&auth=28c208fb9038200b8f66022de16967eac40b0654cff8b4c4a15105ce083b07d3&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h3 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/people/2024/11/30/prof-donal-o-shea-the-positioning-of-ronald-mcdonald-house-at-the-entrance-to-the-new-childrens-hospital-makes-me-angry/">Prof Donal O’ Shea: ‘The positioning of Ronald McDonald House at the entrance to the new children’s hospital makes me angry’</a></h3></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/people/2024/11/30/ukrainians-on-the-threat-of-trump-there-should-be-no-concessions-because-this-is-our-territory/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Ukrainians on the threat of Trump: ‘There should be no concessions because this is our territory’" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/EIL2X5QBDVCT7G66IBYWZX4GJM.jpg?smart=true&auth=7782b8627e4589e56a2b960f7c5d568a958f1fcb9f7e22f5d363e8460bec165e&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/EIL2X5QBDVCT7G66IBYWZX4GJM.jpg?smart=true&auth=7782b8627e4589e56a2b960f7c5d568a958f1fcb9f7e22f5d363e8460bec165e&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/EIL2X5QBDVCT7G66IBYWZX4GJM.jpg?smart=true&auth=7782b8627e4589e56a2b960f7c5d568a958f1fcb9f7e22f5d363e8460bec165e&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h3 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/people/2024/11/30/ukrainians-on-the-threat-of-trump-there-should-be-no-concessions-because-this-is-our-territory/">Ukrainians on the threat of Trump: ‘There should be no concessions because this is our territory’</a></h3></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/people/2024/11/30/christmas-gift-ideas-100-irish-websites-to-get-your-shopping-sorted/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Christmas gift ideas: 100 Irish websites to get your shopping sorted" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/ITGLEPDXVRDPNJQRNSP5HMNJ6Q.jpg?focal=537%2C426&auth=59c56abbb280927f9eae1fa290671e7ebef7174527e63993ccfa3a7aecbea445&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/ITGLEPDXVRDPNJQRNSP5HMNJ6Q.jpg?focal=537%2C426&auth=59c56abbb280927f9eae1fa290671e7ebef7174527e63993ccfa3a7aecbea445&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/ITGLEPDXVRDPNJQRNSP5HMNJ6Q.jpg?focal=537%2C426&auth=59c56abbb280927f9eae1fa290671e7ebef7174527e63993ccfa3a7aecbea445&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h3 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/people/2024/11/30/christmas-gift-ideas-100-irish-websites-to-get-your-shopping-sorted/">Christmas gift ideas: 100 Irish websites to get your shopping sorted</a></h3></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/gardening/2024/11/30/gardening-tools-that-will-last-a-lifetime-if-treated-right/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Gardening tools that will last a lifetime if treated right" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/EH74CSCYYA3XKWKTVIILEWQD2U.jpg?focal=695%2C263&auth=97e2df804a24faaa9458a3c7b8e846f86b6f65e9b6bc28041c7bd3c56f6e4eaf&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/EH74CSCYYA3XKWKTVIILEWQD2U.jpg?focal=695%2C263&auth=97e2df804a24faaa9458a3c7b8e846f86b6f65e9b6bc28041c7bd3c56f6e4eaf&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/EH74CSCYYA3XKWKTVIILEWQD2U.jpg?focal=695%2C263&auth=97e2df804a24faaa9458a3c7b8e846f86b6f65e9b6bc28041c7bd3c56f6e4eaf&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h3 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/gardening/2024/11/30/gardening-tools-that-will-last-a-lifetime-if-treated-right/">Gardening tools that will last a lifetime if treated right</a></h3></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/gardening/2024/11/30/does-a-tree-fern-need-extra-protection-from-the-elements/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Does a tree fern need extra protection from the elements?" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/MWSDR7SEPNVLMG53FAH4FZ7UOA.jpg?focal=750%2C430&auth=481136bcbfe3d94af1dc5d1aa69678b59c2f9618f9f3cb5f07eb040a4d69ed9b&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/MWSDR7SEPNVLMG53FAH4FZ7UOA.jpg?focal=750%2C430&auth=481136bcbfe3d94af1dc5d1aa69678b59c2f9618f9f3cb5f07eb040a4d69ed9b&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/MWSDR7SEPNVLMG53FAH4FZ7UOA.jpg?focal=750%2C430&auth=481136bcbfe3d94af1dc5d1aa69678b59c2f9618f9f3cb5f07eb040a4d69ed9b&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h3 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/gardening/2024/11/30/does-a-tree-fern-need-extra-protection-from-the-elements/">Does a tree fern need extra protection from the elements?</a></h3></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="b-results-list b-results-list--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/fine-art-antiques/2024/11/30/female-pioneers-of-modernism-shine-in-irish-art-sale/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Female pioneers of modernism shine in Irish art sale" class="c-image" loading="eager" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/AUS35HOKFJBSNBDK2VKCK3ODAI.jpg?smart=true&auth=fd4f7d0c607a3b8e796184a9e39ac31919f57c51de98953927d4b9e98ec0da17&width=500&height=333" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/AUS35HOKFJBSNBDK2VKCK3ODAI.jpg?smart=true&auth=fd4f7d0c607a3b8e796184a9e39ac31919f57c51de98953927d4b9e98ec0da17&width=250&height=166 250w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/AUS35HOKFJBSNBDK2VKCK3ODAI.jpg?smart=true&auth=fd4f7d0c607a3b8e796184a9e39ac31919f57c51de98953927d4b9e98ec0da17&width=500&height=333 500w" sizes="(min-width: 48rem) 500px, 250px" width="500" height="333"/></a></figure><h3 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/fine-art-antiques/2024/11/30/female-pioneers-of-modernism-shine-in-irish-art-sale/">Female pioneers of modernism shine in Irish art sale</a></h3></div><hr class="c-divider"/><div class="c-stack b-results-list__seeMore" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><button aria-label="See more stories about this topic" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--primary" type="button"><span>See more</span></button></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="c-stack b-it-right-rail-advanced__main-interior-item-2" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div style="display:none" id="f0fOh0oP5WBb5k7" data-fusion-collection="features" data-fusion-type="flex-promo/default" data-fusion-message="Could not render component [features:flex-promo/default]"></div></div></div><div class="c-stack b-it-right-rail-advanced__main-right-rail " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-it-right-rail-advanced__main-right-rail-top" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"></div><div class="c-stack b-it-right-rail-advanced__main-right-rail-middle" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="b-it-sticky-chain sticky-chain"><div><div class="c-grid b-it-header-block"><div class="b-it-header-block__header-block font-normal "><a class="c-link b-it-header-block__link font-normal" href="/most-read/"><div class="c-stack b-it-header-block__heading-h5 font-normal" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack headline-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:0"><h2 as="h5" class="c-heading font-normal margin_none"><span class=" font-normal">MOST READ<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="14" height="24" viewBox="0 0 14 24" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" clip-rule="evenodd" class="c-icon"><path d="M1.13096 0.799122C1.80974 0.102652 2.7203 -0.288062 3.25008 0.255525L13.3161 10.5835C14.2279 11.4523 14.228 12.9331 13.3161 13.802L3.78 23.0857C2.92237 23.9029 2.18997 24.7165 0.637788 22.9345C-0.650965 21.455 0.273466 20.6414 1.1311 19.8243L8.71733 12.5593C8.91647 12.3686 8.92364 12.0527 8.73336 11.8531L0.748709 3.47961C-0.108924 2.6625 0.0713963 1.88627 1.13096 0.799122Z"></path></svg></span></h2></div></div></a></div></div></div><div><div class="c-stack b-numbered-list" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-numbered-list__items" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-numbered-list__item" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><p class="c-paragraph">1</p><a class="c-link" href="/world/americas/2024/11/30/my-brother-is-doing-the-trump-dance/"><h2 class="c-heading">My brother is doing the Trump dance</h2></a><a class="c-link b-numbered-list__item-image" href="/world/americas/2024/11/30/my-brother-is-doing-the-trump-dance/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/WJWR4NI45CG6MIX66WPSEZX6TU.jpg?smart=true&auth=a114cc709b6772f6aec7abe7209d38097cf7464da7ebdb2c666d9608593bcc43&width=274&height=182" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/WJWR4NI45CG6MIX66WPSEZX6TU.jpg?smart=true&auth=a114cc709b6772f6aec7abe7209d38097cf7464da7ebdb2c666d9608593bcc43&width=137&height=91 137w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/WJWR4NI45CG6MIX66WPSEZX6TU.jpg?smart=true&auth=a114cc709b6772f6aec7abe7209d38097cf7464da7ebdb2c666d9608593bcc43&width=274&height=182 274w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/WJWR4NI45CG6MIX66WPSEZX6TU.jpg?smart=true&auth=a114cc709b6772f6aec7abe7209d38097cf7464da7ebdb2c666d9608593bcc43&width=548&height=364 548w" width="274" height="182"/></a></div><hr aria-hidden="true"/><div class="c-stack b-numbered-list__item" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><p class="c-paragraph">2</p><a class="c-link" href="/culture/film/2024/12/03/humphrey-bogart-and-lauren-bacalls-son-on-his-parents-kids-were-second-to-their-drinking-and-partying/"><h2 class="c-heading">Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall’s son on his parents: ‘Kids were second to their drinking and partying’</h2></a><a class="c-link b-numbered-list__item-image" href="/culture/film/2024/12/03/humphrey-bogart-and-lauren-bacalls-son-on-his-parents-kids-were-second-to-their-drinking-and-partying/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/QJMIYZ25Q5GTXPT6K7EOZJZXDE.jpg?focal=2044%2C1487&auth=ffb6ade9a585f16e9b32af07b0b1857814be4edbce7af0434735ebb1c5b5126e&width=274&height=182" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/QJMIYZ25Q5GTXPT6K7EOZJZXDE.jpg?focal=2044%2C1487&auth=ffb6ade9a585f16e9b32af07b0b1857814be4edbce7af0434735ebb1c5b5126e&width=137&height=91 137w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/QJMIYZ25Q5GTXPT6K7EOZJZXDE.jpg?focal=2044%2C1487&auth=ffb6ade9a585f16e9b32af07b0b1857814be4edbce7af0434735ebb1c5b5126e&width=274&height=182 274w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/QJMIYZ25Q5GTXPT6K7EOZJZXDE.jpg?focal=2044%2C1487&auth=ffb6ade9a585f16e9b32af07b0b1857814be4edbce7af0434735ebb1c5b5126e&width=548&height=364 548w" width="274" height="182"/></a></div><hr aria-hidden="true"/><div class="c-stack b-numbered-list__item" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><p class="c-paragraph">3</p><a class="c-link" href="/crime-law/2024/12/03/a-beautiful-girl-full-of-life-full-of-energy-tributes-paid-to-eight-year-old-girl-killed-in-new-ross-as-man-arrested/"><h2 class="c-heading">‘A beautiful girl, full of life, full of energy’: Tributes paid to eight-year-old girl killed in New Ross as man arrested</h2></a><a class="c-link b-numbered-list__item-image" href="/crime-law/2024/12/03/a-beautiful-girl-full-of-life-full-of-energy-tributes-paid-to-eight-year-old-girl-killed-in-new-ross-as-man-arrested/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/MA3QKPOYQBHSNBPO2SNE5XHDMA.jpg?focal=232%2C248&auth=2003f7bb4067be3abfcdfc07997ab2e6a2980d1c40812bac8b3a13bfc14a082a&width=274&height=182" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/MA3QKPOYQBHSNBPO2SNE5XHDMA.jpg?focal=232%2C248&auth=2003f7bb4067be3abfcdfc07997ab2e6a2980d1c40812bac8b3a13bfc14a082a&width=137&height=91 137w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/MA3QKPOYQBHSNBPO2SNE5XHDMA.jpg?focal=232%2C248&auth=2003f7bb4067be3abfcdfc07997ab2e6a2980d1c40812bac8b3a13bfc14a082a&width=274&height=182 274w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/MA3QKPOYQBHSNBPO2SNE5XHDMA.jpg?focal=232%2C248&auth=2003f7bb4067be3abfcdfc07997ab2e6a2980d1c40812bac8b3a13bfc14a082a&width=548&height=364 548w" width="274" height="182"/></a></div><hr aria-hidden="true"/><div class="c-stack b-numbered-list__item" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><p class="c-paragraph">4</p><a class="c-link" href="/ireland/2024/12/03/ripie-removes-condolences-pages-for-padraig-nally-over-anti-traveller-comments/"><h2 class="c-heading">RIP.ie removes condolences page for Padraig Nally over anti-Traveller comments</h2></a><a class="c-link b-numbered-list__item-image" href="/ireland/2024/12/03/ripie-removes-condolences-pages-for-padraig-nally-over-anti-traveller-comments/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/UZJGMSSFQVB5PKXCRAUDAQ5GTU.jpg?smart=true&auth=552d525927e47a256d8f405d981a4d705b06ef44ed3d0b503f67b6b90706c5bd&width=274&height=182" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/UZJGMSSFQVB5PKXCRAUDAQ5GTU.jpg?smart=true&auth=552d525927e47a256d8f405d981a4d705b06ef44ed3d0b503f67b6b90706c5bd&width=137&height=91 137w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/UZJGMSSFQVB5PKXCRAUDAQ5GTU.jpg?smart=true&auth=552d525927e47a256d8f405d981a4d705b06ef44ed3d0b503f67b6b90706c5bd&width=274&height=182 274w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/UZJGMSSFQVB5PKXCRAUDAQ5GTU.jpg?smart=true&auth=552d525927e47a256d8f405d981a4d705b06ef44ed3d0b503f67b6b90706c5bd&width=548&height=364 548w" width="274" height="182"/></a></div><hr aria-hidden="true"/><div class="c-stack b-numbered-list__item" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><p class="c-paragraph">5</p><a class="c-link" href="/business/2024/12/03/ireland-has-once-in-a-lifetime-chance-to-fuel-eu-hydrogen-network/"><h2 class="c-heading">Ireland has ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ chance to fuel EU hydrogen network </h2></a><a class="c-link b-numbered-list__item-image" href="/business/2024/12/03/ireland-has-once-in-a-lifetime-chance-to-fuel-eu-hydrogen-network/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/MQCRQDNY4ND73NLL2OILFAXQSA.jpg?smart=true&auth=b290ce9c522c8f6e5705e70b09a0f6312fbc622c215ff47f69d1d98fb2408387&width=274&height=182" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/MQCRQDNY4ND73NLL2OILFAXQSA.jpg?smart=true&auth=b290ce9c522c8f6e5705e70b09a0f6312fbc622c215ff47f69d1d98fb2408387&width=137&height=91 137w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/MQCRQDNY4ND73NLL2OILFAXQSA.jpg?smart=true&auth=b290ce9c522c8f6e5705e70b09a0f6312fbc622c215ff47f69d1d98fb2408387&width=274&height=182 274w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/MQCRQDNY4ND73NLL2OILFAXQSA.jpg?smart=true&auth=b290ce9c522c8f6e5705e70b09a0f6312fbc622c215ff47f69d1d98fb2408387&width=548&height=364 548w" width="274" height="182"/></a></div></div></div></div><div class="b-it-sticky-chain__container sticky-container"><div><div id="arcad-feature-f0fvYtLWRYJ38bq-4-0-2-5a2ec07a63e55" class="default__StyledAdUnit-sc-1moicrg-0 gKEhzJ arcad-feature"><div class="arcad-container width_100" style="max-width:300px"><div id="arcad_f0fvYtLWRYJ38bq-4-0-2-5a2ec07a63e55" class="arcad ad-300x250"></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="c-stack b-it-right-rail-advanced__main-right-rail-bottom" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"></div></div></div><div class="c-stack b-it-right-rail-advanced__full-width-2" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div id="lazy_23271" class="lazy_container"><div class="b-flex-chain"><div class="b-flex-chain__grid-container b-flex-chain__grid-container__12 gap"><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><hr class="c-divider b-it-divider-block"/><div class="c-grid b-it-header-block"><div class="b-it-header-block__header-block font-normal "><div class="c-stack b-it-header-block__heading-h5 font-normal" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack headline-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:0"><h3 as="h5" class="c-heading font-normal margin_none">YOU MAY ALSO LIKE...</h3></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div id="lazy_81635" class="lazy_container"><div class="b-flex-chain"><div class="b-flex-chain__grid-container b-flex-chain__grid-container__444 has-divider gap-divider"><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><article class="b-medium-manual-promo b-medium-manual-promo--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link b-medium-manual-promo__img" href="/crosswords-puzzles/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Crosswords & Puzzles" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/QF3X7Z2CJNEZHPDUSBJU7N52M4.png?smart=true&auth=36f6e08f0135625b6740a8e04a365927ee4786ccdd95a116281ce8f2bffa9e97&width=600&height=400" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/QF3X7Z2CJNEZHPDUSBJU7N52M4.png?smart=true&auth=36f6e08f0135625b6740a8e04a365927ee4786ccdd95a116281ce8f2bffa9e97&width=200&height=133 200w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/QF3X7Z2CJNEZHPDUSBJU7N52M4.png?smart=true&auth=36f6e08f0135625b6740a8e04a365927ee4786ccdd95a116281ce8f2bffa9e97&width=400&height=266 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/QF3X7Z2CJNEZHPDUSBJU7N52M4.png?smart=true&auth=36f6e08f0135625b6740a8e04a365927ee4786ccdd95a116281ce8f2bffa9e97&width=600&height=400 600w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/QF3X7Z2CJNEZHPDUSBJU7N52M4.png?smart=true&auth=36f6e08f0135625b6740a8e04a365927ee4786ccdd95a116281ce8f2bffa9e97&width=800&height=533 800w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/QF3X7Z2CJNEZHPDUSBJU7N52M4.png?smart=true&auth=36f6e08f0135625b6740a8e04a365927ee4786ccdd95a116281ce8f2bffa9e97&width=1200&height=800 1200w" width="600" height="400"/></a></figure><h3 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="/crosswords-puzzles/">Crosswords & Puzzles</a></h3><p class="c-paragraph">Crosswords & puzzles to keep you challenged and entertained</p></article><div id="fusion-static-enter:html-block-f0fBjMyQ3IsI2BJ-7-1-1" style="display:none" data-fusion-component="html-block-f0fBjMyQ3IsI2BJ-7-1-1"></div><div><div align="center"> <iframe src="https://www.recruitireland.com/embed/search/jobs " width="100%" height="380px" frameBorder="0" loading="lazy" style="min-width: 300px; max-width: 450px; display: block"> </iframe> </div></div><div id="fusion-static-exit:html-block-f0fBjMyQ3IsI2BJ-7-1-1" style="display:none" data-fusion-component="html-block-f0fBjMyQ3IsI2BJ-7-1-1"></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div id="fusion-static-enter:html-block-f0fbmafAKxrw1C4-7-1-2" style="display:none" data-fusion-component="html-block-f0fbmafAKxrw1C4-7-1-2"></div><div><b><center>The Irish Times ePaper</center></b></div><div id="fusion-static-exit:html-block-f0fbmafAKxrw1C4-7-1-2" style="display:none" data-fusion-component="html-block-f0fbmafAKxrw1C4-7-1-2"></div><div id="fusion-static-enter:html-block-f0fEw5REKxrw1d1-7-1-3" style="display:none" data-fusion-component="html-block-f0fEw5REKxrw1d1-7-1-3"></div><div><style> a.epaper-link { text-decoration: none; } .epaper-bg { background-color: #f1f1f1; width: 100%; margin: auto; padding: 2px; } .epaper { width: 100%; height: 530px; margin: 20px auto; background-image: url("https://irishtimes-irishtimes-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/WoiCg-HuQT0vbRYhs9ZZLxsEyBc=/arc-photo-irishtimes/eu-central-1-prod/public/SFHQMXWUAJB6THFBFIMLCTEGPE.png"); background-position: center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: contain; animation: epaper--animation 30s ease forwards 5; opacity: 0; } @keyframes epaper--animation { 0% { opacity: 1; } 3% { opacity: 1; } 7.5% { background-image: url("https://irishtimes-irishtimes-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/WoiCg-HuQT0vbRYhs9ZZLxsEyBc=/arc-photo-irishtimes/eu-central-1-prod/public/SFHQMXWUAJB6THFBFIMLCTEGPE.png"); opacity: 0; } 7.6% { background-image: url("https://irishtimes-irishtimes-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/o1nhqi_gxGQqIGONiXa2Gh5bgQs=/arc-photo-irishtimes/eu-central-1-prod/public/H2CCKPCMV5HI3DMOFUHTAUMTLE.png"); opacity: 0; } 12% { opacity: 1; } 25% { opacity: 1; } 30.5% { background-image: url("https://irishtimes-irishtimes-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/o1nhqi_gxGQqIGONiXa2Gh5bgQs=/arc-photo-irishtimes/eu-central-1-prod/public/H2CCKPCMV5HI3DMOFUHTAUMTLE.png"); opacity: 0; } 30.6% { background-image: url("https://irishtimes-irishtimes-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/uXAw0csJa4oy9GEtudqVFYJz7xs=/arc-photo-irishtimes/eu-central-1-prod/public/3HMM3WSTX5EGJDLXI7DC67ANCQ.png"); opacity: 0; } 35% { opacity: 1; } 55% { opacity: 1; } 60.5% { background-image: url("https://irishtimes-irishtimes-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/uXAw0csJa4oy9GEtudqVFYJz7xs=/arc-photo-irishtimes/eu-central-1-prod/public/3HMM3WSTX5EGJDLXI7DC67ANCQ.png"); opacity: 0; } 60.6% { background-image: url("https://irishtimes-irishtimes-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/pY4nBgIYPKMSvjqcnzXqjMk52Gg=/arc-photo-irishtimes/eu-central-1-prod/public/WYQ7LHQVD5AYXKU3CEQADTD44Y.png"); opacity: 0; } 65% { opacity: 1; } 85% { opacity: 1; } 90.5% { background-image: url("https://irishtimes-irishtimes-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/pY4nBgIYPKMSvjqcnzXqjMk52Gg=/arc-photo-irishtimes/eu-central-1-prod/public/WYQ7LHQVD5AYXKU3CEQADTD44Y.png"); opacity: 0; } 90.6% { background-image: url("https://irishtimes-irishtimes-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/WoiCg-HuQT0vbRYhs9ZZLxsEyBc=/arc-photo-irishtimes/eu-central-1-prod/public/SFHQMXWUAJB6THFBFIMLCTEGPE.png"); opacity: 0; } 95% { opacity: 1; } 100% { opacity: 1; } } </style> <div class="epaper-bg"> <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/epaper" class="epaper-link" target="_blank"> <div class="epaper"></div> </a> </div></div><div id="fusion-static-exit:html-block-f0fEw5REKxrw1d1-7-1-3" style="display:none" data-fusion-component="html-block-f0fEw5REKxrw1d1-7-1-3"></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><article class="b-medium-manual-promo b-medium-manual-promo--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link b-medium-manual-promo__img" href=" https://digitaleditiondemo.irishtimes.com/irishtimesdemo/219/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="The Gloss" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/ZZMAPNLL3ZBPTEDVTIA3THWE3U.jpg?smart=true&auth=197a902144409686d4bbbf6afa29ce3c6cbeec7fe071641b2ef99d52df660f5e&width=600&height=400" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/ZZMAPNLL3ZBPTEDVTIA3THWE3U.jpg?smart=true&auth=197a902144409686d4bbbf6afa29ce3c6cbeec7fe071641b2ef99d52df660f5e&width=200&height=133 200w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/ZZMAPNLL3ZBPTEDVTIA3THWE3U.jpg?smart=true&auth=197a902144409686d4bbbf6afa29ce3c6cbeec7fe071641b2ef99d52df660f5e&width=400&height=266 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/ZZMAPNLL3ZBPTEDVTIA3THWE3U.jpg?smart=true&auth=197a902144409686d4bbbf6afa29ce3c6cbeec7fe071641b2ef99d52df660f5e&width=600&height=400 600w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/ZZMAPNLL3ZBPTEDVTIA3THWE3U.jpg?smart=true&auth=197a902144409686d4bbbf6afa29ce3c6cbeec7fe071641b2ef99d52df660f5e&width=800&height=533 800w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/ZZMAPNLL3ZBPTEDVTIA3THWE3U.jpg?smart=true&auth=197a902144409686d4bbbf6afa29ce3c6cbeec7fe071641b2ef99d52df660f5e&width=1200&height=800 1200w" width="600" height="400"/><span class="visually-hidden">Opens in new window</span></a></figure><h3 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href=" https://digitaleditiondemo.irishtimes.com/irishtimesdemo/219/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Gloss<span class="visually-hidden">Opens in new window</span></a></h3><p class="c-paragraph">Read the digital edition of The Gloss magazine now</p></article><article class="b-medium-manual-promo b-medium-manual-promo--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link b-medium-manual-promo__img" href="https://digitaleditiondemo.irishtimes.com/irishtimesdemo/210/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Gloss Interiors " class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/XJ5Y4OGJXNGAFFGK3SM5GNMST4.jpg?smart=true&auth=960449887efc87d41f41ec56d63408486ea509c83ea101e888f6c2ce37c3da47&width=600&height=400" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/XJ5Y4OGJXNGAFFGK3SM5GNMST4.jpg?smart=true&auth=960449887efc87d41f41ec56d63408486ea509c83ea101e888f6c2ce37c3da47&width=200&height=133 200w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/XJ5Y4OGJXNGAFFGK3SM5GNMST4.jpg?smart=true&auth=960449887efc87d41f41ec56d63408486ea509c83ea101e888f6c2ce37c3da47&width=400&height=266 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/XJ5Y4OGJXNGAFFGK3SM5GNMST4.jpg?smart=true&auth=960449887efc87d41f41ec56d63408486ea509c83ea101e888f6c2ce37c3da47&width=600&height=400 600w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/XJ5Y4OGJXNGAFFGK3SM5GNMST4.jpg?smart=true&auth=960449887efc87d41f41ec56d63408486ea509c83ea101e888f6c2ce37c3da47&width=800&height=533 800w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/XJ5Y4OGJXNGAFFGK3SM5GNMST4.jpg?smart=true&auth=960449887efc87d41f41ec56d63408486ea509c83ea101e888f6c2ce37c3da47&width=1200&height=800 1200w" width="600" height="400"/><span class="visually-hidden">Opens in new window</span></a></figure><h3 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="https://digitaleditiondemo.irishtimes.com/irishtimesdemo/210/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Gloss Interiors <span class="visually-hidden">Opens in new window</span></a></h3><p class="c-paragraph">Stay ahead of the trend with the Autumn edition</p></article><article class="b-medium-manual-promo b-medium-manual-promo--show-image"><figure class="c-media-item"><a class="c-link b-medium-manual-promo__img" href="https://notices.irishtimes.com/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Family Notices" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/6RIXRYTX4RC4FOGBX6TGGNZHDU.jpg?smart=true&auth=4965b5a2aad52f7c7d4aef4829ab2dcaab7aae35a63a483ae8f447f1a856de1a&width=600&height=400" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/6RIXRYTX4RC4FOGBX6TGGNZHDU.jpg?smart=true&auth=4965b5a2aad52f7c7d4aef4829ab2dcaab7aae35a63a483ae8f447f1a856de1a&width=200&height=133 200w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/6RIXRYTX4RC4FOGBX6TGGNZHDU.jpg?smart=true&auth=4965b5a2aad52f7c7d4aef4829ab2dcaab7aae35a63a483ae8f447f1a856de1a&width=400&height=266 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/6RIXRYTX4RC4FOGBX6TGGNZHDU.jpg?smart=true&auth=4965b5a2aad52f7c7d4aef4829ab2dcaab7aae35a63a483ae8f447f1a856de1a&width=600&height=400 600w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/6RIXRYTX4RC4FOGBX6TGGNZHDU.jpg?smart=true&auth=4965b5a2aad52f7c7d4aef4829ab2dcaab7aae35a63a483ae8f447f1a856de1a&width=800&height=533 800w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/6RIXRYTX4RC4FOGBX6TGGNZHDU.jpg?smart=true&auth=4965b5a2aad52f7c7d4aef4829ab2dcaab7aae35a63a483ae8f447f1a856de1a&width=1200&height=800 1200w" width="600" height="400"/><span class="visually-hidden">Opens in new window</span></a></figure><h3 class="c-heading"><a class="c-link" href="https://notices.irishtimes.com/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Family Notices<span class="visually-hidden">Opens in new window</span></a></h3><p class="c-paragraph">Weddings, Births, Deaths and other family notices</p></article></div></div></div></div><hr class="c-divider b-it-divider-block"/><div id="arcad-feature-f0fNLJDrDpHxaX0-1e1cb60de8189b" class="default__StyledAdUnit-sc-1moicrg-0 gKEhzJ arcad-feature"><div class="arcad-container width_100" style="max-width:970px"><div id="arcad_f0fNLJDrDpHxaX0-1e1cb60de8189b" class="arcad ad-970x90"></div></div></div><hr class="c-divider b-it-divider-block"/></div></section><footer class="c-stack b-it-right-rail-advanced__footer" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div id="lazy_92458" class="lazy_container"><div class="b-flex-chain"><div class="b-flex-chain__grid-container b-flex-chain__grid-container__12 gap"><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div id="fusion-static-enter:html-block-f0fbv2KMxkeL6rG-8-0-0" style="display:none" data-fusion-component="html-block-f0fbv2KMxkeL6rG-8-0-0"></div><div><style> /*Override copyright*/ .copyright-column p, .copyright, /*Footer*/ footer .footer-header, footer .footer-section ul, [aria-label="our-partners"], [aria-label="our-partners"] span, .b-links-bar span, footer span { font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; color: #575757; } /* Change the order in the footer*/ footer .legacy-footer-row { position: relative; } /*Hide the logo from the footer*/ footer .primaryLogo, footer hr { display: none!important; } /* Hide the top border in the footer*/ footer .section-separator { border-top: none; } footer .socialBtn-container, footer .socialBtn-container a { border: none; } /*Copyright*/ .copyright-column { width: 82%!important; } .copyright-column p { text-align: right!important; } .copyright { font-size: small; padding: 0; } /* Style our partners*/ [aria-label="our-partners"] { background-color: #f1f1f1; padding-top: 0.75rem; padding-bottom: 0.75rem; margin-bottom: 1rem; } [aria-label="our-partners"] hr, { display: none; } [aria-label="our-partners"]:before { font-size: small; content: 'Our partners: '; font-weight: bold; color: #575757; text-transform: uppercase; } /*Mobile styles*/ @media screen and (max-width: 767px) { footer { margin-bottom: 0 !important; } footer .layout-section>* { margin-bottom: 0; } .legacy-footer-row { display:flex; flex-direction: row; /*background-color:#f1f1f1;*/ width: 100vw; position: relative; left: -20px; padding-top: 2rem; } .footer-header { text-align: center; } .footer-item { text-align: center; font-size: 14px; } [aria-label="our-partners"] { display: block; text-align: center; color: #000; margin-bottom: 0; } [aria-label="our-partners"]:before { text-align: center; display: block; } [aria-label="our-partners"] .b-links-menu { display: flex; flex-direction: column; text-align: center; visibility: hidden; height: 40px; } [aria-label="our-partners"] .b-links-menu a { visibility: visible; } .apps { padding-top: 0.75rem; border-top: 2px solid #000; border-bottom: 2px solid #000; padding-bottom: 1rem; } [aria-label="our-partners"] .c-separator { --separator-content: var(--c-separator-content, none); display: block; margin-bottom: 0.2rem; } .static-footer-links { background-color: #333; padding: 1rem; display: block !important; margin-bottom: 0 !important; } .static-footer-links .static-footer-links-item { border-right: none; } .static-footer-links a { color: #fff !important; border-right: none; padding: 0.5rem; } } </style></div><div id="fusion-static-exit:html-block-f0fbv2KMxkeL6rG-8-0-0" style="display:none" data-fusion-component="html-block-f0fbv2KMxkeL6rG-8-0-0"></div><div class="c-stack b-footer" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><section class="b-footer__top-container"><div class="b-footer__social-links-container"><div class="c-stack b-footer__social-links" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="https://www.facebook.com/irishtimes/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank"><svg class="c-icon" width="48" height="48" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M504 256C504 119 393 8 256 8S8 119 8 256c0 123.78 90.69 226.38 209.25 245V327.69h-63V256h63v-54.64c0-62.15 37-96.48 93.67-96.48 27.14 0 55.52 4.84 55.52 4.84v61h-31.28c-30.8 0-40.41 19.12-40.41 38.73V256h68.78l-11 71.69h-57.78V501C413.31 482.38 504 379.78 504 256z"></path></svg><span class="visually-hidden">Facebook page</span></a><a class="c-link" href="https://twitter.com/IrishTimes" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank"><svg class="c-icon" width="48" height="48" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M389.2 48h70.6L305.6 224.2 487 464H345L233.7 318.6 106.5 464H35.8L200.7 275.5 26.8 48H172.4L272.9 180.9 389.2 48zM364.4 421.8h39.1L151.1 88h-42L364.4 421.8z"></path></svg><span class="visually-hidden">Twitter feed</span></a></div></div><p class="c-paragraph">© 2024 The Irish Times DAC</p></section><div class="c-grid b-footer__links"><div class="b-footer__links-group"><h3 class="c-heading">Subscribe</h3><ul class="b-footer__links-group-list"><li class="b-footer__links-group-list-item"><a class="c-link" href="/your-subscription/subscription-tour">Why Subscribe?</a></li><li class="b-footer__links-group-list-item"><a class="c-link" href="/subscribe">Subscription Bundles</a></li><li class="b-footer__links-group-list-item"><a class="c-link" href="/subscriber-rewards/">Subscriber Rewards</a></li><li class="b-footer__links-group-list-item"><a class="c-link" href="/subscribe/student/">Student Subscription</a></li><li class="b-footer__links-group-list-item"><a class="c-link" href="https://help.irishtimes.com/s/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Subscription Help Centre<span class="visually-hidden">Opens in new window</span></a></li><li class="b-footer__links-group-list-item"><a class="c-link" href="http://www.newsdelivery.ie" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Home Delivery<span class="visually-hidden">Opens in new window</span></a></li><li class="b-footer__links-group-list-item"><a class="c-link" href="/subscribe/gift">Gift Subscriptions</a></li></ul></div><div class="b-footer__links-group"><h3 class="c-heading">Support</h3><ul class="b-footer__links-group-list"><li class="b-footer__links-group-list-item"><a class="c-link" href="/about-us/contact-us">Contact Us</a></li><li class="b-footer__links-group-list-item"><a class="c-link" href="https://help.irishtimes.com/s/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Help Centre<span class="visually-hidden">Opens in new window</span></a></li><li class="b-footer__links-group-list-item"><a class="c-link" href="/myaccount">My Account</a></li></ul></div><div class="b-footer__links-group"><h3 class="c-heading">About Us</h3><ul class="b-footer__links-group-list"><li class="b-footer__links-group-list-item"><a class="c-link" href="/about-us/advertise">Advertise</a></li><li class="b-footer__links-group-list-item"><a class="c-link" href="/about-us/contact-us">Contact Us</a></li><li class="b-footer__links-group-list-item"><a class="c-link" href="/about-us/the-irish-times-trust/">The Irish Times Trust</a></li><li class="b-footer__links-group-list-item"><a class="c-link" href="/about-us/career-opportunities">Careers</a></li></ul></div><div class="b-footer__links-group"><h3 class="c-heading">Irish Times Products & Services</h3><ul class="b-footer__links-group-list"><li class="b-footer__links-group-list-item"><a class="c-link" href="/epaper">ePaper</a></li><li class="b-footer__links-group-list-item"><a class="c-link" href="/crosswords-puzzles/">Crosswords & puzzles</a></li><li class="b-footer__links-group-list-item"><a class="c-link" href="/archive">Newspaper Archive</a></li><li class="b-footer__links-group-list-item"><a class="c-link" href="/newsletters">Newsletters</a></li><li class="b-footer__links-group-list-item"><a class="c-link" href="https://www.irishtimes.com/article-index/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Article Index<span class="visually-hidden">Opens in new window</span></a></li><li class="b-footer__links-group-list-item"><a class="c-link" href="https://discountcodes.irishtimes.com/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Discount Codes<span class="visually-hidden">Opens in new window</span></a></li></ul></div></div><figure class="c-media-item"><img alt="The Irish Times" class="c-image b-footer__logo" src="https://static.themebuilder.aws.arc.pub/irishtimes/1647534191733.svg" height="64"/></figure><div></div></div><div id="fusion-static-enter:html-block-f0fcSRSNS9zi6b4-8-0-2" style="display:none" data-fusion-component="html-block-f0fcSRSNS9zi6b4-8-0-2"></div><div><div class="apps text-align_center" style="margin:0 auto;text-align:center;"> <span class="font_bold" style="display:block;"><b>Download the app</b></span> <a target="_blank" href="https://apps.apple.com/ie/developer/the-irish-times-ltd/id365544597"> <img alt="Download on the App Store" src="https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/BJJKNJJHDJDGDDODHEER7FDH44.png" width="108" height="34" loading="lazy"></a>   <a target="_blank" href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=The+Irish+Times+Ltd"> <img alt="Download on Google Play" src="https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/T2XGUGDSUZCOZAYIQEKG2TWML4.png" width="108" height="34" loading="lazy"></a> </div> <style> .apps img{ margin-top:0.55rem; } .apps span{position:relative;display:block;margin-bottom:0;padding-bottom:0;color:#575757;font-size:1rem; } </style></div><div id="fusion-static-exit:html-block-f0fcSRSNS9zi6b4-8-0-2" style="display:none" data-fusion-component="html-block-f0fcSRSNS9zi6b4-8-0-2"></div><nav aria-label="our-partners" class="c-stack b-links-bar" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="center" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="wrap"><a class="c-link" href="https://www.myhome.ie" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">MyHome.ie<span class="visually-hidden">Opens in new window</span></a><span class="c-separator"></span><a class="c-link" href="https://www.thegloss.ie" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Gloss<span class="visually-hidden">Opens in new window</span></a><span class="c-separator"></span><a class="c-link" href="https://recruitireland.com/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Recruit Ireland<span class="visually-hidden">Opens in new window</span></a><span class="c-separator"></span><a class="c-link" href="https://www.irishtimestraining.com/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Irish Times Training<span class="visually-hidden">Opens in new window</span></a><span class="c-separator"></span><a class="c-link" href="https://rip.ie/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">RIP.ie<span class="visually-hidden">Opens in new window</span></a></nav><hr class="c-divider"/></div></div></div></div></footer></div><ul class="c-stack b-static-footer-links-bar" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="center" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"> <li class="b-static-footer-links-bar__item "><a href="/policy-and-terms/terms-conditions/" class=" b-static-footer-links-bar__item-link">Terms & Conditions</a></li><li class="b-static-footer-links-bar__item "><a href="/policy-and-terms/privacy-policy/" class=" b-static-footer-links-bar__item-link">Privacy Policy</a></li><li class="b-static-footer-links-bar__item "><a href="/policy-and-terms/cookie-policy/" class=" b-static-footer-links-bar__item-link">Cookie Information</a></li><li class="b-static-footer-links-bar__item "><a href="#/" class="ot-sdk-show-settings b-static-footer-links-bar__item-link">Cookie Settings</a></li><li class="b-static-footer-links-bar__item "><a href="/policy-and-terms/community-standards/" class=" b-static-footer-links-bar__item-link">Community Standards</a></li><li class="b-static-footer-links-bar__item "><a href="/policy-and-terms/copyright/" class=" b-static-footer-links-bar__item-link">Copyright</a></li></ul></div><script id="fusion-metadata" type="application/javascript">window.Fusion=window.Fusion||{};Fusion.arcSite="irishtimes";Fusion.contextPath="/pf";Fusion.deployment="155";Fusion.globalContent={"_id":"/life-style","navigation":{"nav_title":"Life & Style"},"metadata":{"metadata_description":"The latest Life & Style news, analysis and comment brought to you by the definitive brand of quality journalism. Read The Irish Times.","metadata_title":"Life & Style | The Irish Times"},"Paywall":{"paywall-status":"free"},"Newsletter":{"newsletterid":"News Digest"},"_website":"irishtimes","name":"Life & Style","inactive":false,"node_type":"section","children":[{"_id":"/life-style/fashion","navigation":{"nav_title":"Fashion"},"metadata":{"metadata_description":"The latest Fashion news, trends tips and advice brought to you by the definitive brand of quality journalism. Read The Irish Times.","metadata_title":"Fashion | The Irish Times"},"_admin":{"alias_ids":["/life-style/fashion"]},"Paywall":{"paywall-status":"free"},"Newsletter":{"newsletterid":"The Gloss [47]","headline":"The Gloss","description":"Keep up to date with the glossiest fashion news, looks and trends for you and your home. Make sure you never miss a copy of The Gloss","imagetop":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/OG5QU2VZIJDGHESOL2AKTLF2IU.png","imageside":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/25FGI4R7IRBOFIIF35WMQY7HCQ.jpg","newsletterpremium":"false"},"_website":"irishtimes","name":"Fashion","order":{"default":2003,"hamburger-menu":2001,"App-Hamburger":2001,"composer-relevant-sections":2003,"section-page-subnavs":2001},"parent":{"default":"/life-style","hamburger-menu":"/life-style","App-Hamburger":"/life-style","Mobile-Links-Navigation":null,"navbar":null,"navbar-NU":null,"Comopser":null,"composer-relevant-sections":"/life-style","section-page-subnavs":"/life-style","sitemap-section":null},"ancestors":{"hamburger-menu":["/","/life-style"],"App-Hamburger":["/","/life-style"],"Mobile-Links-Navigation":[],"navbar":[],"Comopser":[]},"inactive":false,"node_type":"section","children":[{"_id":"link-L6FPNH5AV5HHNNP5RAXYFXR7GU","_website":"irishtimes","display_name":"Beauty","url":"/tags/beauty/","parent":{"section-page-subnavs":"/life-style/fashion"},"order":{"section-page-subnavs":0},"node_type":"link","children":[]}]},{"_id":"link-54NMKENEB5ALXEEOCI6MUIRMDI","_website":"irishtimes","display_name":"Beauty","url":"/tags/beauty/","parent":{"section-page-subnavs":"/life-style","hamburger-menu":"/life-style","App-Hamburger":"/life-style"},"order":{"section-page-subnavs":2002,"hamburger-menu":2002,"App-Hamburger":2002},"node_type":"link","children":[]},{"_id":"/life-style/fine-art-antiques","navigation":{"nav_title":"Fine Art & Antiques"},"metadata":{"metadata_description":"Essential news, views and features about buying and selling art, antiques and collectibles brought to you by the definitive brand of quality journalism. Read The Irish Times.","metadata_title":"Fine Art & Antiques | The Irish Times"},"_admin":{"alias_ids":["/life-style/fine-art-antiques"]},"Paywall":{"paywall-status":"free"},"Newsletter":{"headline":"The Gloss","description":"Keep up to date with fashion news and trends for you and your home. Never miss a copy of The Gloss or The Gloss Interiors","imagetop":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/OG5QU2VZIJDGHESOL2AKTLF2IU.png","imageside":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/25FGI4R7IRBOFIIF35WMQY7HCQ.jpg","newsletterid":"The Gloss [47]","newsletterpremium":"false"},"_website":"irishtimes","name":"Fine Art & Antiques","order":{"default":2005,"hamburger-menu":2003,"App-Hamburger":2003,"composer-relevant-sections":2005,"section-page-subnavs":2003},"parent":{"default":"/life-style","hamburger-menu":"/life-style","App-Hamburger":"/life-style","Mobile-Links-Navigation":null,"navbar":null,"navbar-NU":null,"Comopser":null,"composer-relevant-sections":"/life-style","section-page-subnavs":"/life-style","sitemap-section":null},"ancestors":{"hamburger-menu":["/","/life-style"],"App-Hamburger":["/","/life-style"],"Mobile-Links-Navigation":[],"navbar":[],"Comopser":[]},"inactive":false,"node_type":"section","children":[]},{"_id":"/life-style/gardening","navigation":{"nav_title":"Gardening"},"metadata":{"metadata_title":"Gardening | The Irish Times","metadata_description":"Essential news, views and features about gardening, plants and pests brought to you by the definitive brand of quality journalism. Read The Irish Times."},"_admin":{"alias_ids":["/life-style/gardening"]},"Paywall":{"paywall-status":"free"},"Newsletter":{"newsletterid":"Food & Drink club [75]","headline":"Food & Drink Club","description":"Exclusive competitions and restaurant offers, plus reviews, the latest food and drink news, recipes and lots more","imagetop":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/NPJMN3AYLNETTP2G4OAHNBE4ZM.png","imageside":"https://irishtimes-irishtimes-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/CKfL_TNSzqac9PRqpXHtAiPora0=/arc-photo-irishtimes/eu-central-1-prod/public/E2X6UJYXMFELJEM5W4T7VEYLNA.jpg","newsletterpremium":"false"},"_website":"irishtimes","name":"Gardening","order":{"default":2004,"hamburger-menu":2004,"App-Hamburger":2004,"composer-relevant-sections":2004,"section-page-subnavs":2004},"parent":{"default":"/life-style","hamburger-menu":"/life-style","App-Hamburger":"/life-style","Mobile-Links-Navigation":null,"navbar":null,"navbar-NU":null,"Comopser":null,"composer-relevant-sections":"/life-style","section-page-subnavs":"/life-style","sitemap-section":null},"ancestors":{"hamburger-menu":["/","/life-style"],"App-Hamburger":["/","/life-style"],"Mobile-Links-Navigation":[],"navbar":[],"Comopser":[],"section-page-subnavs":["/life-style"]},"inactive":false,"node_type":"section","children":[]},{"_id":"/life-style/people","navigation":{"nav_title":"People"},"metadata":{"metadata_title":"People | The Irish Times","metadata_description":"People news, features and interviews brought to you by the definitive brand of quality journalism. Read The Irish Times."},"_admin":{"alias_ids":["/life-style/people"]},"Paywall":{"paywall-status":"free"},"Podcast follow links":{"podcastplatforms":{"Spotify":"https://open.spotify.com/show/6kTMSMIFcdnj5Oai4kiTMJ","Google":"https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5hY2FzdC5jb20vcHVibGljL3Nob3dzLzhlMjJiMTAwLTA3ODktNWYyMy1iNDI1LTgxZjQ2ZGQxNWUzNg","Apple":"https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/ross-ocarroll-kelly/id1005100505?mt=2","Acast":"https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/8e22b100-0789-5f23-b425-81f46dd15e36"}},"_website":"irishtimes","name":"People","order":{"hamburger-menu":2005,"App-Hamburger":2005,"section-page-subnavs":2005},"parent":{"default":"/life-style","hamburger-menu":"/life-style","App-Hamburger":"/life-style","Mobile-Links-Navigation":null,"navbar":null,"navbar-NU":null,"Comopser":null,"composer-relevant-sections":"/life-style","section-page-subnavs":"/life-style","sitemap-section":null},"ancestors":{"hamburger-menu":["/","/life-style"],"App-Hamburger":["/","/life-style"],"Mobile-Links-Navigation":[],"navbar":[],"Comopser":[]},"inactive":false,"node_type":"section","children":[]},{"_id":"/life-style/travel","navigation":{"nav_title":"Travel"},"metadata":{"metadata_description":"Travel news, tips, trends and features brought to you by the definitive brand of quality journalism. Read The Irish Times.","metadata_title":"Travel | The Irish Times"},"Paywall":{"paywall-status":"free"},"_admin":{"alias_ids":["/life-style/travel"]},"Newsletter":{"newsletterid":"News Digest"},"_website":"irishtimes","name":"Travel","order":{"default":2002,"hamburger-menu":2006,"App-Hamburger":2006,"composer-relevant-sections":2002,"section-page-subnavs":2006},"parent":{"default":"/life-style","hamburger-menu":"/life-style","App-Hamburger":"/life-style","Mobile-Links-Navigation":null,"navbar":null,"navbar-NU":null,"Comopser":null,"composer-relevant-sections":"/life-style","section-page-subnavs":"/life-style","sitemap-section":null},"ancestors":{"hamburger-menu":["/","/life-style"],"App-Hamburger":["/","/life-style"],"Mobile-Links-Navigation":[],"navbar":[],"Comopser":[]},"inactive":false,"node_type":"section","children":[]},{"_id":"link-JKAEM9B0A94JX23AGX5ZDRU3KC","_website":"irishtimes","display_name":"New to the Parish","url":"/tags/new-to-the-parish/","parent":{"section-page-subnavs":"/life-style"},"order":{"section-page-subnavs":2007},"node_type":"link","children":[]},{"_id":"link-0UDTE2TTXX60ZAUFTPHHHWK2MM","_website":"irishtimes","display_name":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly","url":"/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly/","parent":{"section-page-subnavs":"/life-style"},"order":{"section-page-subnavs":2008},"node_type":"link","children":[]},{"_id":"link-AB4JQ6867X3CB1FH76EXN1FYAM","_website":"irishtimes","display_name":"The Women's Podcast","url":"/podcasts/the-womens-podcast/","parent":{"section-page-subnavs":"/life-style"},"order":{"section-page-subnavs":2009},"node_type":"link","children":[]}],"Page":null,"Operator":"Section"};Fusion.globalContentConfig={"source":"site-service-hierarchy-it","query":{"hierarchy":"section-page-subnavs","sectionId":"/life-style","arc-site":"irishtimes"}};Fusion.lastModified=1733295362874;Fusion.contentCache={"signing-service":{"{\"id\":\"https://static.themebuilder.aws.arc.pub/irishtimes/1647534191476.png\"}":{"data":{"hash":"631eeaa12e7a61c005c8eb0bbf348f785c131b10c4d6b25c28247a15965b5a36","type":"sha256","_id":"8bd659e252b82de6c27bac42028373920e436646b273a5c0296651a455305fed"},"expires":1764810210075,"lastModified":1733274209832},"{\"id\":\"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/25FGI4R7IRBOFIIF35WMQY7HCQ.jpg\"}":{"data":{"hash":"ac57dec984423eac02da5e321d6ee451697513312105337b4fcddda4fe69134a","type":"sha256","_id":"7300c004381fceefc38db8da996beea95ef5152f0fdc850194c0caeaf8d1eea8"},"expires":1764779044582,"lastModified":1733243044428},"{\"id\":\"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/CIXY47VSPBC2RGG5EGS4NJHSDY.jpg\"}":{"data":{"hash":"18e85ac75afd4bd58e875296ae5caafdfb5c282fa10fe499e28267a8ee95de65","type":"sha256","_id":"df02ee20aba3de575175696182b761e215acca29a17b8e5b9f197acee5d8b5ed"},"expires":1764605798634,"lastModified":1733069798448},"{\"id\":\"QF3X7Z2CJNEZHPDUSBJU7N52M4\"}":{"data":{"1":"36f6e08f0135625b6740a8e04a365927ee4786ccdd95a116281ce8f2bffa9e97","hash":"36f6e08f0135625b6740a8e04a365927ee4786ccdd95a116281ce8f2bffa9e97","type":"sha256","_id":"5bfed4ca905f35f178678474995ad7816092bfeb4935ff9068dc5101990292e7"},"expires":1764813782357,"lastModified":1733277781987},"{\"id\":\"ZZMAPNLL3ZBPTEDVTIA3THWE3U\"}":{"data":{"1":"197a902144409686d4bbbf6afa29ce3c6cbeec7fe071641b2ef99d52df660f5e","hash":"197a902144409686d4bbbf6afa29ce3c6cbeec7fe071641b2ef99d52df660f5e","type":"sha256","_id":"fadca084935a351f6a2d9416dea4563883cf649958934c5712492bb164d326ee"},"expires":1764811987850,"lastModified":1733275987635},"{\"id\":\"XJ5Y4OGJXNGAFFGK3SM5GNMST4\"}":{"data":{"1":"960449887efc87d41f41ec56d63408486ea509c83ea101e888f6c2ce37c3da47","hash":"960449887efc87d41f41ec56d63408486ea509c83ea101e888f6c2ce37c3da47","type":"sha256","_id":"705f8037c88998d37adb9599cef3e0787a6da1ca85466d4b4b7d3597417e892b"},"expires":1764713529476,"lastModified":1733177529196},"{\"id\":\"6RIXRYTX4RC4FOGBX6TGGNZHDU\"}":{"data":{"1":"4965b5a2aad52f7c7d4aef4829ab2dcaab7aae35a63a483ae8f447f1a856de1a","hash":"4965b5a2aad52f7c7d4aef4829ab2dcaab7aae35a63a483ae8f447f1a856de1a","type":"sha256","_id":"86c84293de1631d9ad3eacc2af75907c5ad819c1d46f5e7d80c4af94d86ad396"},"expires":1764778071542,"lastModified":1733242071397}},"site-service-hierarchy":{"{\"feature\":\"header-nav-chain\",\"hierarchy\":\"hamburger-menu\"}":{"data":{"children":[{"_id":"link-MY7K0TYT012WZ0V1ZB8PHF0MJC","children":[],"display_name":"Home","node_type":"link","url":"/"},{"_id":"link-TB2EY564VN0N56D137NVP6G5MW","children":[],"display_name":"Latest","node_type":"link","url":"/latest/"},{"_id":"link-ZNGH139WJX4419P1E6XFB2YQBM","children":[],"display_name":"Subscriber Only","node_type":"link","url":"/subscriber-only/"},{"_id":"/crosswords-puzzles","children":[{"_id":"link-9RFF8NMDUX08917NND3Z3M1JDR","display_name":"Crosaire","node_type":"link","url":"/crosswords-puzzles/crosaire"},{"_id":"link-31JQ6NX1K92T907WWAU7P7R5RG","display_name":"Simplex","node_type":"link","url":"/crosswords-puzzles/simplex"},{"_id":"link-FVP3FUVCB93Z5DEH56JPZQA70C","display_name":"Sudoku","node_type":"link","url":"/crosswords-puzzles/sudoku"},{"_id":"link-OZWXQ6FKZNAJJGASG6FTFLQRC4","display_name":"News Quiz","node_type":"link","url":"/crosswords-puzzles/news-quiz/"}],"name":"Crosswords & Puzzles","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"link-ZUXJST6ABZAHDLVMEJXZPJA2VA","children":[],"display_name":"Election 2024","node_type":"link","url":"/election2024/"},{"_id":"/ireland","children":[{"_id":"/ireland/dublin","name":"Dublin","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/ireland/education","name":"Education","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/ireland/housing-planning","name":"Housing & Planning","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/ireland/social-affairs","name":"Social Affairs","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"link-432NSPB3WJAAXKSTOTZHACT5EA","display_name":"Stardust","node_type":"link","url":"/ireland/stardust/"}],"name":"Ireland","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/politics","children":[{"_id":"link-3MPXCZUI25G5XOQ3KWGMIXOMSI","display_name":"Election 2024","node_type":"link","url":"/election2024/"},{"_id":"link-MWT7CPJ6Z906HA5HZY5HARQ548","display_name":"Poll","node_type":"link","url":"/politics/poll/"},{"_id":"/politics/oireachtas","name":"Oireachtas","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"link-OVTSEK2LEVCQ7GP5I7N7EIKPG4","display_name":"Common Ground","node_type":"link","url":"/common-ground/"},{"_id":"link-8RRAYZT2TN65HCHPB8CHE4QEPR","display_name":"Elections & Referendums","node_type":"link","url":"/politics/elections-referendums/"}],"name":"Politics","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/opinion","children":[{"_id":"/opinion/editorials","name":"Editorials","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/opinion/an-irish-diary","name":"An Irish Diary","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/opinion/letters","name":"Letters","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/opinion/cartoon","name":"Cartoon","node_type":"section"}],"name":"Opinion","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/business","children":[{"_id":"/business/economy","name":"Economy","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/business/farming-food","name":"Farming & Food","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/business/financial-services","name":"Financial Services","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/business/innovation","name":"Innovation","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/business/markets","name":"Markets","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/business/work","name":"Work","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"link-WE72QDDTEN5EFDZ52U3CGYEZGC","display_name":"Commercial Property","node_type":"link","url":"/property/commercial-property"}],"name":"Business","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/world","children":[{"_id":"link-DZGPIZSZWJENRN4XBSEET57Q7M","display_name":"US Election","node_type":"link","url":"/world/us-election/"},{"_id":"/world/europe","name":"Europe","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/world/uk","name":"UK","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/world/us","name":"US","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/world/canada","name":"Canada","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/world/australia","name":"Australia","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/world/africa","name":"Africa","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/world/americas","name":"Americas","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/world/asia-pacific","name":"Asia-Pacific","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/world/middle-east","name":"Middle East","node_type":"section"}],"name":"World","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/sport","children":[{"_id":"/sport/gaelic-games","name":"Gaelic Games","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/sport/rugby","name":"Rugby","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/sport/soccer","name":"Soccer","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/sport/golf","name":"Golf","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/sport/racing","name":"Racing","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/sport/athletics","name":"Athletics","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/sport/boxing","name":"Boxing","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/sport/cycling","name":"Cycling","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/sport/hockey","name":"Hockey","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/sport/tennis","name":"Tennis","node_type":"section"}],"name":"Sport","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/your-money","children":[{"_id":"link-C1H4ZB3MP50VZ1C521YDGVJEXR","display_name":"Pricewatch","node_type":"link","url":"/tags/pricewatch"},{"_id":"link-Y4XAEWLBNJH7DOEQJ3UQ4UXOOU","display_name":"Budget 2025","node_type":"link","url":"/budget/"}],"name":"Your Money","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/crime-law","children":[{"_id":"/crime-law/courts","name":"Courts","node_type":"section"}],"name":"Crime & Law","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/property","children":[{"_id":"/property/residential","name":"Residential","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/property/commercial-property","name":"Commercial Property","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/property/interiors","name":"Interiors","node_type":"section"}],"name":"Property","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/food","children":[{"_id":"/food/drink","name":"Drink","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/food/recipes","name":"Recipes","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/food/restaurants","name":"Restaurants","node_type":"section"}],"name":"Food","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/health","children":[{"_id":"/health/your-family","name":"Your Family","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/health/your-fitness","name":"Your Fitness","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/health/your-wellness","name":"Your Wellness","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/health/your-fitness/get-running","name":"Get Running","node_type":"section"}],"name":"Health","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/life-style","children":[{"_id":"/life-style/fashion","name":"Fashion","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"link-54NMKENEB5ALXEEOCI6MUIRMDI","display_name":"Beauty","node_type":"link","url":"/tags/beauty/"},{"_id":"/life-style/fine-art-antiques","name":"Fine Art & Antiques","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/life-style/gardening","name":"Gardening","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/life-style/people","name":"People","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/life-style/travel","name":"Travel","node_type":"section"}],"name":"Life & Style","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/culture","children":[{"_id":"/culture/art","name":"Art","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/culture/books","name":"Books","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/culture/film","name":"Film","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/culture/music","name":"Music","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/culture/stage","name":"Stage","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/culture/tv-radio","name":"TV & Radio","node_type":"section"}],"name":"Culture","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/environment","children":[{"_id":"/environment/climate-crisis","name":"Climate Crisis","node_type":"section"}],"name":"Environment","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/technology","children":[{"_id":"/technology/big-tech","name":"Big Tech","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","name":"Consumer Tech","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/technology/data-security","name":"Data & Security","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/technology/gaming","name":"Gaming","node_type":"section"}],"name":"Technology","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/science","children":[{"_id":"/science/space","name":"Space","node_type":"section"}],"name":"Science","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/media","children":[],"name":"Media","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/abroad","children":[],"name":"Abroad","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/obituaries","children":[],"name":"Obituaries","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/transport","children":[],"name":"Transport","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/motors","children":[{"_id":"link-9JYG4R2HT934Q3XVN59UWD3R44","display_name":"Car Reviews","node_type":"link","url":"/motors/car-reviews/"}],"name":"Motors","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"link-TW6BFCQ2W149F0E26FF5PJ8AEM","children":[],"display_name":"Listen","node_type":"link","url":"/listen/"},{"_id":"/podcasts","children":[{"_id":"/podcasts/in-the-news","name":"In the News Podcast","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/podcasts/inside-politics","name":"Inside Politics Podcast","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/podcasts/the-womens-podcast","name":"The Women's Podcast","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/podcasts/inside-business","name":"Inside Business Podcast","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly","name":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/podcasts/the-counter-ruck","name":"The Counter Ruck Podcast","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/podcasts/conversations-with-parents","name":"Conversations with Parents Podcast","node_type":"section"}],"name":"Podcasts","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/video","children":[],"name":"Video","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/photography","children":[],"name":"Photography","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/history","children":[{"_id":"/history/century","name":"Century","node_type":"section"}],"name":"History","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/tuarascail","children":[],"name":"Tuarascáil","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/student-hub","children":[],"name":"Student Hub","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/offbeat","children":[],"name":"Offbeat","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"link-60C66RDFC91ZZ7GZUA0N497XAC","children":[],"display_name":"Family Notices","node_type":"link","url":"https://notices.irishtimes.com"},{"_id":"/sponsored","children":[{"_id":"/advertising-feature","name":"Advertising Feature","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/special-reports","name":"Special Reports","node_type":"section"}],"name":"Sponsored","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"link-20YXWFDCNH4233PCDANMHA4VT8","children":[],"display_name":"Subscriber Rewards","node_type":"link","url":"/subscriber-rewards/"},{"_id":"/competitions","children":[],"name":"Competitions","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"link-2YA5DNVQF928HEF4EKE1Q0AMEM","children":[],"display_name":"Weather Forecast","node_type":"link","url":"/weather/"}],"_id":"/"},"expires":1733295391435,"lastModified":1733295091136},"{\"feature\":\"footer\",\"hierarchy\":\"footer\"}":{"data":{"children":[{"_id":"/subscribe","children":[{"_id":"link-DGDAM5YPRN6XFDAP5JVDMNAVVC","display_name":"Why Subscribe?","node_type":"link","url":"/your-subscription/subscription-tour"},{"_id":"link-CM7751G0QH6MZDQGFJ2U872KJW","display_name":"Subscription Bundles","node_type":"link","url":"/subscribe"},{"_id":"link-20YXWFDCNH4233PCDANMHA4VT8","display_name":"Subscriber Rewards","node_type":"link","url":"/subscriber-rewards/"},{"_id":"link-INNQ4KIFSFDWHLJIC7INQXWWGY","display_name":"Student Subscription","node_type":"link","url":"/subscribe/student/"},{"_id":"link-MFHX19ZTJ90JDAV1MZWFRRRCBR","display_name":"Subscription Help Centre","node_type":"link","url":"https://help.irishtimes.com/s/"},{"_id":"link-5YM8CZDMVH2CQ08T2B33MHANWR","display_name":"Home Delivery","node_type":"link","url":"http://www.newsdelivery.ie"},{"_id":"link-QUQFWNZ8197RQBK5CKWCM4T8HW","display_name":"Gift Subscriptions","node_type":"link","url":"/subscribe/gift"}],"name":"Subscribe","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/support","children":[{"_id":"link-G3XEUGHAGT79B4DJ5W73WNFQY0","display_name":"Contact Us","node_type":"link","url":"/about-us/contact-us"},{"_id":"link-C8T475KX5D1KDAW12U8Q12T5MC","display_name":"Help Centre","node_type":"link","url":"https://help.irishtimes.com/s/"},{"_id":"link-NV2UTHTYXX1EN982NWZ92BVPZW","display_name":"My Account","node_type":"link","url":"/myaccount"}],"name":"Support","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/about-us","children":[{"_id":"link-Z9KM76KCK1375DMR7HKZ3BAAYG","display_name":"Advertise","node_type":"link","url":"/about-us/advertise"},{"_id":"link-C0YP70N1BT3BTF13YZ3GQFFW5R","display_name":"Contact Us","node_type":"link","url":"/about-us/contact-us"},{"_id":"link-HPPYKQZRWN3T10Y4E0NXN002NC","display_name":"The Irish Times Trust","node_type":"link","url":"/about-us/the-irish-times-trust/"},{"_id":"link-YV5H3Y4TQH5AVE8N4AUH222RK4","display_name":"Careers","node_type":"link","url":"/about-us/career-opportunities"}],"name":"About Us","node_type":"section"},{"_id":"/product-and-services","children":[{"_id":"link-QR4AME90917AK29M6XVEJMX9N8","display_name":"ePaper","node_type":"link","url":"/epaper"},{"_id":"link-8XJ7X9GPZX2H11NJE3GWW45748","display_name":"Crosswords & puzzles","node_type":"link","url":"/crosswords-puzzles/"},{"_id":"link-B7ENRD4YCD77ZCV67531F5ZEP8","display_name":"Newspaper Archive","node_type":"link","url":"/archive"},{"_id":"link-7XMTETWQ05553ADVQ26YD2PN5M","display_name":"Newsletters","node_type":"link","url":"/newsletters"},{"_id":"link-QKK62NMCJT4751EU158MVUQ6J8","display_name":"Article Index","node_type":"link","url":"https://www.irishtimes.com/article-index/"},{"_id":"link-1YQEPDVX8X06D9BVQXQZ2U9GWM","display_name":"Discount Codes","node_type":"link","url":"https://discountcodes.irishtimes.com/"}],"name":"Irish Times Products & Services","node_type":"section"}],"_id":"/"},"expires":1733295422856,"lastModified":1733295122364}},"site-service-hierarchy-it":{"{\"arcSite\":\"irishtimes\",\"hierarchy\":\"Logged-in-navigation\"}":{"data":{"children":[{"display_name":"My Account;Manage your account","url":"/myaccount"},{"display_name":"Digital Subscriptions; Frequently asked questions and support","url":"https://help.irishtimes.com"},{"display_name":"Subscriber Only Articles;Specially selected and available only to our subscribers","url":"/subscriber-only/"},{"display_name":"Crosswords & Puzzles;Digital Simplex and Crosaire crosswords","url":"/crosswords-puzzles/"},{"display_name":"Subscriber Rewards;Discover a selection of rewards just for you","url":"/subscriber-rewards/"},{"display_name":"Newsletters;Sign up to get the stories you want delivered to your inbox","url":"/newsletters/"},{"display_name":"Subscriber Tour;Explore the features of your subscription","url":"https://www.irishtimes.com/your-subscription/subscription-tour"},{"display_name":"Newspaper Archive;150 years of Irish Times journalism","url":"https://www.irishtimes.com/premium/loginpage"},{"display_name":"Mobile app;Our Apple and Android apps to read on the go","url":"/apps/"}],"_id":"/"},"expires":1733295435465,"lastModified":1733295135398},"{\"hierarchy\":\"section-page-subnavs\",\"sectionId\":\"/life-style\"}":{"data":{"_id":"/life-style","navigation":{"nav_title":"Life & Style"},"metadata":{"metadata_description":"The latest Life & Style news, analysis and comment brought to you by the definitive brand of quality journalism. Read The Irish Times.","metadata_title":"Life & Style | The Irish Times"},"Paywall":{"paywall-status":"free"},"Newsletter":{"newsletterid":"News Digest"},"_website":"irishtimes","name":"Life & Style","inactive":false,"node_type":"section","children":[{"_id":"/life-style/fashion","navigation":{"nav_title":"Fashion"},"metadata":{"metadata_description":"The latest Fashion news, trends tips and advice brought to you by the definitive brand of quality journalism. Read The Irish Times.","metadata_title":"Fashion | The Irish Times"},"_admin":{"alias_ids":["/life-style/fashion"]},"Paywall":{"paywall-status":"free"},"Newsletter":{"newsletterid":"The Gloss [47]","headline":"The Gloss","description":"Keep up to date with the glossiest fashion news, looks and trends for you and your home. Make sure you never miss a copy of The Gloss","imagetop":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/OG5QU2VZIJDGHESOL2AKTLF2IU.png","imageside":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/25FGI4R7IRBOFIIF35WMQY7HCQ.jpg","newsletterpremium":"false"},"_website":"irishtimes","name":"Fashion","order":{"default":2003,"hamburger-menu":2001,"App-Hamburger":2001,"composer-relevant-sections":2003,"section-page-subnavs":2001},"parent":{"default":"/life-style","hamburger-menu":"/life-style","App-Hamburger":"/life-style","Mobile-Links-Navigation":null,"navbar":null,"navbar-NU":null,"Comopser":null,"composer-relevant-sections":"/life-style","section-page-subnavs":"/life-style","sitemap-section":null},"ancestors":{"hamburger-menu":["/","/life-style"],"App-Hamburger":["/","/life-style"],"Mobile-Links-Navigation":[],"navbar":[],"Comopser":[]},"inactive":false,"node_type":"section","children":[{"_id":"link-L6FPNH5AV5HHNNP5RAXYFXR7GU","_website":"irishtimes","display_name":"Beauty","url":"/tags/beauty/","parent":{"section-page-subnavs":"/life-style/fashion"},"order":{"section-page-subnavs":0},"node_type":"link","children":[]}]},{"_id":"link-54NMKENEB5ALXEEOCI6MUIRMDI","_website":"irishtimes","display_name":"Beauty","url":"/tags/beauty/","parent":{"section-page-subnavs":"/life-style","hamburger-menu":"/life-style","App-Hamburger":"/life-style"},"order":{"section-page-subnavs":2002,"hamburger-menu":2002,"App-Hamburger":2002},"node_type":"link","children":[]},{"_id":"/life-style/fine-art-antiques","navigation":{"nav_title":"Fine Art & Antiques"},"metadata":{"metadata_description":"Essential news, views and features about buying and selling art, antiques and collectibles brought to you by the definitive brand of quality journalism. Read The Irish Times.","metadata_title":"Fine Art & Antiques | The Irish Times"},"_admin":{"alias_ids":["/life-style/fine-art-antiques"]},"Paywall":{"paywall-status":"free"},"Newsletter":{"headline":"The Gloss","description":"Keep up to date with fashion news and trends for you and your home. Never miss a copy of The Gloss or The Gloss Interiors","imagetop":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/OG5QU2VZIJDGHESOL2AKTLF2IU.png","imageside":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/25FGI4R7IRBOFIIF35WMQY7HCQ.jpg","newsletterid":"The Gloss [47]","newsletterpremium":"false"},"_website":"irishtimes","name":"Fine Art & Antiques","order":{"default":2005,"hamburger-menu":2003,"App-Hamburger":2003,"composer-relevant-sections":2005,"section-page-subnavs":2003},"parent":{"default":"/life-style","hamburger-menu":"/life-style","App-Hamburger":"/life-style","Mobile-Links-Navigation":null,"navbar":null,"navbar-NU":null,"Comopser":null,"composer-relevant-sections":"/life-style","section-page-subnavs":"/life-style","sitemap-section":null},"ancestors":{"hamburger-menu":["/","/life-style"],"App-Hamburger":["/","/life-style"],"Mobile-Links-Navigation":[],"navbar":[],"Comopser":[]},"inactive":false,"node_type":"section","children":[]},{"_id":"/life-style/gardening","navigation":{"nav_title":"Gardening"},"metadata":{"metadata_title":"Gardening | The Irish Times","metadata_description":"Essential news, views and features about gardening, plants and pests brought to you by the definitive brand of quality journalism. Read The Irish Times."},"_admin":{"alias_ids":["/life-style/gardening"]},"Paywall":{"paywall-status":"free"},"Newsletter":{"newsletterid":"Food & Drink club [75]","headline":"Food & Drink Club","description":"Exclusive competitions and restaurant offers, plus reviews, the latest food and drink news, recipes and lots more","imagetop":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/NPJMN3AYLNETTP2G4OAHNBE4ZM.png","imageside":"https://irishtimes-irishtimes-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/CKfL_TNSzqac9PRqpXHtAiPora0=/arc-photo-irishtimes/eu-central-1-prod/public/E2X6UJYXMFELJEM5W4T7VEYLNA.jpg","newsletterpremium":"false"},"_website":"irishtimes","name":"Gardening","order":{"default":2004,"hamburger-menu":2004,"App-Hamburger":2004,"composer-relevant-sections":2004,"section-page-subnavs":2004},"parent":{"default":"/life-style","hamburger-menu":"/life-style","App-Hamburger":"/life-style","Mobile-Links-Navigation":null,"navbar":null,"navbar-NU":null,"Comopser":null,"composer-relevant-sections":"/life-style","section-page-subnavs":"/life-style","sitemap-section":null},"ancestors":{"hamburger-menu":["/","/life-style"],"App-Hamburger":["/","/life-style"],"Mobile-Links-Navigation":[],"navbar":[],"Comopser":[],"section-page-subnavs":["/life-style"]},"inactive":false,"node_type":"section","children":[]},{"_id":"/life-style/people","navigation":{"nav_title":"People"},"metadata":{"metadata_title":"People | The Irish Times","metadata_description":"People news, features and interviews brought to you by the definitive brand of quality journalism. Read The Irish Times."},"_admin":{"alias_ids":["/life-style/people"]},"Paywall":{"paywall-status":"free"},"Podcast follow links":{"podcastplatforms":{"Spotify":"https://open.spotify.com/show/6kTMSMIFcdnj5Oai4kiTMJ","Google":"https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5hY2FzdC5jb20vcHVibGljL3Nob3dzLzhlMjJiMTAwLTA3ODktNWYyMy1iNDI1LTgxZjQ2ZGQxNWUzNg","Apple":"https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/ross-ocarroll-kelly/id1005100505?mt=2","Acast":"https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/8e22b100-0789-5f23-b425-81f46dd15e36"}},"_website":"irishtimes","name":"People","order":{"hamburger-menu":2005,"App-Hamburger":2005,"section-page-subnavs":2005},"parent":{"default":"/life-style","hamburger-menu":"/life-style","App-Hamburger":"/life-style","Mobile-Links-Navigation":null,"navbar":null,"navbar-NU":null,"Comopser":null,"composer-relevant-sections":"/life-style","section-page-subnavs":"/life-style","sitemap-section":null},"ancestors":{"hamburger-menu":["/","/life-style"],"App-Hamburger":["/","/life-style"],"Mobile-Links-Navigation":[],"navbar":[],"Comopser":[]},"inactive":false,"node_type":"section","children":[]},{"_id":"/life-style/travel","navigation":{"nav_title":"Travel"},"metadata":{"metadata_description":"Travel news, tips, trends and features brought to you by the definitive brand of quality journalism. Read The Irish Times.","metadata_title":"Travel | The Irish Times"},"Paywall":{"paywall-status":"free"},"_admin":{"alias_ids":["/life-style/travel"]},"Newsletter":{"newsletterid":"News Digest"},"_website":"irishtimes","name":"Travel","order":{"default":2002,"hamburger-menu":2006,"App-Hamburger":2006,"composer-relevant-sections":2002,"section-page-subnavs":2006},"parent":{"default":"/life-style","hamburger-menu":"/life-style","App-Hamburger":"/life-style","Mobile-Links-Navigation":null,"navbar":null,"navbar-NU":null,"Comopser":null,"composer-relevant-sections":"/life-style","section-page-subnavs":"/life-style","sitemap-section":null},"ancestors":{"hamburger-menu":["/","/life-style"],"App-Hamburger":["/","/life-style"],"Mobile-Links-Navigation":[],"navbar":[],"Comopser":[]},"inactive":false,"node_type":"section","children":[]},{"_id":"link-JKAEM9B0A94JX23AGX5ZDRU3KC","_website":"irishtimes","display_name":"New to the Parish","url":"/tags/new-to-the-parish/","parent":{"section-page-subnavs":"/life-style"},"order":{"section-page-subnavs":2007},"node_type":"link","children":[]},{"_id":"link-0UDTE2TTXX60ZAUFTPHHHWK2MM","_website":"irishtimes","display_name":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly","url":"/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly/","parent":{"section-page-subnavs":"/life-style"},"order":{"section-page-subnavs":2008},"node_type":"link","children":[]},{"_id":"link-AB4JQ6867X3CB1FH76EXN1FYAM","_website":"irishtimes","display_name":"The Women's Podcast","url":"/podcasts/the-womens-podcast/","parent":{"section-page-subnavs":"/life-style"},"order":{"section-page-subnavs":2009},"node_type":"link","children":[]}],"Page":null,"Operator":"Section"},"expires":1733295503799,"lastModified":1733295203751},"{\"arcSite\":\"irishtimes\",\"hierarchy\":\"default\",\"sectionId\":\"/food\"}":{"data":{"Newsletter":{"description":"Exclusive competitions and restaurant offers, plus reviews, the latest food and drink news, recipes and lots more","headline":"Food & Drink Club","imageside":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/SFRFEEUV6JFPZM2DYC6XGBDQ7I.png","imagetop":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/CXHWZGGIXRHG5AXI74KPCD3OSI.png","newsletterid":"Food & Drink club [75]","signingResponseSide":"558f5877a77ad42fe7f16bcd3d5910a8754513c9e3204d1fbb70fb0bc62f0b8f","signingResponseTop":"5064d32b8046e9a52b4e2ba49d45b44a9f3d4ada5bdb46a7b9b249c1e07e3598"},"children":[{},{},{}],"_id":"/food"},"expires":1733295460826,"lastModified":1733295160482},"{\"arcSite\":\"irishtimes\",\"hierarchy\":\"default\",\"sectionId\":\"/abroad\"}":{"data":{"Newsletter":{"description":"Emigration issues and stories from the Irish diaspora. Members can contribute their own experiences and views","headline":"Abroad","imageside":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/I3YWMZ37B5FZJDXOENGSQ35TEI.jpg","imagetop":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/H6Y5O2MYTNGVPNFWMC6DVGQCKA.png","newsletter_url_redirection":"/abroad/join-us/","newsletterid":"Abroad [19]","signingResponseSide":"c59ac72d8a3ab10347dbbac08428107919cd19801331f4f94d4611df5e20fdf8","signingResponseTop":"3029174bf9f897704e49b7965f6e9a508ad348d9c27fa3f9b3890eab3d845aab"},"children":[{}],"_id":"/abroad"},"expires":1733295483982,"lastModified":1733295183596},"{\"feature\":\"links-bar\",\"hierarchy\":\"our-partners\",\"sectionId\":\"\"}":{"data":{"children":[{"_id":"link-RZ2ANKYPEH3D10YNR9JVH7VNMC","display_name":"MyHome.ie","node_type":"link","url":"https://www.myhome.ie"},{"_id":"link-B11GV8GN694GF8VF4DABJK72P4","display_name":"The Gloss","node_type":"link","url":"https://www.thegloss.ie"},{"_id":"link-TW1E9G03UX64TE4GX1KT8AC2U8","display_name":"Recruit Ireland","node_type":"link","url":"https://recruitireland.com/"},{"_id":"link-H2ZDK285TX65VCFVDB90GEG8K0","display_name":"Irish Times Training","node_type":"link","url":"https://www.irishtimestraining.com/"},{"_id":"link-LTCTRPJE2FGBLF7UZ2SSX7NBME","display_name":"RIP.ie","node_type":"link","url":"https://rip.ie/"}],"_id":"/"},"expires":1733295366895,"lastModified":1733295066653}},"alert-bar-collections":{"{\"from\":0,\"site\":\"irishtimes\",\"size\":1}":{"data":{"_id":"DL4WZLD3QVA55FOFBOQ3ZET6TY","version":"0.10.6","created_date":"2022-02-02T13:23:38.460Z","headlines":{"basic":"Breaking News Alert"},"last_updated_date":"2024-12-03T16:39:45.610Z","type":"collection","canonical_website":"irishtimes","websites":{"irishtimes":{}},"content_elements":[],"description":{"basic":"This collection powers the Alert Bar block on the website"},"content_aliases":["alert-bar"],"owner":{"id":"irishtimes"},"revision":{"branch":"default","published":true},"canonical_url":null,"publishing":{"scheduled_operations":{"publish_edition":[],"unpublish_edition":[]}},"website":"irishtimes"},"expires":1733295431097,"lastModified":1733295311065}},"story-feed-query":{"{\"feedOffset\":0,\"feedSize\":6,\"offset\":0,\"query\":\"(taxonomy.primary_section._id:\\\\/life-style*) AND -(subtype:\\\"Columnist\\\" OR subtype:\\\"Opinion\\\" OR subtype:\\\"Analysis\\\")\",\"size\":6}":{"data":{"content_elements":[{"_id":"NRH7Q3R3VFGBNDXMZX3DQO7KSU","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":501,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/32412529-57c6-4719-9b84-270394aa7e3c/versions/1732722496/media/bf54c90001c66d9cb03b4d9cd7f318e2_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/12/03/a-californian-woman-in-dublin-irelands-not-perfect-but-i-do-think-as-a-whole-it-is-moving-in-the-right-direction/","content_elements":[{"_id":"6254WK2IJND7JCYN5KWQR5Q4JI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357657},"content":"Morgan Steele first came to Ireland from <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/california/\" target=\"_blank\">California </a>in 2013 on a summer study-abroad programme on Irish <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/stage/\" target=\"_blank\">theatre</a>, as part of her degree. “I think it was only about five weeks, and it just kind of sparked something that ended up changing my life, which is kind of crazy,” says the theatre administrator and producer. “When I went into it, I definitely didn’t think that’s what was going to happen. But I fell in love with the place. And I’ve kept coming back.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"RUSDQELBFBBCPK6TREQFDR4GMM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357658},"content":"Aged 19, she was just keen to travel, and knew little of Ireland other than “the classic, American surface-level knowledge” or of Irish theatre beyond <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/oscar-wilde/\" target=\"_blank\">Oscar Wilde</a>. The summer course, part of her bachelor of arts in theatre and performance from UC Berkeley, was “really well curated”, half in <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/dublin/\" target=\"_blank\">Dublin </a>and half in <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/galway/\" target=\"_blank\">Galway</a>, at the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/galway-international-arts-festival/\" target=\"_blank\">Galway International Arts Festival</a>. “I can’t really put quite a finger on it, but there’s just something about the art I saw that spoke to me.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"HKHUV5K7FVE6PKW7TYKVH2TS44","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357659},"content":"Since then she has had “a bit of a circuitous journey with lots of back and forth to Ireland over the years, for various visa/work permit reasons”, along the way training in theatre company management in Berkeley, working internationally on both nonprofit and commercial productions and as an associate producer for Disney Channel. “There’s been a lot of moving!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"TEVEFGFBIZCE7MKPY52IYJCHIM","additional_properties":{"_id":"AFVOBK6T35E6HKJGZ4EX6RXUY4"},"content":"An Irish man in California: what I did first notice was how people talk about themselves. Compared to the typical older Irish man","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"5ROO7IID45GHVOHFSJCEFZCRGM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357660},"content":"She came back to live here for a year in 2017 on a working holiday visa (similar to a J1 for US citizens). Funnily enough given current events, she applied for that visa the day before the 2016 US election, thinking she would “have something good to look forward to if all hell breaks loose. And I had the best of times.” She worked with independent producer Landmark Productions as assistant company manager on its stage musical Once. “My first time working here, I immediately felt part of the team, not just on that specific project, but in the arts community as a whole, which was very surprising. I’m incredibly grateful for the support I’ve got. I never felt like an outsider or a sense of hierarchy.” She felt she had “full authority to do the thing that you know how to do, which is company management”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EGW3CVUUYFAPTEOYYCKK5FKH74","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357661},"content":"Back in the US again, Covid hit and she lost her company manager job at Berkeley Repertory Theater. “Blessings in disguise, I suppose.” Pondering her future, “I kept thinking, I want to go back to Ireland.” She applied for an MSc in business management at <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/trinity-college-dublin-tcd/\" target=\"_blank\">Trinity College Dublin</a>, “and I’ve been back ever since”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OIKCZECZ2JDTFDMWFYZXP35LKY","additional_properties":{"_id":"Y7ZJ22F6OBD3XM6NUUHLI742TU"},"content":"‘The US has become really divisive. I definitely prefer the quality of life here. I like the people and the possibilities’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"RRWFBRQBFBDTNC5ENC5IBOU7BQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357662},"content":"Since finishing her master’s in 2022 she has worked for Once Off Productions, producer Maura O’Keeffe’s independent producing platform. It works on shows nationally and internationally at all scales, which Steele has relished, first as assistant producer, and now as company manager. “Aside from the team members at Once Off, they’re all so fantastic, but the diverse range of live performance makes it a really exciting place to work. Once Off does primarily theatre, but there is opera, there is dance, there’s music as well. I feel very privileged to be working with them.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"Q3PQOWMMXZESFGO7B6YHLOPFXM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733138216156},"content":"Right now Once Off is working with Dublin’s<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/smock-alley-theatre/\" target=\"_blank\"> Smock Alley Theatre</a> on a <a href=\"https://smockalley.com/a-streetcar-named-desire/\" target=\"_blank\">production of Tennessee Williams’s A Streetcar Named Desire</a>, which runs December 5th-21st. Though she studied the Pulitzer Prize-winning play, where genteel fragility meets brutal reality, and had seen the movie starring Vivien Leigh and Marlon Brando many times, Steele hadn’t seen it onstage. “To be doing an American classic here, it feels quite special. Understandably, most of the classics here are Irish, so to have an American is a bit more uncommon.” As it happens, the show’s producer, Cally Shine, is also American, and “to be on the producing helm with another American, completely by chance” feels appropriate, and “like we’re representing!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"LSYBFMR4GBCXLGYOOHIYZYXVME","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357663},"content":"It’s all a far cry from LA, where she grew up. “It’s such a film city, which is great, and I love it for what it is, but it doesn’t have quite the same offering of live theatre, of that quality.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"6SJ63JXA2FC4XKQ2PXD2P6IQSU","additional_properties":{"_id":"4S4ECR2OCJEYZG2TAHPODRWUQU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"XVKJHR7EU5DDRMB2HWEJ3MOSBA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357664},"content":"While LA is “a car-centric culture”, she says, “I love being able to walk here. And a functional public transit system.” For her personally, “a large part of the quality of life is the arts community”, and she’s heartened by “the mere fact that there is an Arts Council”. Such support and development of the arts “is foreign to me, in a way, as an American”. Arts agencies aren’t “as robust by a long shot back home”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CEFBKJOBSBGPHIG6OA6P2AGZEE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357665},"content":"She is “a bit of a workaholic. With that said, I do have a small but mighty group of people I call my friends. We’re a diverse bunch.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"W5W3QY4Y4BERHFUYZ6DEFS2LDE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357666},"content":"She’s in it for the long haul. “I want to make this work long term now. I love the quality of life here. The only comparison I have is to back home. I love California. There’s always going to be a part of me”, but she’s not happy with the direction the US is taking. “Of course, Ireland’s not perfect, but I do think as a whole Ireland is moving in the right direction.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"R3YW4YPERJBKNOA72URMPQAM64","additional_properties":{"_id":"ZWFVBM4MEZAETDPHMWDFFS7ECQ"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"DRSKXY37CNGO7N4GSPZTIPLCVM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357667},"content":"However, “the cost of living is very high” here. Her partner is based in Los Angeles, so renting as a single person is expensive. For the past two years she has rented a room in a family’s home in a south Dublin suburb. “I don’t think it would work for everybody, but I really get on with them. I got quite lucky. Of course, every now and then I’m like, Oh, I just wish I could have my own place.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"64JHUIMX3ZAVVD5DVQWPGDLXGU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357668},"content":"She’s currently on a 1G visa, covering her for two years after her master’s, and is “figuring out my visa long term. That’s been a bit challenging to navigate. I’m hopeful and positive.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"HGHDK6T73VADNNOXDUQANW53SE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357669},"content":"While inefficiency and red tape involved in getting things done here can be frustrating, “I think the longer I’ve lived here, the more I understand it. In a way, sometimes the inefficiency has its own charm.” The first example that comes to mind is the<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/dublin-bus/\" target=\"_blank\"> Dublin Bus </a>system: scheduled buses often “just don’t show up. When that happens, it is incredibly frustrating. But there’s something darkly comedic about it.” Mind you, “if I were running for the bus right now, I might say something different!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"6P7EZQ5QUZGRHFLDIHJS2LRVGY","additional_properties":{"_id":"LCPHICRGZBCCHJVG7GLBXJVMUQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"IJTGKLUGJZFJHEIZASPNCTABYQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357670},"content":"Her first time opening a bank account was difficult without a utility bill or rental agreement, which are hard to come by in houseshares. “It became this: I don’t know how to get paid. I have a job, I have a PPS number. But in my specific living situation, I don’t have the documents to open a bank account.” Eventually she managed it using a library card. More positively “the cost of healthcare in comparison to the States is mind-blowingly great”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LZT6DXTRW5DVRLOGOGOGZWIFD4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357671},"content":"“I really do love the people and the culture. That’s essentially what kept me coming back. The sense of warmth, and looking out for each other in a way that I didn’t feel as much from strangers in my experience in the States. As a whole, there’s more of a community feeling. I love California, but I could never see myself there long term. I always felt like I was being pulled somewhere else. When I came here, it was, oh, yeah, this is it. It’s felt like a very natural transition for me. I landed here: I understand the culture. I feel like I fit.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"WNQO2WUORRDAJKIY3S5LLC2DFI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357672},"content":"<i>We would like to hear from people who have moved to Ireland. To get involved, email </i><a href=\"mailto:newtotheparish@irishtimes.com\"><i>newtotheparish@irishtimes.com</i></a>","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Deirdre Falvey"}},"name":"Deirdre Falvey"}]},"description":{"basic":"Morgan Steele from Los Angeles, California, first moved to Ireland in 2017"},"display_date":"2024-12-03T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"A Californian woman in Dublin: ‘Ireland’s not perfect, but I do think as a whole it is moving in the right direction’","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"PWTZLKGV6NDSPJEXBQXCQZKN2M","auth":{"1":"bb1567c2de361eb277c0088196ffac0c9e569390701c1e3567ca46856766607a"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/PWTZLKGV6NDSPJEXBQXCQZKN2M.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/12/03/a-californian-woman-in-dublin-irelands-not-perfect-but-i-do-think-as-a-whole-it-is-moving-in-the-right-direction/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"MVMGVADWZNCFHMEK2O5QPDFUNY","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":506,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/90eaa71c-806e-4f4f-a696-0f3fd9372212/versions/1729099869/media/8e46be5c7b5435961cc88d1132d20602_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/2024/12/02/exciting-and-fun-things-to-do-on-a-budget-over-the-festive-season/","content_elements":[{"_id":"RE5IUOPUE5HYBLHQJ4PJSGTTKQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035118},"content":"It’s the most <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/christmas/\" target=\"_blank\">wonderful time of the year</a> but the most costly too; and yet there are many wonderful things to do for free or on modest budgets. With a little foraging, imagination and a flask of tea, you can have great adventures and fabulous experiences. Here’s a selection to get you on your sleigh.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ARDM6O3BUBEK7BWYMXOETAIGPA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035119},"content":"Newgrange, winter solstice – December 21st","type":"header"},{"_id":"REDPIR7GLVBIRBB254PNSCQQQE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035120},"content":"To celebrate the solstice at <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/newgrange/\" target=\"_blank\">Newgrange</a> you need to be among a lucky handful of <a href=\"https://heritageireland.ie/learn/newgrange-winter-solstice-lottery-2024/\" target=\"_blank\">lottery winners</a> to witness the sun “standing still”. Access to the ancient passage tomb and to that at Knowth at other times is strictly via tickets. However, nearby Dowth is freely accessible as it is a non-excavated site, though there is no public access to the interior chambers. <a href=\"http://heritageireland.ie/places-to-visit/bru-na-boinne-visitor-centre-newgrange-knowth-and-dowth/\">heritageireland.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"EYEN2GAIOJFYFFO2PAXNSI7KDA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035122},"content":"Stargazing","type":"header"},{"_id":"PDOSOAH33ZHYJAEBWANOIUAQBQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035123},"content":"The skies above us are available free of charge too. And with a chill in the air and the right conditions you can observe and ponder the universe. Use a telescope and/or apps such as SkyGuide or Sky Tonight to help decipher what you see and identify planets and constellations. The Geminid Meteor shower (until December 23rd) is expected to peak around December 13th. Under ideal conditions, you could see up to 120 meteors an hour. <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/astronomy-ireland/\" target=\"_blank\">Astronomy Ireland</a> hosts its Christmas lecture on December 9th. <a href=\"http://astronomy.ie/upcoming-events/\">astronomy.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"CM47JKEYYZEUFLG3NDFDJX6T3M","additional_properties":{"_id":"74PBWIMIQNC4PH25HEO6GTBWYM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"CBVEGPJYABARTMQPIO4YIJUV6M","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035125},"content":"Dublin Port Tolka Estuary Greenway","type":"header"},{"_id":"LRE376IFNJBEPEXFGEFWLRE6HE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035126},"content":"Ireland’s newest greenway is a new shared cycling and pedestrian route linking EastPoint Business Park to the ferry terminals at <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/dublin-port/\" target=\"_blank\">Dublin Port</a>. Check out the stunning vistas of Dublin Bay and hear the cries of migratory birds for which the area is a port of call if not a permanent home. Look out for brent geese, bar-tailed godwits and common and Arctic terns.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VW7TVCYZDVH4DOCXG2GXNYDTZ4","additional_properties":{"_id":"K6R3AFHV7BBF3BNODCN7QXJF7M"},"content":"Tolka Estuary Greenway: First look at 2km Dublin Port cycle and walking rout","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"LNSVMFPQPJEMXD73KCXQ2V33TU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035127},"content":"Birdsong","type":"header"},{"_id":"UB5HYSSGZBCIFOQPA675AU5TVY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035128},"content":"It was a lockdown thing to start with, but now we’re all attuned to chirping. It’s been elevated in 2024 by ornithologist Seán Ronayne and his Birdsong project and documentary. Birdwatch Ireland is hosting a series of events around the country where you can listen, watch and note. <a href=\"http://birdwatchireland.ie/events/\">birdwatchireland.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"3VC7H5JTVFHGRNCVEFPFTFITYU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035129},"type":"list"},{"_id":"WFWXD4RARFB6LHVJPUBRWAEKLI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035133},"content":"Wreath making","type":"header"},{"_id":"NVHN3ANC25GV7AT5KASVMES6XE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035134},"content":"This is a craft anyone can do at home with friends or family. The cost-effective secret is to do them in bulk, which also means you can gift them, and draw gasps of appreciation. The Design & Craft Council of Ireland has an online tutorial on its YouTube channel and there’s countless others online too. The results can be stunning.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X3UILKPEIFFX7FTR3ARG557REI","subtype":"youtube","type":"oembed_response"},{"_id":"UMAWIB4SQNFYFGSNVLGCCX2JFY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729086905495},"content":"Create for Christmas workshop takes place in St Catherine’s Church, Thomas Street, Dublin 8, on Saturday November 30, 12pm-2pm, €20 including greenery, freshly baked goods and coffee.","type":"text"},{"_id":"74CWAPQP3ZGYDD7TSI6DMTDVHA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035136},"content":"Christmas Lights Vehicle Parade","type":"header"},{"_id":"742UY3IQEFBQHDUH2CWI5OGMFU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035137},"content":"Every community supports worthy causes at this time of year. As usual, the more novel the idea and the bigger the scale, the better the bucket shake. The Christmas Lights Vehicle Parade in Cavan is one such spectacle. It’s bound to be illuminating; the occasional horn honk may be heard too. <a href=\"http://clvpcavan.com/\">clvpcavan.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"TUGFPZJIZ5DHVKDV3PIH77ELQU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035139},"content":"Carolling","type":"header"},{"_id":"5U2BISEZDVA5VCSSDZU4NJSSW4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035140},"content":"Acclaimed a cappella Dublin choir Cantóirí, perform a selection of Christmas songs in the Chester Beatty on December 18th, at 7pm. Watch out for numerous carol-singing fundraisers on the streets too. <a href=\"http://chesterbeatty.ie/whats-on/carols-singing-with-cantoiri/\">chesterbeatty.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"BIVDLSPWIFAVBOQ7SA663QGSVU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035142},"content":"Skinny Dip","type":"header"},{"_id":"C73CFKCJRNCOZM4YKLLHM3D3E4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035143},"content":"We are blessed with sea-swimming spots all around the country; there is nothing more petrifying and reviving than taking the plunge and shocking your senses before sensing that restorative calm. Embrace your inner Nordic by plumping for a skinny dip. From Marble Hill Strand near Dunfanaghy in Donegal to Rosslare Strand, there’s a place to disrobe and brace/embrace yourself. Check out sites such as <a href=\"http://wildswim.ie/\">wildswim.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"5ZW6AXLBW5BMFJKLZ3FC7QMR2Q","additional_properties":{"_id":"7Q5SX64TGNADDCZW7DCGOZU7TQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"VS43WNCIXVCB3OWXG2EAKSMDGU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035144},"content":"Last post to the North Pole","type":"header"},{"_id":"KVEMEDABTJCSJGZFDHNTDVHX24","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035145},"content":"The most important letter of the year needs to be considered and sent in style. The postal address is Santa Claus, North Pole, The Arctic, The World, The Universe. Make a little occasion of pushing it into the post box and treating yourself and the eager writer to a hot chocolate with a melty marshmallow.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AWAPKKFB5NB7ZN67Q7BD3OZ3UE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035146},"content":"Magical North Pole post boxes return to Dún-Laoghaire-Rathdown at dlr Lexicon in Dún Laoghaire, Marlay Park in Rathfarnham, Deerpark in Mount Merrion, and Cabinteely Park.","type":"text"},{"_id":"354BWKVRE5F6PF5XBG3VAF7GQU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035147},"content":"If you go down in the woods today","type":"header"},{"_id":"6QT63LPOSVFPVAK4VABGRZRCUU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035148},"content":"Walks in the woods bring all the sensations of the season – the crunching of leaves and snapping of twigs, that nip in the air as the sun glints through branches overhead. New, upcoming and upgraded woodland attractions include Belleek Forest in Co Mayo, with its Wood Pond Rejuvenation Project, the Walking Trail Project in Dublin’s Slievethoul Woods, Kilrush Recreation Forest in Co Clare and Dromore New Recreation Trail in Co Kerry. Also worth a mention is Rossmore Forest Park in Monaghan.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZEIO7LAMOJEKHEDGLEVZXRD26Q","additional_properties":{"_id":"SU6NVBEOPJDTXHKGT3OSVK2GFU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"ZNDEXXUCQNC7DP7Q6JCZSUWQPU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035149},"content":"William Tilly’s Christmas Lights Display","type":"header"},{"_id":"BY2KUYB2HFG7FFBMC2ANQPMYWU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729160349295},"content":"19 Bath Avenue Gardens, Dublin 4","type":"header"},{"_id":"S4KZTXUOLJA5DDEZB3A7JZ32RU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035150},"content":"William Tilly has been festively festooning his home and garden for almost 30 years. Following the death of his wife, the 89-year-old started the tradition of fundraising for Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services, raising more than €219,000 to date and bringing cheer to even the most Scrooge-like among us. “[My] kids do be saying to me, ‘Da, will you give it up?’ but the joy this gives me, I can’t describe it,” says Tilly. It takes three weeks to set up and Tilly does most of the wiring and repairs himself as he was a helper to electricians in the ESB for 32 years. “In recent years I’ve concentrated on decorating the garden and directing operations. I let my grandchildren take to the ladder to tackle the house and roof.” Wise man.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3SMZYOPOYZAKFMRTFZJAEIRZMI","additional_properties":{"_id":"SBLZZS37HRFCTFHSCQPYGF7GYM"},"content":"Charitable cheer and festive funds as householders mount Christmas displays for worthy causes","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"O2K2FSQFGJFB5JGZEUISCUMPB4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035151},"content":"On Saturday, December 7th, the lights will be switched on (usually around 5.30pm). There’ll be a visit from Santa on the same day (either by horse or motorbike). Drop by from then until early January, make a donation and consider a toast to the times with a hot toddy in The Bath pub nearby.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YHL76RHUTBAUHEIX74TX2CCUBM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035152},"content":"Guinness Year Change – New Year’s Eve","type":"header"},{"_id":"CTVNOLHWKBE3TNNZIHPDWPIHGM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035153},"content":"Amid the festive hubbub, this rather simple ceremony took on even greater meaning during lockdown. A simple gathering of people observing a tradition – changing the board with the year on it at Guinness’s St James’s Gate Brewery, with the peal of bells from Christ Church in the background heralding the new year.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QZFTYCUPBJFW7FROKMIGO3RUBA","additional_properties":{"_id":"F2LQYUTXLJGA5OWJND3JKEP5JM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"CYGXBLEOTZCMXITHYHEAEN4IHU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035156},"content":"The Wren in Dingle","type":"header"},{"_id":"DQAAARUJ2NAHJL3QQXTL3JAZ7Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035157},"content":"As sure as night follows day, there will be a report on the RTÉ News on St Stephen’s Day about the Wren pageant. An annual tradition akin to the Palio in Siena, it brings together musicians, dancers, strawboys and hobby horses, all colourfully clad. <a href=\"http://dingle-peninsula.ie/wren-s-day\">dingle-peninsula.ie/wren-s-day</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"5YA4LULVFVDRJKX6J45ALEB7G4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035159},"content":"The Snowman","type":"header"},{"_id":"5JKGJ7CWTZF7DJOXL2MBU6VNGY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035160},"content":"<i>We’re walking in the air ... we’re floating in the moonlit sky ... the people far below are sleeping as we fly ...</i>","type":"text"},{"_id":"KW3N5BB7HJHGBEC7SUI5RS4PF4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035165},"type":"list"},{"_id":"FF7WDUTUXFEATEO3TWYDQ4WIRU","additional_properties":{"_id":"TJCG6KBRDRBQDJ7GYDPHFMVIDM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"P6QWHTD2LNAXPMGRWY7FOORFWU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035167},"content":"The Moving Crib – November 28-January 5","type":"header"},{"_id":"6OEWC2GLGVHNPJTFMHW5D3EQ7A","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035168},"content":"The enduring attraction of this beloved Christmas tradition is evidenced by the intergenerational mix of people who make the trip to see it. The Crib remains a symbol of nostalgia and a time-honoured tradition. Of course, there is the live version at the Mansion House too. St Martin Apostolate and Chapel, 42 Parnell Square West, Dublin <a href=\"http://stmartin.ie/crib/\">stmartin.ie/crib/</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"4C3C3RWKYVFUXKXMCWAQHXR5VA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035172},"content":"Kris Kindle","type":"header"},{"_id":"GTUET6NXCNBMNEPG74LZCY4DZI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035173},"content":"It’s not just an awkward office thing – Kris Kindle can be enjoyed by all. And, as is often the case, the smaller the budget, the more imaginative the ideas. Get involved.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Michael McDermott"}]},"description":{"basic":"Christmas activities can be expensive for families so we’ve picked some that are free or won’t break the bank"},"display_date":"2024-12-02T10:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Exciting and fun things to do on a budget over the festive season","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"QEX35PVPR5KJVTGCUJ6U4TRBYI","auth":{"1":"12ce221feca20bc9fc5f2ddc9bfd61296f59ea3705b3a0f1c7afd487dfd53aef"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/QEX35PVPR5KJVTGCUJ6U4TRBYI.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/2024/12/02/exciting-and-fun-things-to-do-on-a-budget-over-the-festive-season/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Life & Style"}}}},{"_id":"UDF2L5LAMNG3HABKOADEUYPBVI","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":651,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/a6d21169-d47a-418a-a13a-84a38ccca4c7/versions/1732096869/media/0209fa04b21da2ff1e7144e1f1b91ecd_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/travel/2024/12/02/hiking-across-romania-several-times-i-noticed-car-keys-left-in-the-ignition-a-nostalgic-reminder-of-ireland-in-bygone-years/","content_elements":[{"_id":"HKOIYQZNW5D45K5AMQB6LJPL2U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363336},"content":"Standing on a sun-soaked Transylvanian mountain trail, I paused as my GPS instructed me to veer off the dusty path and into the field ahead. Usually, I’d prefer to stick to a trail, and this detour might have been fine if it weren’t for the electric fence barring my way and a large sign screaming “Atentie! Bivoli Periculosi”. I didn’t need Google Translate to figure it out. The photo of a massive horned buffalo stopped me in my tracks.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XT2BU2RPXVBQFH3OMZY4PLR3QE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363337},"content":"When planning my walking holiday in <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/romania/\" target=\"_blank\">Romania</a>, dangerous buffaloes weren’t exactly on my radar. Bears, yes – perhaps I worried about them more than necessary. But buffaloes? That was a surprise. I booked the trip with a company called The Natural Adventure. They handled accommodation and some meals, organised daily bag transfers, and created a self-guided walking itinerary. The route came with GPS coordinates downloaded on to an app and detailed written instructions in case technology failed.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7R53LAXMS5GG7GYFDEKAIRSHYI","additional_properties":{"_id":"KD5TBAQ475F4ZLHXUEG3HSUAG4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"DODQWF26I5CBPEIODXC7X6RKZA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363338},"content":"After much discussion with my hiking buddies, we entered the field. I unclipped the electric fence and scanned for any sign of menacing buffaloes, half expecting an angry horned creature to appear. We tentatively walked across the field and thankfully got to the other side without an animal charging at us.","type":"text"},{"_id":"75XDQSY73REIDGUIQ22HRNYMKM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363339},"content":"I received mixed reactions from friends when I told them I was going on holiday to Romania. Yes, it’s off the beaten track, but the biggest surprise is why. When it comes to natural beauty, history and culture, it has it in spades, easily rivalling the more popular European destinations. But what sets Romania apart is that it hasn’t fallen victim to over-tourism. And if you’re going on a walking holiday, this is music to your ears as the trails are mostly empty.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F4VRO4PD7RFLJL35XKGDIMHYWM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363340},"content":"The tour is aptly named Medieval Castles and Villages of Transylvania and the itinerary promised 84km of walking in six days. The actual distance was 119km, which is very doable for the average hiker. The trails took us through medieval Saxon towns and villages in the southern part of Transylvania. The Saxons settled in this area in the 12th century, and despite many of them leaving after the second World War, their cultural legacy endures.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HGZFOAEXQJE2LNA4V4TC7Q7W34","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363341},"content":"For the first three nights of the trip, we stayed in Badiu’s Guesthouse in Rășinari, a charming Saxon home with signature “eye” windows. The guest house’s rustic comfort, cosy rooms and vibrant garden were the perfect retreat after a day spent in the hills. Run by the welcoming Mr and Mrs Badiu, the hospitality was top-notch despite my non-existent Romanian and their lack of English. “Deutsch?” Mr. Badiu asked me hopefully. I instantly regretted saying I had “a little” when my bad Leaving Cert German failed me. Out came Google Translate, and soon we arranged dinner prepared by Mrs Badiu. Her cooking was outstanding, and every evening she delivered a hearty three-course meal, including dishes such as sour soups, sausage stew and Hungarian goulash – the perfect reward after a long day of hiking.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F6TOUS7O5BCVJJ2DAMMSYGZHII","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363342},"content":"The following morning we set off from Badiu’s, walking through the stone-cobbled streets of Rășinari. The sleepy village was worlds away from what you might expect from a gateway to such a stunning mountain range. Refreshingly, there were no tourist shops or restaurants, just a quiet, old-world charm. Locals shared the day’s news on street corners while farmers drove by in horses and carts. It’s the kind of place you can feel the curious gaze of the locals. Despite that, everyone was very friendly. Several times, I noticed car keys left in the ignition, a nostalgic reminder of Ireland in bygone years. The streets were lined with neatly stacked walls of chopped wood as the locals prepared for the harsh winter ahead. Yet the weather was still summery in September, reaching the high 20s daily.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BO2WOK6PCVC4JBXKL676MW7P2U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363344},"content":"The air was crisp and fresh, a freshness you only experience in the mountains. We followed the path out of the town, through farmland and into a mature forest, where a stream guided us into Cisnădioara. Perched on a hill overlooking the town is a beautifully preserved forfeited church built in the 12th century. An informative audio tour is available using a QR code, and the panoramic view from the top made the extra climb worth the effort.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YDW2QDM5SNCMFGEHCFQ73YBRVU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363345},"content":"After that, we went through a forest before tackling a steep uphill climb for more than an hour, following what looked like a dry river bed. The terrain was mucky and rocky, making the ascent even more challenging, especially under the relentless heat of the midday sun. We arrived at a clearing just in time for our packed lunch. As I scoffed my sandwich, I took in the view: rolling green hills sprinkled with woolly sheep and the distinctive, triangular-shaped shepherds’ huts. We returned to Rășinari through the Roma village of Prislop, where excited kids greeted us. The ramshackle homes illustrated the social and economic challenges that the Roma community faces.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EIL7R4FMLJD2JMR6S6KP2FD6LM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363346},"content":"The next day, we travelled by transfer to Păltiniș, Romania’s highest ski resort. We began our hike uphill beneath the eerily still chairlift, soon entering a dense spruce plantation that lacked the vibrancy of the native forests we had walked through the day before. After 1½ hours, we reached the summit (1,720m), and that’s when I spotted a sign warning us about the vipers. I hadn’t realised that Romania had snakes, never mind venomous vipers – yet another creature to add to my list of concerns.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2JWMZQEDWRFWBFF7WDMS33OOZ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363347},"content":"The second part of this day was rewarding, with hours of walking against the most spectacular backdrop of the trip. The rugged peaks of the Carpathians layered one behind the other, with deep valleys in between. There were more sheep and triangular huts; the only person we met on the trail was an elderly shepherd and his dog. With a staff in hand, he wore the traditional wide-brimmed felt hat that seemed to balance effortlessly on his head. We attempted to communicate, but the language barrier hit again, and without Google Translate available, we resorted to gestures. He understood my request for a photo, which he graciously agreed to, and we continued on our way.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4D2UOF2ZMFDBDFUYYYGRNCYBGU","additional_properties":{"_id":"BBV3D7EGTZB25A2KHRSHGNEPI4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"AXC2ZFUKCRHM3PKEFVC3KSKG44","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363348},"content":"The walking schedule for the third day was light, allowing us plenty of time and energy to explore the impressive Astra Museum and the beautiful city of Sibiu. Astra is one of the largest open-air museums in Europe, housing more than 400 traditional buildings, including windmills and churches, from various regions of Romania. Each structure has been preserved and carefully relocated from its original site. The museum features workshops and exhibitions, and the few hours I spent felt far too short to appreciate everything it offered.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LCDBEQWLCNC6TJ6LSSB7CIUWUI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363350},"content":"It was a pleasant, flat 6km walk through a forest into the Saxon city of Sibiu. We arrived suitably ravenous and enjoyed some hearty Turkish food in our Old Town hotel. After fuelling, we set about pounding the pavement of Sibiu, known for its well-preserved medieval architecture and charming squares. The old town is divided into two levels; the upper levels feature most historic sights, conveniently located in three interlocking squares. The lower level boasts colourful old houses and cobbled streets. The two levels are connected by stairways, bridges and tunnels, making exploring fun. The city was clean and uncrowded, and the sun-drenched squares were alive with market stalls, street performers and plenty of outdoor diners.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BEI6ZEFYCZH6RBWPZQTV63NDFY","additional_properties":{"_id":"TFTQNCPKNRCWHI77YPX2QPW5XE"},"content":"Romania produces great wine too: Four bottles to taste","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"WJOSSMMBRJGY7MWJSO3PJSHDJE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363351},"content":"The following day, as we walked a dusty path from the village of Richis, I saw my first Beware of the Bears sign. I was slightly comforted that it specified “after sunset” and relieved they might be too sleepy to bother us during the day’s heat. We hiked through lush countryside in a portion of the 1,400km Via Transilvanica trail before seeing the town of Biertan appear in the valley below. With its terracotta roofs and remarkable fortified church towering above, Biertan looked like something out of a fairy-tale. The church dates back to 1468, and its turrets and towers look more like a castle. The “Prison for Quarrelling Couples” was an innovative way of dealing with marital issues; the couple was put in a room for several days with one of each of the necessities, from a single pillow to a lone table setting. Make or break, I suppose.","type":"text"},{"_id":"D7E3IMUFLZCVNHCDQIA3BRC5P4","additional_properties":{"_id":"GCYFGUAMD5GZBGG3D4VKGSS5TY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"W424Q52EHZHGLP2LD3IU2JMUUE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363352},"content":"The following night, we stayed in Mălâncrav, a village with the highest proportion of Saxons in any town in Transylvania. As we descended from the hills, we stopped at the Lutheran fortified church, where a choir practised hymns in German. One of the staff there kindly guided us to our accommodation, a restored Saxon house maintained by a preservation trust. That night, it felt like sleeping in a very comfortable museum. If only those walls could talk.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VKOQ2OCIIFCARO4SASV5HTQCEQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"SO3DEVYNNJAJZGUXNZDF2IRRVA"},"content":"Kill or confine? Italy and Romania wrestle with bear attacks response","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"ZBXHNVGDERHUBOWWVGPFKWDVTE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363353},"content":"Thankfully, it was only on the last day that we got close to a bear – sort of. Near Sighisoara, we stumbled across a massive pile of bear poo, still steaming! A few hundred meters later, a fresh paw print greeted us. We instantly picked up the pace, practically speed-walking into the medieval town of Sighisoara, famously the birthplace of Vlad the Impaler, the inspiration for Dracula, adding an eerie allure took the town’s historic charm. Just when I thought we had made it safely, my phone blared an emergency alert: there was a bear in town. Arriving in one piece was sweeter – and luckier- than I’d thought.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XBDMJRGTXBGIVK3XZVSEM5EPXE","additional_properties":{"_id":"B7RNAGXGJBBAFDF5B7KNH7M7C4"},"content":"Vlad Tidings - Frank McNally on the wild side of Transylvania","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"DMIVHYKKGVFB5IMJJNC3Q2BXZI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732016870991},"content":"<i>Deirdre Mullins was a guest of The Natural Adventure on the Medieval Castles and Villages of Transylvania tour. Prices start from €910 and the tour is available from May to October. For more information and to book, please visit </i><a href=\"http://thenaturaladventure.com/\"><i>thenaturaladventure.com</i></a>","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Deirdre Mullins"}]},"description":{"basic":"From wild bears to sausage stew and famed historical prisons, Romania is a remarkable place to visit, made all the more special by its unspoilt nature"},"display_date":"2024-12-02T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Hiking across Romania: ‘Several times, I noticed car keys left in the ignition, a nostalgic reminder of Ireland in bygone years’","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"2ZTOPKRPOVBKFD4TWEKPY7OFIU","auth":{"1":"e61466b2c71f0e7c3836217b0869d4dce02d1c92ea474280c902264d7142f87d"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/2ZTOPKRPOVBKFD4TWEKPY7OFIU.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Travel"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/travel/2024/12/02/hiking-across-romania-several-times-i-noticed-car-keys-left-in-the-ignition-a-nostalgic-reminder-of-ireland-in-bygone-years/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/travel","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Travel"}}}},{"_id":"BV6MXK6R45EPPGHI2TZZZ53TKA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":228,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/ef0d0dfc-25bb-4350-8170-fff2897bdead/versions/1732119505/media/b4982e6a57583bcc6f96a2296919d1f1_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/fashion/2024/12/02/irish-designer-aoife-rooneys-eco-approach-to-fashion-i-use-anything-i-can-get-my-hands-on/","content_elements":[{"_id":"MD5A4BXZ2NGLLDHJYL6ZWLNLGQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732104225523},"content":"Not many Irish designers can claim that their careers started teaching art in a forest in the Dublin mountains. But that’s how Aoife Rooney, a <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/magazine/\" target=\"_blank\">designer </a>who has won awards for sustainability and circularity in fashion, first began her working life.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TLYHHUJNWRF4VHVOC2QNMFIEGA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117460737},"content":"“My forte was fine art and portrait drawing and I spent 11 years at the Pine Forest Arts Centre in Glencullen teaching jewellery making and screen printing — it was a great life outdoors,” she recalls when we meet at Beautiful South in Rathmines, one of the stockists of her latest collection of clothing and accessories.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ADXSMXLM3NFAJE3HTWDA2VT7HM","additional_properties":{"_id":"C5WJHATFFNCC5P4MWUIACNXXQ4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"MI4B2CQTWVHYRLGLW6USWR2AZE","additional_properties":{"_id":"QAJS3KNCY5H4PJKH6WGWMARU3U"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"S2HWAM4WZVENTJZEC6FO6NLO7M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117460739},"content":"That experience led to her founding an events business with a workforce of 10 people. But when serious illness struck her eldest child, she took time off to care for her, for more than eight years. During this time Rooney achieved a master’s in education and later specialised in eco-printing. She also completed a course in fashion and dressmaking at the Grafton Academy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PYDQ34FDLFHV5DK2IIFMS3N4GI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117460740},"content":"“I had been thinking of starting my own brand with a deep grá for biodiversity because eco printing is such a slow process,” she says. “I was testing banana and coco fabrics and came across econyl made from ghost fishing nets — discarded nets that represent 49 per cent of ocean waste. This discovery made me realise that I wanted to work with regenerating the environment and producing an ethical product,” she says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TGUXO4QNYBDXDHCYTG635QL7FI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117460741},"content":"In 2017 she launched Aoife, a line of luxury accessories, featuring nine different bags. “Within three months it got huge publicity in the UK by people mindful of circular design,” she says. “We were chosen by the Crown Estate to do a conscious pop-up and in Italy selected as designers making a positive impact, putting us on the same grid as Prada. And at the Moda Museum in Atlanta’s Full Circle Design exhibition highlighting circularity, I was the only Irish designer.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ANO2STOA3RFMXNICNDMYHOTMGI","additional_properties":{"_id":"RKX6FI47QNC2XHCILHJ6SQYTWQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"OXLWIO73OVHWVNG46C6NIV53IQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"FSIAMEJHLRAQRNA5B7VHJYMA5Y"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"LOJ3ERDQS5EQ7MAJDFDIC46Z24","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117460742},"content":"Expanding from accessories to clothing, making use of deadstock materials from factories and “breathing life into something old” was a natural organic development. Her latest collection, called Marcella after a stylish grandmother, makes use of Irish and Italian tweed, beetled Irish linen from William Clarke, French corduroy and GOTs-certified [global organic textile standard] cotton, all factory leftovers. She is also using Galway Wool for hand-knitted gilets to pre-order. “I use anything I can get my hands on.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"EWY3TUCEUNAXRFPYCBVG4SEJMQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117460743},"content":"These materials are refashioned into everything from tailored skirts and wet-look dresses to her signature sculptural pleated shirts and ruffled-shouldered bomber jackets. Easy-going loose-fitting tops and trousers are designed with menopausal women in mind, cool in every sense. This season she has introduced a line of knee-length starprint socks in brown, beige and white, which would make lovely Christmas gifts.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VDULCYG6XFF6XG3TAWNULMGUBI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117460744},"content":"Her plans now include furthering her business in the United Kingdom and Europe and exhibiting at Scoop in London, Tranoi in Paris, Coterie in New York and CIFF in Copenhagen. Rooney is stocked in Dromoland Castle, Co Clare, McKimmie in New York, Some Fancy Name in Denmark, Wolf & Badger in the UK, Beautiful South, Rathmines in Dublin, Marion Cuddy in Powerscourt and Les Jumelles, Galway, as well as online at <a href=\"http://www.aoifelifestyle.com/\" target=\"_blank\">aoifelifestyle.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"EZJSCXPISRCD5O7HOMA6Q23EUA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117460745},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Deirdre McQuillan"}},"name":"Deirdre McQuillan"}]},"description":{"basic":"Aoife Rooney’s path into design was not straightforward, but the designer and entrepreneur has carved out a successful niche"},"display_date":"2024-12-02T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Irish designer Aoife Rooney’s eco approach to fashion: ‘I use anything I can get my hands on’","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"RMHUQRZE45DXHAYD2M4GU2VI74","auth":{"1":"a50825467b68b2430f5f3ec35199ccab9446f72a70733d7d5ab93baf036ae4fe"},"focal_point":{"x":1600,"y":755},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/RMHUQRZE45DXHAYD2M4GU2VI74.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Fashion"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/fashion/2024/12/02/irish-designer-aoife-rooneys-eco-approach-to-fashion-i-use-anything-i-can-get-my-hands-on/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/fashion","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Fashion"}}}},{"_id":"6VURKOR4SNHBPOBQWH2AR2MQNI","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":363,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/2e37789f-3531-44c6-96c5-0c35d4c2c971/versions/1732885081/media/44cb48215280e69c28b583e390b4fd3a_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/30/buswells-hotel-manager-bids-farewell-to-his-ringside-seat-to-history-in-the-third-house-of-the-oireachtas/","content_elements":[{"_id":"CLFTRODJXRDUJPYBDFNR4PS5AE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284437},"content":"Paul Gallagher had an unusual ringside seat to some of the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/\" target=\"_blank\">political</a> bouts that were fought out in <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/oireachtas/\" target=\"_blank\">Leinster House</a>, across the road from his <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/dublin/\" target=\"_blank\">Dublin</a> city centre hotel.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KKJGB6AEJFF4HFIAOCTHAL564E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732827276707},"content":"“I probably witnessed a couple of heaves before the taoiseach of the day knew they were happening,” says the general manager of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/buswells/\" target=\"_blank\">Buswells Hotel</a> in a soft, matter-of-fact voice.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5BH2WKATQZB6RDNRQKURD2VSIE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732827276708},"content":"Sipping coffee in an empty bar in the storied hotel that he is preparing to leave for good, he recalls some of the back-room political manoeuvres he caught a glimpse of.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IFZMTJK23JCZXBALORZX45RA54","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284438},"content":"“There were times when I would walk in here and there would be a table with nine TDs sitting around it and I would know something was going on because nine TDs never normally want to sit together,” he says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"355FHHANU5DSNFIGQPE2PBJZ3E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732827276710},"content":"The hotel, at the intersection of Kildare Street and Molesworth Street, has for decades been a popular press-conference venue, meeting point and watering hole for politicians, lobbyists and journalists.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4DBMFB6UZZABPFPHZUZHZR75T4","additional_properties":{"_id":"EZ4APHEYAJH5ROY3OMN7YRO4MM"},"content":"Buswells Hotel: ‘The third house of the Oireachtas’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"BZAPJR55LRF2DBRSMU64XXVBOE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284439},"content":"In his 27 years as manager of the most political hotel in the State, Gallagher has witnessed close-up a chapter in the story of modern Ireland – and sometimes he has had to play a more direct role in it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Q3WKENNHXRGZXOYBTRYYFVZB7Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284441},"content":"Gallagher took over the “Hotel of the Heaves” in 1997, two years after it was bought by the Fermanagh industrialist-turned-speculator <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/sean-quinn/\" target=\"_blank\">Sean Quinn</a>. He walked its carpets as the optimistic boom years of the late 1990s became the pre-crash party time of the Celtic Tiger in the early 2000s.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3Q4FKVFZ6JDGTOHLKB3PAGNNG4","additional_properties":{"_id":"2JAJM4OIIRBZTPOSTYNG3JZGNI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"A5DAHPFXFNALRC65L2N6KR2SKM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284443},"content":"Then came the collapse – of the economy and the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2023/09/18/sean-quinn-trying-to-rewrite-history-with-fairy-tale-says-former-anglo-ceo/\" target=\"_blank\">Sean Quinn empire</a>. The hotel was taken over by the undertaker of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/anglo-irish-bank/\" target=\"_blank\">Anglo Irish Bank</a>, the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/irish-bank-resolution-corporation/\" target=\"_blank\">Irish Banking Resolution Corporation</a>. Gallagher still reports into the State-owned bank liquidation vehicle through a group of independent directors, although <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2024/11/15/london-based-property-firm-nears-deal-for-buswells-hotel/\" target=\"_blank\">a sale of the hotel looks imminent</a> after several false dawns.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DLC4JYN4Q5AYTD5FTONJR2VI5I","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284444},"content":"Gallagher watched the black cloud of austerity fall over Kildare Street and the subsequent slow recovery, before the Covid-19 pandemic brought more upheaval and another slow recovery, only for the subsequent cost-of-living crisis to change the rules again.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QREESF3WANCHZCH56WOTUEXAYI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284445},"content":"Almost as soon as he started, he understood why Buswells was known as the third house of the Oireachtas.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PERGUDAWGJF4LLYVWCKUKXQGYU","additional_properties":{"_id":"UOTRF32IV5FKFHKZKA4TC4BRJY"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"XBT22WML6VE3ZGRBK6BX45P56U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284446},"content":"While the bell that used to ring in the hotel bar to alert TDs of impending votes vanished before he arrived, Gallagher grew accustomed to looking after those in power and those who dreamed of it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2R4X7H5L4BHQBA47FPX3V4UDUM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284447},"content":"“It has been a really colourful experience because not only are you running a hotel full of journalists, TDs, senators and everybody else, in the blink of an eye you might have 5,000 people protesting outside,” he says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6BOX7KGT25B3BNU4EMBPDU6PQM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732827276719},"content":"“During the financial crash, we had pensioners outside giving out about the loss of their pensions and then an hour later, we had students giving out, while their grannies and grandads who had been on the march were in here sipping tea. There’s just that unique energy around this hotel.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"J7MWMV76YVBHVACFFHCOPI7OSE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284448},"content":"Over his time in the hotel, he has served six taoisigh.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4LBNV5VOUZF27CRV4XZ63FSB2E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284449},"content":"Bertie Ahern was “very comfortable in the hotel; he’d have been in a lot. Then we’d John Bruton, although not for long and he wouldn’t have come in as much”, he says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BXJDGDLJSNFATMKRGE4KEKEM4I","additional_properties":{"_id":1732827276722},"content":"“Brian Cowen was in quite a bit. He was a nice guy. And then we had Enda. I remember him coming in as a TD with a broken leg and sitting up at the bar with the cast resting on a table.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"RIR7KR6F4JJWLN6JAMR2GKION4","additional_properties":{"_id":"SU4BTZEHHZG6XKARWYRF6HITRA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"6G4RE3IH3VCJFDMURCHF37X7DY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284450},"content":"Things have changed and the appearance of senior politicians is more infrequent.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V64IAAU2BFHJRCGSYOF3EHBUSU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732827276725},"content":"“We are observers of what happens in Irish politics but from a different point of view. We see the good and the bad side, the stress they are under. Since the financial crash those who work in politics have had a much more difficult time with the public at times, and I have seen a definite change in attitude.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"RBL4ZIMTNRCABKRXZWIFYRCOQM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284451},"content":"The Covid pandemic nearly closed Buswells for good. In the spring of 2020 the hotel had to shut, with only a handful of staff minding it. It was permitted to reopen partially after the first lockdown. For months TDs and senators working in Leinster House who needed a place to sleep were its only customers. They kept the lights on.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MQXNRFWMIJEDRHHFNI6BLTKMSI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284452},"content":"“We had them in 35 rooms, three nights a week. There was me and 10 staff working here. I cooked breakfast every morning and I cleaned the rooms,” says Gallagher.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XDMU334S2BBAJIW2MTXQ2ZWFD4","additional_properties":{"_id":"EQJ7LL3COBG4RG3LGHSNTOFYPU"},"content":"Ireland ‘turning a corner’ on hotel room shortage, says tourist boss","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"E4EOJ2WPCNF7PFK6H54P56SBCI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732827276729},"content":"“There was a real risk the receivers would decide it would be cheaper to lock the hotel up, board up the windows, turn off the heat. And if they did that, this hotel would never have recovered because once you turn off a heat in a hotel, it just disintegrates. I worked hard to make sure we stayed open and had it not been for those 35 rooms, three nights a week, the other option might have come into play.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"EGORHUSEOZFJZGGHSWXFN473O4","additional_properties":{"_id":"UUODUGHEG5DEPFWLZU4NDMTRL4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"ZOLFMCMA3RDOXNLQK3ES6IKD7U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284453},"content":"As he prepares for a role with the Irish Hotels Federation, Buswells, like every hospitality business in the State, is dealing with the cost-of-living crisis.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DKDCUTRASFF55LF3F2ENLGF5B4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284454},"content":"Gallagher bristles when asked about sky-high hotel prices and points to a dramatic spike in the cost of everything from food and energy to linen and laundry.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZZJOHMXWZBDVBJYJIVARPHWPAQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284455},"content":"He doesn’t believe most hotels are overcharging.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GVQ2UICAVBDLBJ3SKCFSX5FDI4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732827276734},"content":"“I’m not saying that, in some cases, there isn’t an insane price for a room but that is just bringing the industry into disrepute and we are all being painted with the same brush. That’s unfair,” he says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DBJHCPMYSJBMHJ7SBI6RV23DUM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284456},"content":"He is looking forward to the election result as the votes are counted this weekend and the energy it will bring to the hotel, even though he is leaving at the end of the week.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WXZIAHFNZFB4NFYHTALAV2364I","additional_properties":{"_id":1732827276736},"content":"He has no idea if he will meet another taoiseach on his watch. That depends on what happens this weekend and whether there is yet more political upheaval.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Conor Pope"}},"name":"Conor Pope"}]},"description":{"basic":"The Dublin hotel has for decades been a popular meeting place and watering hole for politicians, lobbyists and journalists"},"display_date":"2024-12-01T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Buswells Hotel manager bids farewell to his ringside seat to history in the ‘third house of the Oireachtas’","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"BQQRYVUXIBCBPARS4DFFP22KME","auth":{"1":"eb99ffba308e03eaae6e6ef3c92acd92e71537d7e138f8d2e815a7a79b2a5f6a"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/BQQRYVUXIBCBPARS4DFFP22KME.JPG"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Ireland"},{"name":"Dublin"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/30/buswells-hotel-manager-bids-farewell-to-his-ringside-seat-to-history-in-the-third-house-of-the-oireachtas/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"QET6TGNXCFGBXHHRZQ3RWU546M","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":703,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/db41cb75-8da6-46c5-ae75-e71701907a85/versions/1732617821/media/9022bc3986c790442926fc77ab08c0ea_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/12/01/it-is-a-right-that-was-violently-taken-away-the-jews-who-want-to-be-german-again/","content_elements":[{"_id":"VVW4UKCAIBBR5CX7GZBFER4Y4M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298259},"content":"It wasn’t until <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/brexit/\" target=\"_blank\">Brexit</a> happened that <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/united-kingdom/\" target=\"_blank\">Bradford</a>, West Yorkshire-born Rabbi Walter Rothschild reclaimed the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/germany/\" target=\"_blank\">German</a> citizenship taken by the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/adolf-hitler/\" target=\"_blank\">Nazis</a> from his family in 1939. When then British prime minister <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/theresa-may/\" target=\"_blank\">Theresa May</a> sent the final departure letter to <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/european-union/\" target=\"_blank\">Brussels</a>, Rothschild was finally angry enough to get active.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2WK7MONLYRGHLK2UIGN7XMC7MY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298260},"content":"“Brexit gave me a feeling that my homeland had been stolen from me,” says Rothschild, who came to Germany in the late 1990s with his Dutch wife and three children.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F3I6URBALBAVJNARX7OJ2SKNLA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298261},"content":"Rather than stay angry, the 70-year-old dove into the family archive for papers that traced his family lineage back to May 1939, when his grandparents passed a train station on the German border on their way to Basle in Switzerland.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JOG2T63GNNBMJH2VBXDM2SHENE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298262},"content":"Rothschild is named after his grandfather, Walter, a respected county court judge in Hannover. He was dismissed, simply for being Jewish, and in 1938 was imprisoned in the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/an-irishman-s-diary-1.657803\" target=\"_blank\">Dachau concentration camp</a> near Munich. His grandmother, Charlotte, got her husband out and they crossed the border into Basle in May 1939. Through friends they sent their son, Walter’s father, to boarding school in the UK in August 1939 – just before war broke out.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2RK6Z2T3RJAGJBQJ2N26MFZK2A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298264},"content":"The moment they left their homeland, Nazi Germany stripped the Rothschilds of their citizenship and recorded the fact in the Nazi state gazette.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2OWIUC5TABATXJZ6Q4Z4ZMVFPE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298265},"content":"In his Berlin sittingroom, Rothschild produces photocopied pages of the list containing his grandparents’ names. They were among an estimated 90,000 people, including German Jews and political opponents, the Nazi regime named and shamed as stateless.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GW22ZDWCQBCSHP5NKADHQEAE7E","additional_properties":{"_id":"F5IFIQGK2VH7JONJV347C5L4CA"},"content":"Susan Neiman: ‘I wanted to revive Jewish intellectual life in Germany, but now I don’t think they really want it’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"N4YWNA6LRRH55PBCQHMLEZQF5Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298266},"content":"It was postwar (West) Germany’s Basic Law that offered a way back in <a href=\"https://uk.diplo.de/uk-en/02/citizenship/restoration-of-german-citizenship/2463592\" target=\"_blank\">Article 116 (2)</a>: “Former German citizens who, between January 30th, 1933 and May 8th, 1945, were deprived of their citizenship on political, racial or religious grounds and their descendants shall, on application, have their citizenship restored.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"NEGWMTRB75AYVJCRV3PUDO6VF4","additional_properties":{"_id":"3IMFP6T7PFG2PFCRIGTCQTCXLI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"6UBIEKQ4ARHYXL52NIPZTC7OTU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298267},"content":"Rothschild’s grandfather never returned to Germany nor did he reclaim his citizenship. Because of the beatings he received in Dachau his health declined rapidly in Switzerland. In 1950, after battling the German state to receive his pension, he received a letter offering him his old job back in the Hannover court. A short time later he died, still stateless.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CF3TMAVLZNEXPO5FFEF5TBFSHI","additional_properties":{"_id":"3ONBPPXI2VFKHA72FAAPBF6VHE"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"D3M676IH5NBOHAT5JTZK7R3SDE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298268},"content":"Four years later, in 1954, Walter Rothschild was born in Bradford – his father stayed on in the UK after school. Growing up, Rothschild says he always felt “on the fringe”.“There was always a feeling we were a German family in Bradford and with a name like Walter Rothschild you were not a John Smith or Terry Robinson,” he says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WV6JNNB2ABGLXBAA2EQWN7XGGU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298270},"content":"A job offer in Berlin saw him move to the city in 1998. It was an emotional return, he says, but he had never thought of a German passport until Brexit narrowed his work and travel options across the Continent.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6XA5YFKFFVCXHKEMCQV5FPKAFI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298271},"content":"His two younger sisters also applied and the process was completed in 2017 after about nine months. Walter feels ambivalent about living in Germany today as a German citizenship. He is “grateful for this particular window of history and the nice people making the naturalisation laws”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IBGGK65ROZDYTC7G5VZCXH7LJE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298272},"content":"Yet he feels the German response to the October 7th Hamas massacre in Israel was not wholehearted enough – a feeling many of his Jewish friends share, he says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"S5BM7EGSZZCCNNJIGIKQREQTFU","additional_properties":{"_id":"4KS6KDNJMJFNXEO46OQOB4OMOQ"},"content":" Analysis Germany struggles with complexities of its relationship with Israel as war and suffering continue","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"TMHDFTUYINH6HDVWGLSKXN54NQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298273},"content":"From his jacket pocket he produces his slightly tatty, well-used German passport. A few months back, he recalls a talk with other rabbis about adding modern symbols to the Seder feast table. Alongside the flat bread, salt water and bitter herbs, Rothschild suggested they should add a passport, a quiet tribute to his grandparents and today’s uncertain times.","type":"text"},{"_id":"W2NPWGGOLBBNPMXHAQQG2DS3FU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298274},"content":"“If you don’t have a passport, you’re nobody, no one will let you anywhere,” he says. “As a Jew you want the ability to be mobile as you never know when the next stupidity is going to come.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"AARNJF37MJB7LGZNZVXTM2UXYM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298275},"content":"Elana","type":"header"},{"_id":"RXS6UA5PSZHBTJF5N3EYYN6HSA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298276},"content":"Elana, a 42-year-old medical doctor from Maryland in the United States, who did not wish to give her full name, grew up hearing about Fritz, her German grandfather, and his pre-war life in Bielefeld, Lower Saxony.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NZWUXXXZONA43GA5HSXWPINJ4I","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298277},"content":"“When my mom spoke of him she would imitate him with German accent speaking to her in Yiddish and using German words,” says Elana. “He stayed as long as he could but left rather late, right after <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/europe/disgraceful-irish-report-on-kristallnacht-goes-on-display-1.1589059\" target=\"_blank\">Kristallnacht</a>.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ET3DUADQS5DG7B7ZUHVCAJ73LI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298278},"content":"Fritz, his sister Annaliese and brother Ernest were among the tens of thousands of people who fled Germany after the 1938 pogrom against Jewish homes, business and places of worship. Millions more were unable or unwilling to get out – until it was too late.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VJGNAISFHJB5JP5N56LW32M5FY","additional_properties":{"_id":"GRZBDAE7BVF55KMESUSVMPSDJQ"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"7NVNTW7KEZE2NO6BLSEFIHLG44","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298280},"content":"Growing up, Elana says she was always aware of the injustice done to her family, in particular how their citizenship was taken away. It was Elana’s mother who had the idea of applying for restoration of citizenship around 16 years ago.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OXTFFMZ6RZB6HNINA52ZL3F7LQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298281},"content":"“She was interested in having German citizenship, as was my grand-uncle Ernest, who felt it had been stolen from him,” Elana says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZFSQRQBQ5FC5LO7DNHSDDHQ4ZY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298282},"content":"Both her mother and Ernest died before their wish was realised. But two years ago Elana applied, submitted considerable paperwork, and on a rainy day last June drove to the German embassy in Washington DC. There, two young men presented her with her naturalisation certificate and spoke some words about the injustice inflicted on her grandfather and his siblings.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R6YEXTZ37FEK5C6R35QVFOLQ6I","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298283},"content":"“They were lovely, saying they can’t right the wrongs of the past and that this is a horrible history, but this is one of the things we can do,” she recalls.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Q5BNP56EAZBCBGPUQFNHAUXG4U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298284},"content":"In the unremarkable Washington embassy room, Elana found her mind drifting back to her family and their escape. Though they were lucky to survive, unlike millions of others, but the violent break with Germany thwarted their life plans forever.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R7MAGQYM7BHZLJK6RS5I3VS5OI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298285},"content":"Fritz, who died in the 1970s, ran a linoleum store. Ernest, who she knew better, never completed his medical training and ran a watch business instead.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NZOFSE2USNH5ZON7CTRLXDSUMU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298286},"content":"Among Elana’s three siblings, one other sister has also secured citizenship. Others in her family feel Germany can never right past wrongs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DY4YPW42LNFYJB7RCOZ5YU2CYU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298287},"content":"“I don’t feel this way,” says Elana. “It is a right that was violently taken away and deserves to be re-established in these next generations.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"QTTSKXZCVFDLNDTWBGSJ6GTEFA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298288},"content":"After the re-election of US president Donald Trump, and in a world of rising authoritarian leaders, does she view her German citizenship any differently now? Elana, who was already a dual US-Israel citizen, still puts her German citizenship in the “nice to have” category. It allows her children to live, work or study on this side of the Atlantic should they so wish in the future.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4P6XQZPLVBDMVC2TABWKC722I4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298289},"content":"“My husband is very fond of being American and his family is all here, so it would take something of huge magnitude to extract him,” she says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7MVFJAFNFNE7FD4CL43ZYZBE7M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298290},"content":"She says the aftershocks of the October 7th, 2023 attacks, in particular anti-Israel demonstrations on US college campuses, make her happy to have another option.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AVKMCR5FQFH4LOJ3TKSVEFLM7A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298291},"content":"“With a recent family history of the Holocaust and the growing anti-Semitism,” she says, “I feel it is never a bad idea to have another passport for a Jewish person these days.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"SUMGHCJNXNH2VAYMSTRMCTUMKE","additional_properties":{"_id":"YNTDZS5HKJAAND5EXTDEDVI74Y"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"VPFBDUZAC5CMZJFVTOQDCBQTUI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298292},"content":"Adam Berry","type":"header"},{"_id":"AGYFBPHSQZFVROZM3UFEQ45EVY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298293},"content":"Adam Berry, a photographer and television producer from South Carolina, has lived in Berlin for 20 years and secured his citizenship on the basis of residency rather than the constitutional provision in Article 116.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZHPHPZLQSFG6JIEJCQ2UJSE2T4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298294},"content":"His family is of Lithuanian/Polish/Bessarabian descent and his great-grandfather was a subject of Tsar Nicolas II before he left for America some time before 1918.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A2DVMQFL4NH4VERNGY2BSDPM4U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298295},"content":"“His brother, a local religious leader in Alytus, stayed behind,” says, “and was either shot in a forest or burned alive in a locked synagogue with his family and others.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"GELNBLXXVRFT3O6MKZ46IACCYM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298296},"content":"Berry says he didn’t have a single motivation for applying for German citizenship. In September he secured his “Certification of Krautdom”, as he jokingly calls it, mostly for pragmatic and practical reasons: ease of travel and the right to work in 26 other European countries.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EXB6BDU7KFA5ZOWYTLIZ74IKGE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298297},"content":"What sealed the deal for him was a German citizenship law change earlier this year allowing him retain, rather than relinquish, his US citizenship. Another motivation was a wish for political representation to match his German taxation.","type":"text"},{"_id":"I4XIWWNQFRCODGF6PJN2JVS5JM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298298},"content":"Berry doesn’t remember talk of the Holocaust or the Nazis when he grew up. After 20 years away from the US, he feels too far away for Trump’s second term to have been a motivating factor.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NIH62LEYQRFKZMFIS6XMXYCBWQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298299},"content":"Like Rothschild, being a Jewish German citizen has been chastening experience since October 7th last year – but for very different reasons. What preoccupies Berry is what he sees as a problematic and emotional debate in Germany over Israel’s military response in Gaza.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RKXGPC352NEGDLCO2O2QRVGKOA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298300},"content":"Historic feelings of obligation to Germany’s murdered Jewish population, he says, has left many of his fellow Germans less sensitive now to diverse views on Israel among “its living Jewish population”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JZV5X25WYZE6JBXH762NRXAGSU","additional_properties":{"_id":"22ZAKMM2QJASHIMOZUOSZALFNA"},"content":"Who speaks for Jews in Germany?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"JIS3WA2RNVD73JC46SH75FJQ3A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298301},"content":"“There has been a sweeping generalisation and monolithisation here of how ‘we’ [Jews] are supposed to feel about Israel,” he says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NRDXE33N3BHZ3N2FG7NNKWG2II","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298302},"content":"For him, Germans criticising him and other Jewish friends’ critical stance on Israeli policies in Gaza and Lebanon constitutes “its own form of anti-Semitism”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"T5HNRBII4BABNF6NUPTCQFS7ZY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298303},"content":"“The pendulum has swung so far that it’s slammed the clock in the face and knocked all sense out of it,” he says. “That said, like any country, Germany is imperfect.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"4HRVLEB5GNAU3CCXFOREMOAZ5A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298305},"content":"Applications for German citizenship on the rise","type":"header"},{"_id":"N6VNZZKDWFEYNK3YCXY7JKS5VI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298306},"content":"German authorities point out that Article 116(2) is open to all whose ancestors were stripped of their German citizenship, not just Jewish people. Others targeted include communists, union and religious leaders. Since 2014, the interior ministry says some 41,449 people living abroad have been awarded citizenship under Article 116 (2) - and it does not collate how many involved Jewish people. Recent shocks - from Brexit to October 7th - have triggered an apparent spike among people seeking naturalisation under the special provisions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LD6A4CYC6NCZBKX477TQL5IKXI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Last year the number of applications from Israeli citizens under article 116 nearly doubled to 9,100, while the 14,000 applications from the rest of the world marked a rise of 23 per cent. Another rise in applications came three years ago when German updated its provisions to allow such article 116 applications via the maternal line.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LGVCCVI6FNFHDAMVUPWF643XX4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298308},"content":"Before German ambassador David Gill moved to Dublin, he was consul general in New York. One of the privileges of his job, he says, was to meet people attending naturalisation ceremonies three times a year. The high Jewish population of New York, he suggests, was a factor in enough applications for ceremonies up to three times a year. At his last ceremony in June around 80 people were naturalised, a step he said was never transactional or bureaucratic act for them.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OOG6TX6J2FDR3KL4NMVAKP2JPM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298310},"content":"“Behind every person is a family story and in previous years we often had three generations of people being naturalised,” he says. “The oldest person I had was a woman aged 94 who came from Hamburg, via the UK, to the US. She told me that, despite everything, she had always remained German.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"U4U7QWM2LFCG3IHRLCO6YMEOUE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298311},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"KYPE6V2HQREUTDBBOQABE6XWD4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298312},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"YCDY6C2IB5FUNMX3YVDX7FFP3I","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Derek Scally"}},"name":"Derek Scally"}]},"description":{"basic":"Jews whose family members fled the Nazis in the 1930s have reclaimed their German citizenship"},"display_date":"2024-12-01T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"‘It is a right that was violently taken away’: The Jews who want to be German again","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"FI53HNL5VRFYDHYOAOEDIKOEIE","auth":{"1":"32ca12fd9f22f65356c3dfad75fd892ac855bf8e4ff7ea8b0c895d854b229e9a"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/FI53HNL5VRFYDHYOAOEDIKOEIE.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"World"},{"name":"Europe"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/12/01/it-is-a-right-that-was-violently-taken-away-the-jews-who-want-to-be-german-again/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}}],"count":10000,"_id":"085e57e47f3786076c836ccb1eb8e6742353754cb219c9df2077ae8b88450071"},"expires":1733295607245,"lastModified":1733295306859},"{\"arc-site\":\"irishtimes\",\"offset\":0,\"query\":\"(credits.by.slug:\\\"hilary-fannin\\\" OR credits.by.slug:\\\"sean-moncrieff\\\" OR credits.by.slug:\\\"roisin-ingle\\\" OR credits.by.slug:\\\"brianna-parkins\\\" OR credits.by.slug:\\\"michael-harding\\\" OR credits.by.slug:\\\"keith-duggan\\\" OR credits.by.slug:\\\"emer-mclysaght\\\" OR credits.by.slug:\\\"rosita-boland\\\" OR credits.by.slug:\\\"catherine-cleary\\\" OR credits.by.slug:\\\"fionnuala-fallon\\\") AND (subtype:\\\"Columnist\\\")\",\"size\":5}":{"data":{"_id":"4c5ccc83153f7e72a582ea6f420a23adb24172b26785ce69fec721ebbb739142","content_elements":[{"_id":"QCYQY2JH5NHSNAFR347OHEMYGM","canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/12/01/sean-moncrieff-under-elon-musk-x-is-tapping-ever-more-into-a-dark-human-need-to-be-mean-to-other-people/","credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Seán Moncrieff"}},"image":{"auth":{"1":"803bac25fcc2671310abaf1a8e9f3c3b55e6dd537e628fbc0f6734f8c0cdf72d"},"url":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/irishtimes/ad017706-1265-42b1-98ab-03ab023901b4.png"},"name":"Seán Moncrieff","slug":"sean-moncrieff"}]},"headlines":{"basic":"Social media taps into a dark human need to be mean to other people"},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"5I33AVBGUTBNU2XTMVZ3M64OOI","auth":{"1":"ffc9916b5324ab795dea86d65019d7a74a4377e73cf53058f12734943238ff97"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/5I33AVBGUTBNU2XTMVZ3M64OOI.jpg"}},"website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/12/01/sean-moncrieff-under-elon-musk-x-is-tapping-ever-more-into-a-dark-human-need-to-be-mean-to-other-people/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"6DV6DLKUJRH6LOKZHRM2SW55WY","canonical_url":"/life-style/gardening/2024/11/30/gardening-tools-that-will-last-a-lifetime-if-treated-right/","credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Fionnuala Fallon"}},"image":{"auth":{"1":"3015df5d67a4959600365795286af641f2b48c8abb4b7369cce70e34c6d241a0"},"url":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/irishtimes/16c73468-a8ad-41f8-ae74-102a10eb7410.png"},"name":"Fionnuala Fallon","slug":"fionnuala-fallon"}]},"headlines":{"basic":"Gardening tools that will last a lifetime if treated right"},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"EH74CSCYYA3XKWKTVIILEWQD2U","auth":{"1":"97e2df804a24faaa9458a3c7b8e846f86b6f65e9b6bc28041c7bd3c56f6e4eaf"},"focal_point":{"x":695,"y":263},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/EH74CSCYYA3XKWKTVIILEWQD2U.jpg"}},"website_url":"/life-style/gardening/2024/11/30/gardening-tools-that-will-last-a-lifetime-if-treated-right/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/gardening","name":"Gardening"}}}},{"_id":"YNBPUHIORBA5XJDJ43OURS2KEM","canonical_url":"/world/us/2024/11/30/america-letter-podcast-giant-joe-rogan-may-have-played-key-role-in-us-elections/","credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Keith Duggan"}},"image":{"auth":{"1":"1c06bc7c835e4be10e82a2801f2f5eedf66f511cf61e427371c21f70fb071728"},"url":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/irishtimes/142e9869-5a99-49bd-a9f5-90adedbadb25.png"},"name":"Keith Duggan","slug":"keith-duggan"}]},"headlines":{"basic":"Podcast giant Joe Rogan may have played key role in US elections "},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"RQUM7ATVPI7IE3QNTQYOOCUN5Y","auth":{"1":"2ef4c4f55e09284f4293cdfd70172f2a1c01b95c9815fc10f516f7ab30e65c21"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/RQUM7ATVPI7IE3QNTQYOOCUN5Y.jpg"}},"website_url":"/world/us/2024/11/30/america-letter-podcast-giant-joe-rogan-may-have-played-key-role-in-us-elections/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/world/us","name":"US"}}}},{"_id":"6XE4IJWX25EL7L7Z7PTVYXXXLQ","canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/29/you-are-one-of-six-types-of-people-and-your-spotify-unwrapped-results-will-reveal-which-one/","credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Emer McLysaght"}},"image":{"auth":{"1":"66d958f2cde7be55517df152bf043db630c0514899a835a8e69a3e8ad467f7c6"},"url":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/irishtimes/db8e436d-044f-478c-a36f-89c04b1f795a.png"},"name":"Emer McLysaght","slug":"emer-mclysaght"}]},"headlines":{"basic":"You are one of six types of people – and your Spotify Unwrapped results will reveal which one "},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"6632G6OFQ5GXJN2QWGYDNSOWRA","auth":{"1":"b3c2725b41b4f21764e26f32ad2431b486237597a707a1a390de569ba6de3fed"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/6632G6OFQ5GXJN2QWGYDNSOWRA.jpg"}},"website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/29/you-are-one-of-six-types-of-people-and-your-spotify-unwrapped-results-will-reveal-which-one/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"SDDF4Y47FBHMZACNDMELPIZYJI","canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/29/brianna-parkins-dee-devlin-is-not-conor-mcgregors-moral-keeper-thats-his-responsibility-alone/","credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Brianna Parkins"}},"image":{"auth":{"1":"58fd463dc37b94f0da2071e865bdc39660873bcc27c465488b68b553b0e2a3b9"},"url":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/irishtimes/6a108ce7-2574-41ad-82e4-17dd97e07b39.png"},"name":"Brianna Parkins","slug":"brianna-parkins"}]},"headlines":{"basic":"Dee Devlin is not Conor McGregor’s moral keeper. That’s his responsibility alone"},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"6PLJY4PCXIRAP3EKSITV7XQ5MI","auth":{"1":"80ac2a2c46fcfdaf4e5ed2f8a30d98c5f51eee24332b6b85283c96819f57cbda"},"focal_point":{"x":1460,"y":670},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/6PLJY4PCXIRAP3EKSITV7XQ5MI.jpg"}},"website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/29/brianna-parkins-dee-devlin-is-not-conor-mcgregors-moral-keeper-thats-his-responsibility-alone/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","name":"People"}}}}]},"expires":1733295634301,"lastModified":1733295334079},"{\"arc-site\":\"irishtimes\",\"offset\":0,\"query\":\"(credits.by.slug:\\\"hilary-fannin\\\" OR credits.by.slug:\\\"sean-moncrieff\\\" OR credits.by.slug:\\\"roisin-ingle\\\" OR credits.by.slug:\\\"brianna-parkins\\\" OR credits.by.slug:\\\"michael-harding\\\" OR credits.by.slug:\\\"keith-duggan\\\" OR credits.by.slug:\\\"emer-mclysaght\\\" OR credits.by.slug:\\\"rosita-boland\\\" OR credits.by.slug:\\\"catherine-cleary\\\" OR credits.by.slug:\\\"fionnuala-fallon\\\") AND (subtype:\\\"Columnist\\\")\",\"size\":3}":{"data":{"_id":"2ae5c6222633661b4d61af87f0b18bbe40663e4fd616283f0bf1d4f38f582cfc","content_elements":[{"_id":"QCYQY2JH5NHSNAFR347OHEMYGM","canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/12/01/sean-moncrieff-under-elon-musk-x-is-tapping-ever-more-into-a-dark-human-need-to-be-mean-to-other-people/","credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Seán Moncrieff"}},"image":{"auth":{"1":"803bac25fcc2671310abaf1a8e9f3c3b55e6dd537e628fbc0f6734f8c0cdf72d"},"url":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/irishtimes/ad017706-1265-42b1-98ab-03ab023901b4.png"},"name":"Seán Moncrieff","slug":"sean-moncrieff"}]},"headlines":{"basic":"Social media taps into a dark human need to be mean to other people"},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"5I33AVBGUTBNU2XTMVZ3M64OOI","auth":{"1":"ffc9916b5324ab795dea86d65019d7a74a4377e73cf53058f12734943238ff97"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/5I33AVBGUTBNU2XTMVZ3M64OOI.jpg"}},"website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/12/01/sean-moncrieff-under-elon-musk-x-is-tapping-ever-more-into-a-dark-human-need-to-be-mean-to-other-people/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"6DV6DLKUJRH6LOKZHRM2SW55WY","canonical_url":"/life-style/gardening/2024/11/30/gardening-tools-that-will-last-a-lifetime-if-treated-right/","credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Fionnuala Fallon"}},"image":{"auth":{"1":"3015df5d67a4959600365795286af641f2b48c8abb4b7369cce70e34c6d241a0"},"url":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/irishtimes/16c73468-a8ad-41f8-ae74-102a10eb7410.png"},"name":"Fionnuala Fallon","slug":"fionnuala-fallon"}]},"headlines":{"basic":"Gardening tools that will last a lifetime if treated right"},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"EH74CSCYYA3XKWKTVIILEWQD2U","auth":{"1":"97e2df804a24faaa9458a3c7b8e846f86b6f65e9b6bc28041c7bd3c56f6e4eaf"},"focal_point":{"x":695,"y":263},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/EH74CSCYYA3XKWKTVIILEWQD2U.jpg"}},"website_url":"/life-style/gardening/2024/11/30/gardening-tools-that-will-last-a-lifetime-if-treated-right/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/gardening","name":"Gardening"}}}},{"_id":"YNBPUHIORBA5XJDJ43OURS2KEM","canonical_url":"/world/us/2024/11/30/america-letter-podcast-giant-joe-rogan-may-have-played-key-role-in-us-elections/","credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Keith Duggan"}},"image":{"auth":{"1":"1c06bc7c835e4be10e82a2801f2f5eedf66f511cf61e427371c21f70fb071728"},"url":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/irishtimes/142e9869-5a99-49bd-a9f5-90adedbadb25.png"},"name":"Keith Duggan","slug":"keith-duggan"}]},"headlines":{"basic":"Podcast giant Joe Rogan may have played key role in US elections "},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"RQUM7ATVPI7IE3QNTQYOOCUN5Y","auth":{"1":"2ef4c4f55e09284f4293cdfd70172f2a1c01b95c9815fc10f516f7ab30e65c21"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/RQUM7ATVPI7IE3QNTQYOOCUN5Y.jpg"}},"website_url":"/world/us/2024/11/30/america-letter-podcast-giant-joe-rogan-may-have-played-key-role-in-us-elections/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/world/us","name":"US"}}}}]},"expires":1733295634316,"lastModified":1733295334071},"{\"feedOffset\":0,\"feedSize\":5,\"offset\":0,\"query\":\"(taxonomy.primary_section._id:\\\"/life-style/people\\\") AND -(subtype:\\\"Columnist\\\") AND -(taxonomy.tags.slug:new-to-the-parish)\",\"size\":5}":{"data":{"content_elements":[{"_id":"6VURKOR4SNHBPOBQWH2AR2MQNI","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":363,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/2e37789f-3531-44c6-96c5-0c35d4c2c971/versions/1732885081/media/44cb48215280e69c28b583e390b4fd3a_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/30/buswells-hotel-manager-bids-farewell-to-his-ringside-seat-to-history-in-the-third-house-of-the-oireachtas/","content_elements":[{"_id":"CLFTRODJXRDUJPYBDFNR4PS5AE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284437},"content":"Paul Gallagher had an unusual ringside seat to some of the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/\" target=\"_blank\">political</a> bouts that were fought out in <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/oireachtas/\" target=\"_blank\">Leinster House</a>, across the road from his <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/dublin/\" target=\"_blank\">Dublin</a> city centre hotel.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KKJGB6AEJFF4HFIAOCTHAL564E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732827276707},"content":"“I probably witnessed a couple of heaves before the taoiseach of the day knew they were happening,” says the general manager of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/buswells/\" target=\"_blank\">Buswells Hotel</a> in a soft, matter-of-fact voice.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5BH2WKATQZB6RDNRQKURD2VSIE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732827276708},"content":"Sipping coffee in an empty bar in the storied hotel that he is preparing to leave for good, he recalls some of the back-room political manoeuvres he caught a glimpse of.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IFZMTJK23JCZXBALORZX45RA54","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284438},"content":"“There were times when I would walk in here and there would be a table with nine TDs sitting around it and I would know something was going on because nine TDs never normally want to sit together,” he says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"355FHHANU5DSNFIGQPE2PBJZ3E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732827276710},"content":"The hotel, at the intersection of Kildare Street and Molesworth Street, has for decades been a popular press-conference venue, meeting point and watering hole for politicians, lobbyists and journalists.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4DBMFB6UZZABPFPHZUZHZR75T4","additional_properties":{"_id":"EZ4APHEYAJH5ROY3OMN7YRO4MM"},"content":"Buswells Hotel: ‘The third house of the Oireachtas’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"BZAPJR55LRF2DBRSMU64XXVBOE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284439},"content":"In his 27 years as manager of the most political hotel in the State, Gallagher has witnessed close-up a chapter in the story of modern Ireland – and sometimes he has had to play a more direct role in it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Q3WKENNHXRGZXOYBTRYYFVZB7Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284441},"content":"Gallagher took over the “Hotel of the Heaves” in 1997, two years after it was bought by the Fermanagh industrialist-turned-speculator <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/sean-quinn/\" target=\"_blank\">Sean Quinn</a>. He walked its carpets as the optimistic boom years of the late 1990s became the pre-crash party time of the Celtic Tiger in the early 2000s.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3Q4FKVFZ6JDGTOHLKB3PAGNNG4","additional_properties":{"_id":"2JAJM4OIIRBZTPOSTYNG3JZGNI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"A5DAHPFXFNALRC65L2N6KR2SKM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284443},"content":"Then came the collapse – of the economy and the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2023/09/18/sean-quinn-trying-to-rewrite-history-with-fairy-tale-says-former-anglo-ceo/\" target=\"_blank\">Sean Quinn empire</a>. The hotel was taken over by the undertaker of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/anglo-irish-bank/\" target=\"_blank\">Anglo Irish Bank</a>, the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/irish-bank-resolution-corporation/\" target=\"_blank\">Irish Banking Resolution Corporation</a>. Gallagher still reports into the State-owned bank liquidation vehicle through a group of independent directors, although <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2024/11/15/london-based-property-firm-nears-deal-for-buswells-hotel/\" target=\"_blank\">a sale of the hotel looks imminent</a> after several false dawns.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DLC4JYN4Q5AYTD5FTONJR2VI5I","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284444},"content":"Gallagher watched the black cloud of austerity fall over Kildare Street and the subsequent slow recovery, before the Covid-19 pandemic brought more upheaval and another slow recovery, only for the subsequent cost-of-living crisis to change the rules again.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QREESF3WANCHZCH56WOTUEXAYI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284445},"content":"Almost as soon as he started, he understood why Buswells was known as the third house of the Oireachtas.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PERGUDAWGJF4LLYVWCKUKXQGYU","additional_properties":{"_id":"UOTRF32IV5FKFHKZKA4TC4BRJY"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"XBT22WML6VE3ZGRBK6BX45P56U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284446},"content":"While the bell that used to ring in the hotel bar to alert TDs of impending votes vanished before he arrived, Gallagher grew accustomed to looking after those in power and those who dreamed of it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2R4X7H5L4BHQBA47FPX3V4UDUM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284447},"content":"“It has been a really colourful experience because not only are you running a hotel full of journalists, TDs, senators and everybody else, in the blink of an eye you might have 5,000 people protesting outside,” he says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6BOX7KGT25B3BNU4EMBPDU6PQM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732827276719},"content":"“During the financial crash, we had pensioners outside giving out about the loss of their pensions and then an hour later, we had students giving out, while their grannies and grandads who had been on the march were in here sipping tea. There’s just that unique energy around this hotel.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"J7MWMV76YVBHVACFFHCOPI7OSE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284448},"content":"Over his time in the hotel, he has served six taoisigh.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4LBNV5VOUZF27CRV4XZ63FSB2E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284449},"content":"Bertie Ahern was “very comfortable in the hotel; he’d have been in a lot. Then we’d John Bruton, although not for long and he wouldn’t have come in as much”, he says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BXJDGDLJSNFATMKRGE4KEKEM4I","additional_properties":{"_id":1732827276722},"content":"“Brian Cowen was in quite a bit. He was a nice guy. And then we had Enda. I remember him coming in as a TD with a broken leg and sitting up at the bar with the cast resting on a table.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"RIR7KR6F4JJWLN6JAMR2GKION4","additional_properties":{"_id":"SU4BTZEHHZG6XKARWYRF6HITRA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"6G4RE3IH3VCJFDMURCHF37X7DY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284450},"content":"Things have changed and the appearance of senior politicians is more infrequent.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V64IAAU2BFHJRCGSYOF3EHBUSU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732827276725},"content":"“We are observers of what happens in Irish politics but from a different point of view. We see the good and the bad side, the stress they are under. Since the financial crash those who work in politics have had a much more difficult time with the public at times, and I have seen a definite change in attitude.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"RBL4ZIMTNRCABKRXZWIFYRCOQM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284451},"content":"The Covid pandemic nearly closed Buswells for good. In the spring of 2020 the hotel had to shut, with only a handful of staff minding it. It was permitted to reopen partially after the first lockdown. For months TDs and senators working in Leinster House who needed a place to sleep were its only customers. They kept the lights on.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MQXNRFWMIJEDRHHFNI6BLTKMSI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284452},"content":"“We had them in 35 rooms, three nights a week. There was me and 10 staff working here. I cooked breakfast every morning and I cleaned the rooms,” says Gallagher.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XDMU334S2BBAJIW2MTXQ2ZWFD4","additional_properties":{"_id":"EQJ7LL3COBG4RG3LGHSNTOFYPU"},"content":"Ireland ‘turning a corner’ on hotel room shortage, says tourist boss","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"E4EOJ2WPCNF7PFK6H54P56SBCI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732827276729},"content":"“There was a real risk the receivers would decide it would be cheaper to lock the hotel up, board up the windows, turn off the heat. And if they did that, this hotel would never have recovered because once you turn off a heat in a hotel, it just disintegrates. I worked hard to make sure we stayed open and had it not been for those 35 rooms, three nights a week, the other option might have come into play.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"EGORHUSEOZFJZGGHSWXFN473O4","additional_properties":{"_id":"UUODUGHEG5DEPFWLZU4NDMTRL4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"ZOLFMCMA3RDOXNLQK3ES6IKD7U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284453},"content":"As he prepares for a role with the Irish Hotels Federation, Buswells, like every hospitality business in the State, is dealing with the cost-of-living crisis.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DKDCUTRASFF55LF3F2ENLGF5B4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284454},"content":"Gallagher bristles when asked about sky-high hotel prices and points to a dramatic spike in the cost of everything from food and energy to linen and laundry.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZZJOHMXWZBDVBJYJIVARPHWPAQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284455},"content":"He doesn’t believe most hotels are overcharging.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GVQ2UICAVBDLBJ3SKCFSX5FDI4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732827276734},"content":"“I’m not saying that, in some cases, there isn’t an insane price for a room but that is just bringing the industry into disrepute and we are all being painted with the same brush. That’s unfair,” he says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DBJHCPMYSJBMHJ7SBI6RV23DUM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284456},"content":"He is looking forward to the election result as the votes are counted this weekend and the energy it will bring to the hotel, even though he is leaving at the end of the week.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WXZIAHFNZFB4NFYHTALAV2364I","additional_properties":{"_id":1732827276736},"content":"He has no idea if he will meet another taoiseach on his watch. That depends on what happens this weekend and whether there is yet more political upheaval.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Conor Pope"}},"name":"Conor Pope"}]},"description":{"basic":"The Dublin hotel has for decades been a popular meeting place and watering hole for politicians, lobbyists and journalists"},"display_date":"2024-12-01T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Buswells Hotel manager bids farewell to his ringside seat to history in the ‘third house of the Oireachtas’","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"BQQRYVUXIBCBPARS4DFFP22KME","auth":{"1":"eb99ffba308e03eaae6e6ef3c92acd92e71537d7e138f8d2e815a7a79b2a5f6a"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/BQQRYVUXIBCBPARS4DFFP22KME.JPG"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Ireland"},{"name":"Dublin"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/30/buswells-hotel-manager-bids-farewell-to-his-ringside-seat-to-history-in-the-third-house-of-the-oireachtas/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"QET6TGNXCFGBXHHRZQ3RWU546M","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":703,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/db41cb75-8da6-46c5-ae75-e71701907a85/versions/1732617821/media/9022bc3986c790442926fc77ab08c0ea_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/12/01/it-is-a-right-that-was-violently-taken-away-the-jews-who-want-to-be-german-again/","content_elements":[{"_id":"VVW4UKCAIBBR5CX7GZBFER4Y4M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298259},"content":"It wasn’t until <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/brexit/\" target=\"_blank\">Brexit</a> happened that <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/united-kingdom/\" target=\"_blank\">Bradford</a>, West Yorkshire-born Rabbi Walter Rothschild reclaimed the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/germany/\" target=\"_blank\">German</a> citizenship taken by the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/adolf-hitler/\" target=\"_blank\">Nazis</a> from his family in 1939. When then British prime minister <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/theresa-may/\" target=\"_blank\">Theresa May</a> sent the final departure letter to <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/european-union/\" target=\"_blank\">Brussels</a>, Rothschild was finally angry enough to get active.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2WK7MONLYRGHLK2UIGN7XMC7MY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298260},"content":"“Brexit gave me a feeling that my homeland had been stolen from me,” says Rothschild, who came to Germany in the late 1990s with his Dutch wife and three children.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F3I6URBALBAVJNARX7OJ2SKNLA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298261},"content":"Rather than stay angry, the 70-year-old dove into the family archive for papers that traced his family lineage back to May 1939, when his grandparents passed a train station on the German border on their way to Basle in Switzerland.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JOG2T63GNNBMJH2VBXDM2SHENE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298262},"content":"Rothschild is named after his grandfather, Walter, a respected county court judge in Hannover. He was dismissed, simply for being Jewish, and in 1938 was imprisoned in the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/an-irishman-s-diary-1.657803\" target=\"_blank\">Dachau concentration camp</a> near Munich. His grandmother, Charlotte, got her husband out and they crossed the border into Basle in May 1939. Through friends they sent their son, Walter’s father, to boarding school in the UK in August 1939 – just before war broke out.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2RK6Z2T3RJAGJBQJ2N26MFZK2A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298264},"content":"The moment they left their homeland, Nazi Germany stripped the Rothschilds of their citizenship and recorded the fact in the Nazi state gazette.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2OWIUC5TABATXJZ6Q4Z4ZMVFPE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298265},"content":"In his Berlin sittingroom, Rothschild produces photocopied pages of the list containing his grandparents’ names. They were among an estimated 90,000 people, including German Jews and political opponents, the Nazi regime named and shamed as stateless.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GW22ZDWCQBCSHP5NKADHQEAE7E","additional_properties":{"_id":"F5IFIQGK2VH7JONJV347C5L4CA"},"content":"Susan Neiman: ‘I wanted to revive Jewish intellectual life in Germany, but now I don’t think they really want it’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"N4YWNA6LRRH55PBCQHMLEZQF5Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298266},"content":"It was postwar (West) Germany’s Basic Law that offered a way back in <a href=\"https://uk.diplo.de/uk-en/02/citizenship/restoration-of-german-citizenship/2463592\" target=\"_blank\">Article 116 (2)</a>: “Former German citizens who, between January 30th, 1933 and May 8th, 1945, were deprived of their citizenship on political, racial or religious grounds and their descendants shall, on application, have their citizenship restored.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"NEGWMTRB75AYVJCRV3PUDO6VF4","additional_properties":{"_id":"3IMFP6T7PFG2PFCRIGTCQTCXLI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"6UBIEKQ4ARHYXL52NIPZTC7OTU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298267},"content":"Rothschild’s grandfather never returned to Germany nor did he reclaim his citizenship. Because of the beatings he received in Dachau his health declined rapidly in Switzerland. In 1950, after battling the German state to receive his pension, he received a letter offering him his old job back in the Hannover court. A short time later he died, still stateless.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CF3TMAVLZNEXPO5FFEF5TBFSHI","additional_properties":{"_id":"3ONBPPXI2VFKHA72FAAPBF6VHE"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"D3M676IH5NBOHAT5JTZK7R3SDE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298268},"content":"Four years later, in 1954, Walter Rothschild was born in Bradford – his father stayed on in the UK after school. Growing up, Rothschild says he always felt “on the fringe”.“There was always a feeling we were a German family in Bradford and with a name like Walter Rothschild you were not a John Smith or Terry Robinson,” he says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WV6JNNB2ABGLXBAA2EQWN7XGGU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298270},"content":"A job offer in Berlin saw him move to the city in 1998. It was an emotional return, he says, but he had never thought of a German passport until Brexit narrowed his work and travel options across the Continent.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6XA5YFKFFVCXHKEMCQV5FPKAFI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298271},"content":"His two younger sisters also applied and the process was completed in 2017 after about nine months. Walter feels ambivalent about living in Germany today as a German citizenship. He is “grateful for this particular window of history and the nice people making the naturalisation laws”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IBGGK65ROZDYTC7G5VZCXH7LJE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298272},"content":"Yet he feels the German response to the October 7th Hamas massacre in Israel was not wholehearted enough – a feeling many of his Jewish friends share, he says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"S5BM7EGSZZCCNNJIGIKQREQTFU","additional_properties":{"_id":"4KS6KDNJMJFNXEO46OQOB4OMOQ"},"content":" Analysis Germany struggles with complexities of its relationship with Israel as war and suffering continue","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"TMHDFTUYINH6HDVWGLSKXN54NQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298273},"content":"From his jacket pocket he produces his slightly tatty, well-used German passport. A few months back, he recalls a talk with other rabbis about adding modern symbols to the Seder feast table. Alongside the flat bread, salt water and bitter herbs, Rothschild suggested they should add a passport, a quiet tribute to his grandparents and today’s uncertain times.","type":"text"},{"_id":"W2NPWGGOLBBNPMXHAQQG2DS3FU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298274},"content":"“If you don’t have a passport, you’re nobody, no one will let you anywhere,” he says. “As a Jew you want the ability to be mobile as you never know when the next stupidity is going to come.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"AARNJF37MJB7LGZNZVXTM2UXYM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298275},"content":"Elana","type":"header"},{"_id":"RXS6UA5PSZHBTJF5N3EYYN6HSA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298276},"content":"Elana, a 42-year-old medical doctor from Maryland in the United States, who did not wish to give her full name, grew up hearing about Fritz, her German grandfather, and his pre-war life in Bielefeld, Lower Saxony.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NZWUXXXZONA43GA5HSXWPINJ4I","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298277},"content":"“When my mom spoke of him she would imitate him with German accent speaking to her in Yiddish and using German words,” says Elana. “He stayed as long as he could but left rather late, right after <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/europe/disgraceful-irish-report-on-kristallnacht-goes-on-display-1.1589059\" target=\"_blank\">Kristallnacht</a>.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ET3DUADQS5DG7B7ZUHVCAJ73LI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298278},"content":"Fritz, his sister Annaliese and brother Ernest were among the tens of thousands of people who fled Germany after the 1938 pogrom against Jewish homes, business and places of worship. Millions more were unable or unwilling to get out – until it was too late.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VJGNAISFHJB5JP5N56LW32M5FY","additional_properties":{"_id":"GRZBDAE7BVF55KMESUSVMPSDJQ"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"7NVNTW7KEZE2NO6BLSEFIHLG44","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298280},"content":"Growing up, Elana says she was always aware of the injustice done to her family, in particular how their citizenship was taken away. It was Elana’s mother who had the idea of applying for restoration of citizenship around 16 years ago.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OXTFFMZ6RZB6HNINA52ZL3F7LQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298281},"content":"“She was interested in having German citizenship, as was my grand-uncle Ernest, who felt it had been stolen from him,” Elana says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZFSQRQBQ5FC5LO7DNHSDDHQ4ZY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298282},"content":"Both her mother and Ernest died before their wish was realised. But two years ago Elana applied, submitted considerable paperwork, and on a rainy day last June drove to the German embassy in Washington DC. There, two young men presented her with her naturalisation certificate and spoke some words about the injustice inflicted on her grandfather and his siblings.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R6YEXTZ37FEK5C6R35QVFOLQ6I","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298283},"content":"“They were lovely, saying they can’t right the wrongs of the past and that this is a horrible history, but this is one of the things we can do,” she recalls.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Q5BNP56EAZBCBGPUQFNHAUXG4U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298284},"content":"In the unremarkable Washington embassy room, Elana found her mind drifting back to her family and their escape. Though they were lucky to survive, unlike millions of others, but the violent break with Germany thwarted their life plans forever.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R7MAGQYM7BHZLJK6RS5I3VS5OI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298285},"content":"Fritz, who died in the 1970s, ran a linoleum store. Ernest, who she knew better, never completed his medical training and ran a watch business instead.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NZOFSE2USNH5ZON7CTRLXDSUMU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298286},"content":"Among Elana’s three siblings, one other sister has also secured citizenship. Others in her family feel Germany can never right past wrongs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DY4YPW42LNFYJB7RCOZ5YU2CYU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298287},"content":"“I don’t feel this way,” says Elana. “It is a right that was violently taken away and deserves to be re-established in these next generations.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"QTTSKXZCVFDLNDTWBGSJ6GTEFA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298288},"content":"After the re-election of US president Donald Trump, and in a world of rising authoritarian leaders, does she view her German citizenship any differently now? Elana, who was already a dual US-Israel citizen, still puts her German citizenship in the “nice to have” category. It allows her children to live, work or study on this side of the Atlantic should they so wish in the future.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4P6XQZPLVBDMVC2TABWKC722I4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298289},"content":"“My husband is very fond of being American and his family is all here, so it would take something of huge magnitude to extract him,” she says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7MVFJAFNFNE7FD4CL43ZYZBE7M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298290},"content":"She says the aftershocks of the October 7th, 2023 attacks, in particular anti-Israel demonstrations on US college campuses, make her happy to have another option.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AVKMCR5FQFH4LOJ3TKSVEFLM7A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298291},"content":"“With a recent family history of the Holocaust and the growing anti-Semitism,” she says, “I feel it is never a bad idea to have another passport for a Jewish person these days.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"SUMGHCJNXNH2VAYMSTRMCTUMKE","additional_properties":{"_id":"YNTDZS5HKJAAND5EXTDEDVI74Y"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"VPFBDUZAC5CMZJFVTOQDCBQTUI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298292},"content":"Adam Berry","type":"header"},{"_id":"AGYFBPHSQZFVROZM3UFEQ45EVY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298293},"content":"Adam Berry, a photographer and television producer from South Carolina, has lived in Berlin for 20 years and secured his citizenship on the basis of residency rather than the constitutional provision in Article 116.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZHPHPZLQSFG6JIEJCQ2UJSE2T4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298294},"content":"His family is of Lithuanian/Polish/Bessarabian descent and his great-grandfather was a subject of Tsar Nicolas II before he left for America some time before 1918.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A2DVMQFL4NH4VERNGY2BSDPM4U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298295},"content":"“His brother, a local religious leader in Alytus, stayed behind,” says, “and was either shot in a forest or burned alive in a locked synagogue with his family and others.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"GELNBLXXVRFT3O6MKZ46IACCYM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298296},"content":"Berry says he didn’t have a single motivation for applying for German citizenship. In September he secured his “Certification of Krautdom”, as he jokingly calls it, mostly for pragmatic and practical reasons: ease of travel and the right to work in 26 other European countries.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EXB6BDU7KFA5ZOWYTLIZ74IKGE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298297},"content":"What sealed the deal for him was a German citizenship law change earlier this year allowing him retain, rather than relinquish, his US citizenship. Another motivation was a wish for political representation to match his German taxation.","type":"text"},{"_id":"I4XIWWNQFRCODGF6PJN2JVS5JM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298298},"content":"Berry doesn’t remember talk of the Holocaust or the Nazis when he grew up. After 20 years away from the US, he feels too far away for Trump’s second term to have been a motivating factor.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NIH62LEYQRFKZMFIS6XMXYCBWQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298299},"content":"Like Rothschild, being a Jewish German citizen has been chastening experience since October 7th last year – but for very different reasons. What preoccupies Berry is what he sees as a problematic and emotional debate in Germany over Israel’s military response in Gaza.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RKXGPC352NEGDLCO2O2QRVGKOA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298300},"content":"Historic feelings of obligation to Germany’s murdered Jewish population, he says, has left many of his fellow Germans less sensitive now to diverse views on Israel among “its living Jewish population”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JZV5X25WYZE6JBXH762NRXAGSU","additional_properties":{"_id":"22ZAKMM2QJASHIMOZUOSZALFNA"},"content":"Who speaks for Jews in Germany?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"JIS3WA2RNVD73JC46SH75FJQ3A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298301},"content":"“There has been a sweeping generalisation and monolithisation here of how ‘we’ [Jews] are supposed to feel about Israel,” he says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NRDXE33N3BHZ3N2FG7NNKWG2II","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298302},"content":"For him, Germans criticising him and other Jewish friends’ critical stance on Israeli policies in Gaza and Lebanon constitutes “its own form of anti-Semitism”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"T5HNRBII4BABNF6NUPTCQFS7ZY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298303},"content":"“The pendulum has swung so far that it’s slammed the clock in the face and knocked all sense out of it,” he says. “That said, like any country, Germany is imperfect.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"4HRVLEB5GNAU3CCXFOREMOAZ5A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298305},"content":"Applications for German citizenship on the rise","type":"header"},{"_id":"N6VNZZKDWFEYNK3YCXY7JKS5VI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298306},"content":"German authorities point out that Article 116(2) is open to all whose ancestors were stripped of their German citizenship, not just Jewish people. Others targeted include communists, union and religious leaders. Since 2014, the interior ministry says some 41,449 people living abroad have been awarded citizenship under Article 116 (2) - and it does not collate how many involved Jewish people. Recent shocks - from Brexit to October 7th - have triggered an apparent spike among people seeking naturalisation under the special provisions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LD6A4CYC6NCZBKX477TQL5IKXI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Last year the number of applications from Israeli citizens under article 116 nearly doubled to 9,100, while the 14,000 applications from the rest of the world marked a rise of 23 per cent. Another rise in applications came three years ago when German updated its provisions to allow such article 116 applications via the maternal line.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LGVCCVI6FNFHDAMVUPWF643XX4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298308},"content":"Before German ambassador David Gill moved to Dublin, he was consul general in New York. One of the privileges of his job, he says, was to meet people attending naturalisation ceremonies three times a year. The high Jewish population of New York, he suggests, was a factor in enough applications for ceremonies up to three times a year. At his last ceremony in June around 80 people were naturalised, a step he said was never transactional or bureaucratic act for them.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OOG6TX6J2FDR3KL4NMVAKP2JPM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298310},"content":"“Behind every person is a family story and in previous years we often had three generations of people being naturalised,” he says. “The oldest person I had was a woman aged 94 who came from Hamburg, via the UK, to the US. She told me that, despite everything, she had always remained German.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"U4U7QWM2LFCG3IHRLCO6YMEOUE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298311},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"KYPE6V2HQREUTDBBOQABE6XWD4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298312},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"YCDY6C2IB5FUNMX3YVDX7FFP3I","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Derek Scally"}},"name":"Derek Scally"}]},"description":{"basic":"Jews whose family members fled the Nazis in the 1930s have reclaimed their German citizenship"},"display_date":"2024-12-01T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"‘It is a right that was violently taken away’: The Jews who want to be German again","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"FI53HNL5VRFYDHYOAOEDIKOEIE","auth":{"1":"32ca12fd9f22f65356c3dfad75fd892ac855bf8e4ff7ea8b0c895d854b229e9a"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/FI53HNL5VRFYDHYOAOEDIKOEIE.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"World"},{"name":"Europe"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/12/01/it-is-a-right-that-was-violently-taken-away-the-jews-who-want-to-be-german-again/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"D6ICFTZG2JFS7HAT2YY7FYV2GQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":564,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/29c89cef-b036-4cd5-9c05-432f57798656/versions/1732542084/media/97ccec6db66944f799d8f8fb51350d37_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/12/01/fake-flowers-make-me-sad-and-mad-plastic-plastic-everywhere-and-i-cant-stand-it/","content_elements":[{"_id":"2XKOUQ53PRAIXKENWRNZH45OHA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449498},"content":"The trend started small. Small fake plastic flowers in waterless jars on cafe tables. Then it went on to include plastic potted plants, ferns, palm trees, ivy, trees, grass and fake greenery in general. It’s approaching Christmas and I can guarantee you that most of the seasonal-themed holly and mistletoe you see in public places did not come from any verdant and living space. It’s far from Wicklow they were reared. They come from factories in Asia, very probably China.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7FS6VEIHIZER5GJBBERBCS3RNY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449499},"content":"I cannot abide the ever-increasing presence of plastic foliage in our public spaces. I mean, why bother? Is there anything more depressing than looking at lifeless plastic botanicals while you’re contemplating what to eat or drink? Real flowers are expensive, wildflowers take time to gather in the summer. I know that. I didn’t just fall out of an (actual) coconut tree, and <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bSTqokjNEE\" target=\"_blank\">neither did the recent unsuccessful candidate for the US </a><a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bSTqokjNEE\" target=\"_blank\">presidency</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IH5A2VVRBVDA7FRNHLXKVMHOCI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449500},"content":"But I’d prefer a bare table than an aberration of stiff plastic flowers, or some plastic cactus, doomed never to die. The irony is that plastic flowers are the total opposite of what they represent. Real flowers are beautiful and often scented, compositions of nature that live a bright ephemeral life, and then die. It’s part of the fleeting beauty of flowers. Their plastic doppelgängers never die. Their existence on our cafe and restaurant tables is a continuous grim reminder of the omnipresence of plastic in all our lives. Let us not forget, we now live in a world where <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/over-70-of-deep-sea-fish-have-ingested-plastic-study-finds-1.3396891#:~:text=Over%2070%25%20of%20deep%2Dsea,study%20finds%20%E2%80%93%20The%20Irish%20Times\" target=\"_blank\">microplastics have been found in the fish we eat</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WXEEPNWJ3RFRJKUVAOM4DBFRXU","additional_properties":{"_id":"7WOE5GO7JRDQFFEK2LU2H2HEYM"},"content":"Over 70% of deep-sea fish have ingested plastic, study finds","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"QSYEBN2ZTFH6JL5BGZSY7JTZ5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449501},"content":"The trend started small, but it’s now most definitely large-scale, both in spread and size. People have gone mad lately incorporating fake foliage into their shops and restaurants. Why so many of fake arches of flowers over entrances, as if shoppers were attending some pastoral wedding in a rural church, where the flower arches are actually real? Is it because we live in a damp country where bright and brilliant foliage does not routinely drape itself picturesquely around door and window frames? Is there some subversive campaign to make Ireland look more like the hotter regions of Europe?","type":"text"},{"_id":"KIGJIZNBRBCYFCFRBMMQI6Q74Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449502},"content":"I don’t know. Presumably the people who install these arches must think they have some pleasing aesthetic, otherwise why do it? The hard truth is the arches are a load of horrible plastic tat that will progressively fade, and get ever more filthy from passing traffic as the sorry weeks and months pass by. What happens to them then? Even the youngest child of your acquaintance can tell you this plastic tat will go to landfill, where it will not break down in our lifetime.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BDXEFEWJRVWQHCJ7AISXSSVEMU","additional_properties":{"_id":"ME2ZUD2LCJC5HEUCF7XQIWZNLM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"DLZ47Y4MTRCL7JENRUZB7Y6DSE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449503},"content":"A while back, I took a vegetarian friend to <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/food-and-drink/restaurant-reviews/glas-dublin-new-vegan-eatery-makes-some-brave-choices-1.4095693\" target=\"_blank\">Glas</a>, a vegetarian and vegan restaurant in Dublin’s Chatham Street. She was delighted at the prospect of potentially being able to eat everything on the menu, which was creative and delicious. We both enjoyed the excellent food.","type":"text"},{"_id":"N74VKGB2I5CPVGDWBMBBGUZNPU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449504},"content":"However, at some point I got distracted by the amount of plastic foliage in the restaurant. There were plants and trees absolutely everywhere, even in the toilets. I was struck by the contradiction of the restaurant’s ethos, which they state on their website – “we believe in using seasonal vegetables and local produce to create sustainably sourced gourmet food” – and the presence of all this plastic. What is sustainable or sustainably sourced, about one of the world’s greatest scourges, plastic?","type":"text"},{"_id":"RBADZSDSXJF57AZN5KAOEVTICU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449505},"content":"Later, I emailed Glas and asked why they used plastic plants and foliage in their vegetarian and vegan restaurant.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HJ5QRCIDVZE5ZL42FAKZAKEHQE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449506},"content":"Owner Paul Rooney responded: “When we opened Glas in November 2019 we wanted to include plants in our design of the restaurant. We spent €3,500 on plants. They died. I thought I was doing something wrong and not looking after them properly, so I did some more research. We bought some more, spent more money and followed the care instructions to the letter. They also died. There simply is not enough light in the room for the plants to survive.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MJTJEEI4CNF3RGZW53HXTVQTVE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449508},"content":"“We use plastic plants now because the colour and look of them is pleasing to the eye and part of the overall look of the restaurant. They create a nice atmosphere/ambience, whatever you prefer to call it. Most people like the look. Where possible we use fresh flowers that we buy on Grafton Street every week, but they fade fast because of the temperature of the room.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HZBRJTJZ6ZCGLCCRC7VFF2WIWA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449509},"content":"“If I had a different restaurant, serving different food, with a different clientele I might not use plants at all. But for Glas the general feedback is that it works.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"432XQMNKXFEFDJ43RA6UNQKN3A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449510},"content":"The question of aesthetics is personal. Taste is subjective. One person’s view of what makes a “nice atmosphere/ambience” is not the same as another person’s. Neither my friend nor I liked the look of Glas’s plastic foliage. We loathed it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"P2SWY4NVXVC4LJ7IPPRKNZ5YCY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449511},"content":"It was interesting to read in Glas’s response to my questions that the real plants they had installed had failed to thrive. But why, I wondered, was the decision then made to replace them with plastic ones? What’s wrong with no plants at all if real ones keep dying in a particular space, whether for lack of light or any other reason? Is it that as consumers we become so used to being visually overstimulated that restaurant proprietors think we need to have stuff to look at all the time?","type":"text"},{"_id":"47M36YGGJJDAHPWJRT4JGZMSEA","additional_properties":{"_id":"H3C6NKCM5VHM3DLPEQJRCQN3XQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"2XVFIECHPJBKDAA6CIKKSOHDQE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449512},"content":"The space now occupied by <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/food/restaurants/review/2024/07/04/floritz-review-a-glitzy-but-perplexing-new-restaurant-with-an-overwhelming-menu/\" target=\"_blank\">Floritz</a> on St Stephen’s Green is one that holds particularly happy memories for me: I once spent an entire afternoon of celebrations at the former Cliff Townhouse diningroom. There had been <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/seven-awards-for-irish-times-journalists-at-newsbrands-ireland-ceremony-1.3699177\" target=\"_blank\">a career highlight to mark</a>, and myself and the friend I went there with imbibed champagne all afternoon, and ate oysters and seafood pasta, as both our phones throbbed with notifications. We refer to it as our “Day of Days”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3DRD7M4O7RDMTNQOOFL7NGBZWY","additional_properties":{"_id":"FEVRGGIXM5G5ZFZOZYXB6ILMDA"},"content":"Scourge of plastic production now part of a gigantic and unstoppable experiment","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"5DOXOUNPIFEMDAJLB45YIXGST4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449513},"content":"When the space reopened in recent months under new management, the diningroom was renamed Floritz. I went along with the friend with whom I had had that former Day of Days in that very same space a few years previously. The food – baos, sushi, yakitori – was excellent. There are striking wallpaper panels on the walls, which are talking points, along with clever lighting and lots of mirrors. There was also a depressing amount of plastic foliage, mostly of the fake tropical variety.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7ZZ5WPJFVZFCXE2ARJ3UF5YA6E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449514},"content":"Why? I asked my friend, yet again distracted from the food, as I looked around, feeling suffocated by yet more of the world’s unnecessary plastic. The room already made enough of a statement with its decor. Understated it is not. So why add all this plastic to it, representing pretend foliage?","type":"text"},{"_id":"5GRYY44CTRCUVCXXINFI4IISZM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449515},"content":"It made me a bit sad and a bit mad and also a bit depressed, which is not the vibe you want when out with a close friend to have a great night together.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TPFY7OREOBBZZGS2EQ2TXRJY2U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449516},"content":"I emailed Floritz to ask why they used plastic foliage in the restaurant.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RJ5EUAMXCVBFZKLENEG3MWVXMA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449517},"content":"A spokesperson replied:","type":"text"},{"_id":"LC5VK3JSYNARRDQCW7CXCCL5J4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449518},"content":"“The plants used as part of the decor at Floritz are just another tool in the designer’s box of tricks to add to the whole theatre of the restaurant experience. The designers created a deliberately dramatic and theatrical world as a setting for the restaurant’s bold and exotic food.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RFDMX2SL4VDJVMDGNGQ5K4FGQM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449519},"content":"“The planting is used as a decorative element, in the same way the designers used the patterned wallpaper and multiple mirrors – to create an atmosphere and sense of drama.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"QEXKWOVBKJEFXMVXWOUD4GMGSA","additional_properties":{"_id":"S6POZ3YJDBBK7BOUIWZODDQJ2U"},"content":"Floritz review: A glitzy but perplexing new restaurant with an overwhelming menu","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"IMACGMMDMRGLTK3UN4RCFRF2VQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449520},"content":"So in this restaurant, the plastic is a deliberate design choice.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7UM3XM4XHZGXVDUJ3AFROBRZFQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449521},"content":"The restaurant industry seems to be particularly affected by trends when it comes to design – industrial-style bare bulbs and stark wooden tables were everywhere for a time. Now it’s fake foliage, stealthily creeping into these interiors like some kind of 21st-century poison ivy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AQDRNLI3FVDHLI4ZWL4EMJEC3E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449522},"content":"The fact is, customers pay attention to a lot more elements when visiting a restaurant than what’s on the menu, or how much everything costs. They notice things. It’s not always only about the food. I love a good atmosphere in a restaurant; that priceless mercurial quality that makes me want to go back again and again. It doesn’t include being surrounded by plastic versions of nature.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6RVLD7SXAVBSHDO2EFZOQMHCUY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449523},"content":"While writing this, I went into a reverie, wondering if restaurants might ever advertise the fact they use plastic botanicals on their websites, in the same way they list their sample menus and show a gallery of images, because then I would avoid those restaurants and not feel depressingly helpless about the state of the planet on my treasured nights out.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YF5C64SCYZCF3IW76OKKJJA3MY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449524},"content":"What restaurant proprietors think plastic flowers, plants and foliage can positively add to any of their interiors is genuinely a mystery to me. Surely I cannot be the only customer to find this trend so depressing and pointless?","type":"text"},{"_id":"JUYIS3IT7BBBVGLHQYLIWR4BHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449525},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"UGLTFVIYT5DG7BRRNUYJ3DP5OE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449526},"content":"","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Rosita Boland"}},"name":"Rosita Boland"}]},"description":{"basic":"Why do shop and restaurant owners seem to think adding to the world’s collection of plastic tat improves the ambience?"},"display_date":"2024-12-01T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Fake flowers make me sad and mad: Plastic, plastic everywhere and I can’t stand it","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"4OSQFH3JIBDNFO7USE2V3AQKBU","auth":{"1":"6cbf51800303d20f7be06cd1c5ae2887f9947ac4ad713b1254f4d6e82374673b"},"focal_point":{"x":1470,"y":1214},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/4OSQFH3JIBDNFO7USE2V3AQKBU.jpg"}},"subtype":"opinion","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Environment"},{"name":"Climate Crisis"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/12/01/fake-flowers-make-me-sad-and-mad-plastic-plastic-everywhere-and-i-cant-stand-it/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"6XEQQDIVFZGARH7L5ONF2BVDB4","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":929,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/3e9c8cd8-c25f-43dc-9f41-4c79589316a7/versions/1732184998/media/27cf3758529a6a0d19000959bc9a2637_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/12/01/dermot-whelan-mindfulness-isnt-a-cult-we-dont-have-to-get-naked-and-cover-ourselves-in-hummus/","content_elements":[{"_id":"6T4557GRMZD5VK4EP6R4L23SKA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451300},"content":"Sometimes the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/tv-radio/\" target=\"_blank\">radio</a> host and comedian turned mindfulness coach and author <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/dermot-whelan/\" target=\"_blank\">Dermot Whelan</a> writes a single word into his phone diary: bench. It’s a prompt, a reminder to take some time out for himself on that day. The actual bench in question is a tatty, two-seater space between a couple of fish shops on the West Pier in <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/howth/\" target=\"_blank\">Howth</a>, Co <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/dublin/\" target=\"_blank\">Dublin</a> where he lives. He’ll go there on his own or with his wife, the artist Corrina Earlie, and sit, sometimes with a coffee or sausage roll bought from a nearby van, to stare at seagulls, the occasional passing seal or boats in the harbour. “I know it sounds like something a pensioner does,” he laughs over spring rolls in The Dog House restaurant in Howth. “But that time is precious, it’s ring-fenced, it’s for me.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"PUXV6QPR4JCRPFXLUFUCLTNEJM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451301},"content":"The former broadcaster – until relatively recently he was one half of the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/dave-moore/\" target=\"_blank\">Dermot and Dave</a> radio double act, which lasted for 21 years on 98FM and <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/today-fm/\" target=\"_blank\">Today FM</a> – tells me about the bench by way of explaining his upcoming series of live shows. The Busy and Wrecked Tour starts in January. The show is a comic exploration of the kind of overwhelm Whelan says many are experiencing and includes some simple mindfulness techniques he hopes will help people who are struggling to find balance in their lives. It’s a show about the importance of making appointments with ourselves. About finding your own bench.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LV4F6WC5XNABRGIPQSSYOYPR2Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451302},"content":"This is mindfulness, Whelan-style. It involves sausage rolls and gags. It does not involve “sitting in the lotus position on a mountain in your underwear”. He thinks the mindfulness world is too worthy. He is all about “serious transformation without being too serious”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"U6RIOSRDC5AEFHGHXACEDUMIJY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732184710916},"content":"The father of three has a podcast called <a href=\"https://dermotwhelan.com/the-mind-full-podcast/\" target=\"_blank\">Mind Full,</a> where he has interviewed people such as his former co-host <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/dave-moore/\" target=\"_blank\">Moore</a> and his good friend actor <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/cillian-murphy/\" target=\"_blank\">Cillian Murphy</a> about issues such as friendship and flow. His <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/dermot-whelan-i-have-a-skill-to-make-people-laugh-lift-people-s-moods-1.4531143\" target=\"_blank\">book of the same name</a> told the story of his own path from broadcasting to wellness. There’s another book, also called Busy and Wrecked, coming out in April, but before that there’s a tour of Ireland with more than 20 shows including “the big one” at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre in Dublin on January 14th.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7BGYU7H6ENDSRCQKMAYLE4MJA4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451303},"content":"Why did he call it Busy and Wrecked? He had been tuning in, he says, to people’s conversations. “When you ask people how they are, it’s all ‘I’m crazy busy, I’m slammed, flat out’ and then there’s usually a gap because they realise it sounds quite unhealthy. So they tend to throw in the classic ‘but you know, good busy’.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"YW3ODLZOGZCPJN6S6GKEL3VW4A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451304},"content":"Whelan has become a bit obsessed by the concept of “good busy”. What does it mean? Is there a healthy amount of busy? Or is it just something we say to make ourselves feel better?","type":"text"},{"_id":"EWAMEIHKMBHRFN5JDEHFSJ3DMI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451305},"content":"He mentions the <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/may/27/gloucestershire-cheese-rolling-race-coopers-hill-international-appeal\" target=\"_blank\">Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling contest</a> held near Gloucester, England every year. Whoever is nearest the cheese at the end wins, apparently, and it can get hectic. Whelan says YouTube videos of the contest provide a decent metaphor for his busyness theory. “At the start of that race people are really excited, they’ve still got balance, they have big smiles on their faces, they are doing what they want to do. That’s good busy, when you feel like you are still in touch with yourself. But there’s a point in that race when it changes. The expressions on the faces change. The momentum is too much to maintain and that’s when things start to feel off balance”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XG7GMTZMKVBVXP22LG3PWO6JG4","additional_properties":{"_id":"CI2PJWAEJZBNZIDFY7PT4Y4GNU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"OW5TWDNPGNFHNLIP7CDVAQLCOA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451306},"content":"The show, in a way, is about the search for “good busy”. “I think it does exist. It’s when we do things because we want to do them, not because we are avoiding the questions we should be asking ourselves. It’s about being busy but still making time for the important stuff.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"X26E62VYLVFZZICFHKZDNYI2X4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732184710922},"content":"Whelan grew up as the youngest of a big family in Limerick, making home videos and sketches, the urge to entertain clearly present from the start. He was a shy and socially anxious child, but only realised this years later while trying to break into media in Dublin, having worked on film sets behind the scenes for years. Early auditions were a nightmare.","type":"text"},{"_id":"O2JAQT753BGWXM45M65S7GG2GQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451308},"content":"“I knew I could do it but once I got into those scenarios, the blush button turned on, I’d go red and sweat like 10 Christy Moores.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"NACH4SMPONE6NBDM3UWCYGQWII","additional_properties":{"_id":1732184710924},"content":"He recalls one audition at RTÉ in particular, sitting in reception of the television centre, already overwhelmed. “I went to take a drink of water, dropped the bottle, spilt it on the floor then picked up the bottle and put my foot over the water to hide it. The woman came out, looked at me, looked down, saw the pool of water on the floor and on my trouser leg. It looked like I’d lost control of everything before I’d even gone in.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"7OXVXIXDJVGHZPQKDPEPZFSXUY","additional_properties":{"_id":"PGNDO2SCJBBGLNUCDZLEHXWWMY"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"JRV5GTFZHVHWRDT5ZXMEISM4RQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451309},"content":"When, in his late 20s, he joined the newsroom in 98FM, the fact that he was required to work on stories that were short, “felt safe”. He began to stay on, long after work hours, producing comedy sketches. He was put together with Dave Moore for the station’s new breakfast show on 98FM. They hit it off over <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/tv-radio-web/steve-coogan-why-i-m-bringing-back-alan-partridge-1.3797645\" target=\"_blank\">Alan Partridge</a> impressions and forged an on-air partnership that transferred to Today FM and only came to an end in 2023, when Whelan stepped away to make wellness his full-time job.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OAXDZQAO7FHG7FQ27ODVK3VMGM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451310},"content":"He’d already been moving in that direction for years. He has written about a panic attack in 2007 which led to him being brought to the Kilkenny Cat Laughs festival in an ambulance – “very showbiz, what an entrance,” he laughs. “I remember talking to other comedians that night, I expected everyone to be shocked but the other comedians were like, ‘Yeah, I have them all the time.’”","type":"text"},{"_id":"QZITVXPBRBDK7EIBXT4XPEKEKU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732184710928},"content":"He was married with one small baby by now, living in Dublin, doing breakfast radio “which is essentially shift work” and doing comedy gigs at night. He also presented RTE’s Republic of Telly for years. “I prided myself at the time on being able to run on vapours, there was that bravado around a certain kind of lifestyle ... a confusion between stamina and resilience. I thought resilience was the ability to tough it out.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"QF7UAQDIWJHKBPLVULB7WSKYAA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451311},"content":"At his busiest, Whelan remembers engaging in a lot of negative self-talk, “ ... giving out to yourself in the third person out loud. ‘Come on, you can do better than this.’ Holding yourself to account”. He likes to talk about “life soup” and says that at that time his “life soup” was “too much work, not enough rest, the pressures of a young family, more alcohol than was healthy – standard media fare.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"OKMCE4EQUVAHHLFNH7LL6R6JZE","additional_properties":{"_id":"ERZUGB4NTZE3LD6K4NTVYLJAQ4"},"content":"Release your stuff: 12 ways to meditate without actually meditating","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"RS4A7IAMBJHWVCRLAYRBUWDEKY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451312},"content":"He went to a psychotherapist, who told him he was exhausted. He wasn’t happy about that. He wanted a label. A phobia. He wanted to blame something from his childhood. Being told he was exhausted meant rest “and I didn’t want to hear that.” Another red flag was the time he fell down a flight of stairs at a karaoke bar, champagne glass in hand, and knocked himself out. “It was after one of those long record company lunches that don’t happen any more. I knew things had to change.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"M4AOGQ5A2BAWVOSZ3I4RQAJOFU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451313},"content":"A key turning point was being asked to MC duties for a friend’s book launch. She was also a meditation teacher and agreed to teach him some techniques in exchange for his hosting her event. Meditation made sense to Whelan immediately. His “grounded and naturally calm” wife was the first to notice that it was having a positive effect, especially around the bedtime routine with his children. “I had been rushing through it, just wanting it to be over, and she said ‘look how much more patient you are’.” Meditation made him “more present, less ratty, more patient. I started enjoying life more.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"722AKTSQFBBVBAKGRVWVMRX2TA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451314},"content":"Whelan doesn’t want to give the impression that he had one of life’s ‘aha moments’ and everything immediately fell into place. Even though he knew meditation was helping, after a time he stopped being as regular with his practice. “I was busy and distracted and the next thing you know I was talking about it a lot, telling myself I was doing it but I wasn’t really.” That’s when he ended up in his GP’s surgery crying. It was 2017. He had just moved from a lunchtime radio slot, taking over the more important midmorning gig with Dave Moore on Today FM. They were also doing their first Dermot and Dave live tour.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4BRIXU6EXNGIDOK4J4OCKRGVTY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732184710934},"content":"“I remember sitting in the doctors’ office and she asked ‘how are you’ and I burst into tears, one of those shoulder-shaking cries. I told her I was burnt out.” Interestingly, the doctor admitted to being burnt out too. He counts her as a friend now.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7Y2L5EJIUNBRHDPAN25HQAVZ4M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451315},"content":"Crying in the GP surgery was another turning point. He began a year-long online meditation teaching course with a teacher called Davidji, in California. “He made it fun, so I was drawn to him.” The final few weeks included an intensive course in the United States. Back home, he started teaching. He remembers doing a sold-out gig for thousands with Moore in the 3Arena and realising he got a bigger buzz from teaching a meditation course a couple of days later to 30 people in an insurance company in Dublin city centre. His gut, or what he calls his “inner potato”, was speaking loud and clear. “It was like a weight in my belly, a little spud; when I listened to it I knew I had to make the change.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"5436SAUCDFCWFMJEK6YNGVVUAY","additional_properties":{"_id":"4LVJHUHLDZF75LO2NWFXBP3MUQ"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"DNTSPVFXKVGL5FFLZQK2TMT5ZI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451316},"content":"“It was always the mission of the show with Dave that we’d leave people happier than when we started. That’s still my goal; I just do it in a different way that’s more aligned with who I am now.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"BVQIBEKXVJFDXMPYFKQRACKENM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451317},"content":"Despite the fact that mindfulness is now as mainstream as gym membership, there’s still a lot of cynicism. All this talk about being in the moment gives some people a pain in the hoop. “I get it,” says Whelan. “That’s where I was. And I am still cynical about a lot of how this stuff is presented. That’s why I try to use comedy and straightforward common sense and science. Because I don’t like the fluffiness that is built into the marketing of all of this.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"VFIYWHMLNBADNOGSIUX3K3BIGE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451318},"content":"“Traditionally mindfulness and meditation and spiritual wellness is marketed at white women with disposable income. From my perspective, when I was struggling I needed more balance, I couldn’t find anything to relate to ... so that’s why I wrote my first book Mind Full.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"NMHDKCMMX5DMFN2SVJDZ7VY7P4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451319},"content":"He says the wellness world can seem “overly well intentioned and worthy ... it’s like ‘by the way, if you are not into mindfulness then you are getting life wrong somehow. Over in this exclusive group of people who charge our crystals at midnight on a full moon, we kind of have life sorted?’”","type":"text"},{"_id":"PJ6TUSSH2ZHGDLEHTV4QGGA36E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451320},"content":"Whelan hates that attitude. He sometimes gets pushback from other meditators who think what he is doing is not deep or spiritual enough, that it’s too flimsy. “And I say, ‘exactly’, because that’s how we get people in the door.” He’s all for people going deeper, attending Buddhist retreat centres in west Cork or Cavan – “I’ve done all of those things,” he says – but he’s more interested in providing a gateway for people who may never go that deep.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IR37PRJIOVBBFNA6CJALZVMO5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732184710942},"content":"He talks about “the guy in the high vis vest in the digger, who is really struggling under the pressures of the cost of living, who is just trying to keep it together so that he doesn’t yell at his loved ones ... that guy in the digger might just need a couple of tools, some breathing exercises, why should he be left out of the conversation just because he doesn’t go around with a yoga mat under his arm?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"7NTDZDB4KZAQJHQENP6JSYQ5K4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451321},"content":"Whelan’s own daily routine is simple enough. He meditates in the morning and at night. He learned the handy acronym RPM, Rise Pee Meditate, from his teacher in California. He sees RPM as “setting your google maps for the day. This is the direction I’d like to move in, I may take a few detours, I may not reach there perfectly but I’ve set my intention.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"7MOHJTUZYRC27F5ICCLZEUIGCM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451322},"content":"He’s deeply interested and well read in neuroscience and positive psychology, and wants to help people understand what happens in their brains when they meditate, the results that can come even for a complete beginner to meditation.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NYCXOAIJB5GTHIRHET5B2OL4KY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732184710945},"content":"What happens to the brain after meditation? He cites a Harvard study from 2012 which showed how the amygdala, a part of the brain associated with fear and stress, shrank in a group of people who practised mindfulness meditation techniques. Whelan calls the amygdala, the “inner smoke alarm”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"P6AK3PWZWRBGNDMDIDVZZDT7HE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451323},"content":"What can people expect from the show? “Well, I’m blending comedy and meditation, which to a lot of people sounds strange. But the one thing I’ve learned is that humour and comedy helps people ... what I love to see at my live shows is a man sitting with a ‘you’re not going to get me’ face.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"IMRGQ2OKLZAAFAUP6GHTXYURD4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732184710947},"content":"At the start of his shows, Whelan always asks his audience whether they are there because they are looking for some kind of transformation or because they were dragged to the gig by a well-meaning friend or partner. Around half of the audience usually confesses to having been dragged there. “But when I start to tell my own story using comedy, their body language relaxes and then, when the defences are down a little bit, I can start saying ‘I know these are the things you are probably feeling; this is what is causing it; here are some things you can do so you feel a little happier, sleep a bit better, be less cranky around the people you love and be able to switch off. And the best thing is you can use these techniques whenever you want.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"4DT7B2DOPVB77IEFI26KA7CGYU","additional_properties":{"_id":"BLY7O5YYMZAIJMWZDZCXV2NBDU"},"content":"Comedian Rachel Galvo: ‘Anyone can tell I have not been through many hardships, I’m a very privileged person’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"XPV2OEC6XBF4LKRZMZF7FY5YCE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451325},"content":"He also reminds the audience that mindfulness “isn’t a cult. We don’t have to get naked and cover ourselves in hummus. I’m not going to lock the doors. It’s an incredible thing to see a thousand people who are laughing their heads off get into stillness and quiet. I feel like I am a bouncer to their own personal space. And they might never have accessed that space before.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"7TXC7L777NFE7AETSPMQEEZVLM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451326},"content":"He doesn’t expect anyone to become a full-time meditator afterwards. “All I hope is that I open the door for them, that they connect to something they haven’t connected with before. That can be super-profound or it can just be them taking a pause from overthinking and overstressing.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"5MW23PT7XFB37HQM67HKAROOCY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451327},"content":"“On our deathbeds we won’t be thinking, ‘I really wish I’d put together a more complex power point’. We will be thinking, ‘how was I at the precious, private simple moments shared with the people I love the most?’ In the end, most of us just want to be nicer, more aware people.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"VMO44YZLABENFAPCN3NSAB5QVY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451328},"content":"<i>The Busy and Wrecked Tour runs from 2nd January to March 7th. Tickets from </i><a href=\"http://dermotwhelan.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><i>dermotwhelan.com</i></a><i> or </i><a href=\"http://ticketmaster.ie/\" target=\"_blank\"><i>ticketmaster.ie</i></a><i> Dermot Whelan’s podcast Mind Full is available on Spotify and other platforms</i>","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Róisín Ingle"}},"name":"Róisín Ingle"}]},"description":{"basic":"Dermot Whelan made the choice to walk away from radio in order to focus on wellness, his own and other people’s. He doesn’t regret it, he tells Róisín Ingle"},"display_date":"2024-12-01T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Dermot Whelan: ‘Mindfulness isn’t a cult. We don’t have to get naked and cover ourselves in hummus’","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"M325QSHNBNDBDLRBKATWDD6OMU","auth":{"1":"a8e8bcc90980b18b1686b491dee3b2a55be179b8588c1d409c50e6482f891887"},"focal_point":{"x":3110,"y":1560},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/M325QSHNBNDBDLRBKATWDD6OMU.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/12/01/dermot-whelan-mindfulness-isnt-a-cult-we-dont-have-to-get-naked-and-cover-ourselves-in-hummus/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"MCMAKU4ELFBVTF7BMYYH74Y4AM","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":661,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/2b666f03-27ec-404c-9147-d9f491ba1d92/versions/1732809310/media/a180cd9da5f6cd2eea2dcb89d283d94e_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/30/there-could-be-two-cars-but-the-fridge-is-empty-hidden-poverty-in-middle-class-ireland/","content_elements":[{"_id":"56VDI6X6EZE6VN3VHPXVX7J7YA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064307},"content":"On the desk in front of me in an anonymous unit in a business park on the outskirts of Waterford city is a stack of papers. Most of them are forms for first-time clients of the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/st-vincent-de-paul/\" target=\"_blank\">Society of St Vincent de Paul</a> (SVP), a charitable organisation that has operated in Ireland since 1844, helping vulnerable members of society.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VCECNH4ABNEDJBRIYFXVPAILCE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064308},"content":"These forms have been filled in by employees of the society, who take client details over the phone. Included among the computer-generated forms are several handwritten letters, also from first-time clients, who found it easier to write down the story of their circumstances than to make a phone call.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NJU2ERBZLJCJJATIJ3JVRU4IEQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064309},"content":"One phrase catches my eye: “I don’t know who else to turn to.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"UDDI3U5MPBBBNA3E52KTF5KY7A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064314},"content":"This sentiment is one I hear over and over again during the day I spend in this southeast region office, which covers Waterford, Wexford, Carlow, Kilkenny and Laois. It’s a Monday, their busiest day of the week, when staff pick up voicemails, emails and messages left via website forms over the weekend.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MF4EYX4OGJGYVDR4WGUT2MREDE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732807270993},"content":"The island of Ireland is covered by eight offices. David O’Neill, who has worked with the society for 19 years, is the southeast regional co-ordinator. In 2020 the region received 13,264 calls from the public, seeking help. Last year that number rose to 21,248. Food, fuel and energy bills are the most common areas that people seek help with.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SOD73BJBOFH5VMARH422FOO7WM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064316},"content":"“What is happening in this region is representative of all the other regions,” says O’Neill.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DPTKMMFHFVDBRHOFT5Z4ZGJKEU","additional_properties":{"_id":"P4NWOJFE3JGKDPGF3YSWW5ZYNQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"RIC3N2Q5HRBCVIOM4HYRAWWJCA","additional_properties":{"_id":"VUZYY3M4FFFQPPYMJUY7N74GAU"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"QVVAA7BNM5ECTAE53W5EFY2IUU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732807270997},"content":"There are 10 staff in this office, all of whom are paid. Some work full-time, some part-time, and some are on Community Employment schemes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FUJFMRTJGVEJRFWZIH4W42NUSM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064318},"content":"Ann Walsh is listening to the voicemails left over the weekend, and taking calls from the public. First she logs names, addresses and contact numbers in a hardback notebook, then inputs the details into the computer system. There are a number of options on a drop-down menu to reflect the kind of help a caller is seeking.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XWW67AAAAJBHZDK3VEDYV2CJUE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064319},"content":"Christmas help. Clothing. Communion/Confirmation. Debt/money-lending. Delay in social welfare. Education, primary/secondary. Education bursary. Electricity. Food and food vouchers. Funeral expenses. Gas. Health. Holiday. Household goods. Loneliness/isolation. Mortgage. Multiple issues. Oil. Rent. Solid fuel/coal.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JZUDB2ZFZNDXZK3V3W7RWCIVLE","additional_properties":{"_id":"EYFSNALUKNGIVFFLGCDRTUTXXY"},"content":"St Vincent de Paul prepares for record number of calls over financial hardship in 2024","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"KOJQBMALEBGWDMDXXISBKPDFDQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064320},"content":"Walsh breaks down some of these options for me. “Holiday” is a local day trip for a family who would not otherwise have any day out. “Household goods” can be furniture, in which case the caller is invited to visit their local SVP shop that stocks furniture, and choose a table and chairs, or whatever is needed. In the case of white goods, the society will provide half the cost of a midrange item, and the client pays the other half.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4QAMIA5RWZETLIQFFXQPW243QE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064321},"content":"“Health” used to relate to situations such as someone experiencing bad toothache, who otherwise would have had to wait several months to be seen publicly. In the last three years or so, it has been extended to include a cohort of parents seeking to have their child privately assessed for <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/autism/\" target=\"_blank\">autism</a> or <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/adhd/\" target=\"_blank\">ADHD</a>, which is an expensive process, routinely costing several hundred euro.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OGUD43WFEFB3LLOMNEL4AHJ2IE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064322},"content":"“The public waiting lists for these assessments are up to two years, or longer, depending on the area,” says Walsh. “But without the child getting a diagnosis, they can’t access the extra help they need in school.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"M3DTU3MXRRHF5INM55O7ILNDLI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064325},"content":"I spend some time that day sitting with Walsh as she logs calls. The rule is that people who need help must make contact themselves with the society. Sometimes a call will come in from a concerned neighbour, but no action can be taken unless the person in question makes the contact. In cases where the person needs help making a call, they can give consent to be with the concerned person while the call is made.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2I6Z6MTKQVF2BFINHXPD7KHPLY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732807271007},"content":"Every attempt is made to preserve the needful person’s privacy and dignity, which is why the society never makes a cold call to a house.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZRYS52G5WBBGVCQVGIRJUUIBMU","additional_properties":{"_id":"IB7NAKTPUBE2NLMMXM3WBXHCHE"},"content":"Not ‘pinko do-gooders’ but helpers and supporters - how volunteers power the Society of St Vincent de Paul","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"KAKFWD3H6NAHJNETYFVCDUS7MQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064326},"content":"A call comes in from an older man who lives alone. He is a first-time caller. Walsh tells me that his cooker hob is broken. I ask if someone will be sent out to fix it. The answer is no. The society doesn’t employ technicians. This man will get help to buy a new cooker.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IKUQBUEEJNCVJNEYMEQ5KMURVI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064327},"content":"While I am sitting there, a member of the public calls to inquire about donating toys and electrical items for Christmas. SVP, in common with most other similar organisations, no longer accepts any electrical items for safety reasons. Since Covid, they prefer Christmas toy donations to be in the form of vouchers, so new toys can be bought.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2GWVR5SVAZE65O4HP3U5N7DXBU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064329},"content":"More calls come in. People are looking for food vouchers, coal, logs and help with Christmas needs. “The majority of the calls are around food, and there are a lot of single parents, mostly women,” she says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FO3VL4PHO5BB5I6JP3RSIEB7HU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064330},"content":"SVP buys supermarket vouchers in various denominations from Aldi, Lidl, Centra, Tesco, Dunnes Stores, SuperValu and, sometimes at Christmas, from Penneys. They buy them at a 5 per cent discount, with Dunnes giving a 10 per cent discount.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LFESISADLJBPFBCH4DTTH3EBCQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"PJ5WML3VLNFONFBX2RWHUJRRFY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"Z7G42MQCTFDW3LO6OZLDEX7LCM","additional_properties":{"_id":"GW7RX55XOFB3LFIVWBPGDKEGLE"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"2U5BGWXC3FCPBEQJ3AJAHDVDJU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732807271016},"content":"Last year, the southeast office distributed €800,000 worth of vouchers alone in the region.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CJ4EL35655B63AKNO2GUDEK63Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732807271017},"content":"Sometimes first-time callers have experienced an unexpected financial setback. “There was a call from a couple who had just had their third mortgage increase in a year, and who needed their car to drop children to school, and the car had failed its NCT.” They had asked for food vouchers, so that some money could be allocated from their food budget to get the car fixed.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QUZBSDMYQFD63FGN3IXVQIFS5A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732807271018},"content":"“There could be two cars outside on the drive, but the fridge is empty in the house,” says O’Neill. “This is hidden poverty, and it is much more widespread than you might think, particularly in the middle class.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"NVKEVOF7TZBOHG6GO5LYNNKXGY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064344},"content":"Walsh inputs all the details gathered from calls, voicemails and emails into a central computer system. That’s the end of her involvement with these clients, whom she never meets.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TU32UY5S3VD7VESA5YJN37TE24","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064345},"content":"“I don’t know what happens to them after I log the information,” she says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NGCOIUYUQFDNLBFFIYKLGYSZUE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064346},"content":"What happens next is that all this information is then picked up by one of the relevant area “conferences” in the southeast area. “Conferences” is the society’s legacy name for volunteer committees, which meet either weekly or fortnightly, depending on the needs of that area. There are 16 committees alone in Co Waterford.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WEGED3K3NFHV3OZVJISYXBFWFA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064347},"content":"Frances Flahavan is the SVP area president for Co Waterford, and has attended many committee meetings over the years.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JHRJA6RUYFHBRMWYSZY3W3AO2I","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064348},"content":"“We look at the requests for help, and see what we can do. Sometimes we refer people with money problems on to <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/mabs-money-advice-and-budgeting-service/\" target=\"_blank\">MABS</a> [the Money Advice and Budgeting Service], but you can’t budget if you don’t have any money,” she says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LEZFSOW7WBANZF4AFAZ3AFIGRE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064349},"content":"Flahavan says requests from first-time contacts are followed up with a phone call, and then two volunteers visit the person’s house to better assess their needs. Volunteers visit homes in pairs, even if simply dropping off hampers or vouchers at the door, and do not go inside. “Visiting in pairs is the golden rule.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"WV3GIGKL4JHQTKJFAMRMFQ35IU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064350},"content":"Sitting alongside Walsh during the day, I have noticed some repeat names, with some logging up to more than 200 requests for help. Sometimes it’s on a weekly basis, sometimes monthly. I mention this to Flahavan. Is 200 requests a lot from one person or family? It is society policy to be nonjudgmental about all requests for help.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JCU2JZCF5NCRRMSVSKF3US7EZA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064351},"content":"“That is a lot of requests. Those people have included SVP help in their weekly budget,” is what she says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"E4PDYRSYM5AKTEWTRAEYN6YX34","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064352},"content":"Volunteers such as Flahavan also give their time to make home visits and deliver hampers, in addition to meeting on a regular basis to review the requests for help. They also visit prisoners who do not have anyone else to visit them, and review requests for aid with education, including at third level. In this southeast area, there are 1,126 volunteers. A decade ago, the number was 1,850.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PE766O3BYJB4RALQSMDQCICDXU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064353},"content":"“Vincent de Paul won’t work without volunteers,” says O’Neill. The number of volunteers across the charity sector in Ireland continues to drop steadily. “We are finding it harder and harder to get younger people,” he says. He means people in their 30s and 40s, which apparently qualifies as young for a volunteer. Their core cohort of volunteers consists of people who have retired. “But we have started to lose some of them too; for instance, grandparents are now becoming part of childcare arrangements in families.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"NEWRXEVTQJG7ZHQWUDXTTROOWE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064354},"content":"Last year, SVP ran a national media recruitment campaign for volunteers. It yielded just 11 for the southeast region.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BAPTL6GNJFCAPOL3W7YFACSCXI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064359},"content":"Sinead Wall is the area’s membership development officer. “Giving your time is so valuable to us,” she says. One year is the shortest period a person can usefully commit to the society, between the time training and Garda vetting takes. Three to five hours a week after training is the usual ask, but the society is grateful for any time people can spare to help. <a href=\"http://svp.ie/\"><i>svp.ie</i></a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"F6RPYZFQ2REIPIHMKUPM7PTTGA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732794286674},"content":"Some reasons new clients contacted the SVP southeast office","type":"header"},{"_id":"ILTPV5LBCBBH3N3XIHFLJCOUS4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732794286677},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Rosita Boland"}},"name":"Rosita Boland"}]},"description":{"basic":"A day spent in the Vincent de Paul southeast region office reveals the large number of requests from vulnerable seeking help with everything from food and utility bills to rent arrears and broken toilets"},"display_date":"2024-11-30T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"‘There could be two cars, but the fridge is empty’: Hidden poverty in middle-class Ireland","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"3CYMILO3VNAZFPPXZRLZVUR7AQ","auth":{"1":"17410ac65b0c4a472b687d631ff94a06bfd0b5f3b9dc6dd952ea081c90cadd02"},"focal_point":{"x":2743,"y":2403},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/3CYMILO3VNAZFPPXZRLZVUR7AQ.JPG"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/30/there-could-be-two-cars-but-the-fridge-is-empty-hidden-poverty-in-middle-class-ireland/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}}],"count":10000,"_id":"62211ae6f6d4b15f7d2cecb901047abd303e6d95c7837c0065385b97d1438083"},"expires":1733295607196,"lastModified":1733295306929},"{\"feedOffset\":0,\"feedSize\":5,\"offset\":0,\"query\":\"(taxonomy.primary_section._id:\\\"/life-style/travel\\\")\",\"size\":5}":{"data":{"content_elements":[{"_id":"UDF2L5LAMNG3HABKOADEUYPBVI","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":651,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/a6d21169-d47a-418a-a13a-84a38ccca4c7/versions/1732096869/media/0209fa04b21da2ff1e7144e1f1b91ecd_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/travel/2024/12/02/hiking-across-romania-several-times-i-noticed-car-keys-left-in-the-ignition-a-nostalgic-reminder-of-ireland-in-bygone-years/","content_elements":[{"_id":"HKOIYQZNW5D45K5AMQB6LJPL2U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363336},"content":"Standing on a sun-soaked Transylvanian mountain trail, I paused as my GPS instructed me to veer off the dusty path and into the field ahead. Usually, I’d prefer to stick to a trail, and this detour might have been fine if it weren’t for the electric fence barring my way and a large sign screaming “Atentie! Bivoli Periculosi”. I didn’t need Google Translate to figure it out. The photo of a massive horned buffalo stopped me in my tracks.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XT2BU2RPXVBQFH3OMZY4PLR3QE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363337},"content":"When planning my walking holiday in <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/romania/\" target=\"_blank\">Romania</a>, dangerous buffaloes weren’t exactly on my radar. Bears, yes – perhaps I worried about them more than necessary. But buffaloes? That was a surprise. I booked the trip with a company called The Natural Adventure. They handled accommodation and some meals, organised daily bag transfers, and created a self-guided walking itinerary. The route came with GPS coordinates downloaded on to an app and detailed written instructions in case technology failed.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7R53LAXMS5GG7GYFDEKAIRSHYI","additional_properties":{"_id":"KD5TBAQ475F4ZLHXUEG3HSUAG4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"DODQWF26I5CBPEIODXC7X6RKZA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363338},"content":"After much discussion with my hiking buddies, we entered the field. I unclipped the electric fence and scanned for any sign of menacing buffaloes, half expecting an angry horned creature to appear. We tentatively walked across the field and thankfully got to the other side without an animal charging at us.","type":"text"},{"_id":"75XDQSY73REIDGUIQ22HRNYMKM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363339},"content":"I received mixed reactions from friends when I told them I was going on holiday to Romania. Yes, it’s off the beaten track, but the biggest surprise is why. When it comes to natural beauty, history and culture, it has it in spades, easily rivalling the more popular European destinations. But what sets Romania apart is that it hasn’t fallen victim to over-tourism. And if you’re going on a walking holiday, this is music to your ears as the trails are mostly empty.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F4VRO4PD7RFLJL35XKGDIMHYWM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363340},"content":"The tour is aptly named Medieval Castles and Villages of Transylvania and the itinerary promised 84km of walking in six days. The actual distance was 119km, which is very doable for the average hiker. The trails took us through medieval Saxon towns and villages in the southern part of Transylvania. The Saxons settled in this area in the 12th century, and despite many of them leaving after the second World War, their cultural legacy endures.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HGZFOAEXQJE2LNA4V4TC7Q7W34","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363341},"content":"For the first three nights of the trip, we stayed in Badiu’s Guesthouse in Rășinari, a charming Saxon home with signature “eye” windows. The guest house’s rustic comfort, cosy rooms and vibrant garden were the perfect retreat after a day spent in the hills. Run by the welcoming Mr and Mrs Badiu, the hospitality was top-notch despite my non-existent Romanian and their lack of English. “Deutsch?” Mr. Badiu asked me hopefully. I instantly regretted saying I had “a little” when my bad Leaving Cert German failed me. Out came Google Translate, and soon we arranged dinner prepared by Mrs Badiu. Her cooking was outstanding, and every evening she delivered a hearty three-course meal, including dishes such as sour soups, sausage stew and Hungarian goulash – the perfect reward after a long day of hiking.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F6TOUS7O5BCVJJ2DAMMSYGZHII","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363342},"content":"The following morning we set off from Badiu’s, walking through the stone-cobbled streets of Rășinari. The sleepy village was worlds away from what you might expect from a gateway to such a stunning mountain range. Refreshingly, there were no tourist shops or restaurants, just a quiet, old-world charm. Locals shared the day’s news on street corners while farmers drove by in horses and carts. It’s the kind of place you can feel the curious gaze of the locals. Despite that, everyone was very friendly. Several times, I noticed car keys left in the ignition, a nostalgic reminder of Ireland in bygone years. The streets were lined with neatly stacked walls of chopped wood as the locals prepared for the harsh winter ahead. Yet the weather was still summery in September, reaching the high 20s daily.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BO2WOK6PCVC4JBXKL676MW7P2U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363344},"content":"The air was crisp and fresh, a freshness you only experience in the mountains. We followed the path out of the town, through farmland and into a mature forest, where a stream guided us into Cisnădioara. Perched on a hill overlooking the town is a beautifully preserved forfeited church built in the 12th century. An informative audio tour is available using a QR code, and the panoramic view from the top made the extra climb worth the effort.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YDW2QDM5SNCMFGEHCFQ73YBRVU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363345},"content":"After that, we went through a forest before tackling a steep uphill climb for more than an hour, following what looked like a dry river bed. The terrain was mucky and rocky, making the ascent even more challenging, especially under the relentless heat of the midday sun. We arrived at a clearing just in time for our packed lunch. As I scoffed my sandwich, I took in the view: rolling green hills sprinkled with woolly sheep and the distinctive, triangular-shaped shepherds’ huts. We returned to Rășinari through the Roma village of Prislop, where excited kids greeted us. The ramshackle homes illustrated the social and economic challenges that the Roma community faces.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EIL7R4FMLJD2JMR6S6KP2FD6LM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363346},"content":"The next day, we travelled by transfer to Păltiniș, Romania’s highest ski resort. We began our hike uphill beneath the eerily still chairlift, soon entering a dense spruce plantation that lacked the vibrancy of the native forests we had walked through the day before. After 1½ hours, we reached the summit (1,720m), and that’s when I spotted a sign warning us about the vipers. I hadn’t realised that Romania had snakes, never mind venomous vipers – yet another creature to add to my list of concerns.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2JWMZQEDWRFWBFF7WDMS33OOZ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363347},"content":"The second part of this day was rewarding, with hours of walking against the most spectacular backdrop of the trip. The rugged peaks of the Carpathians layered one behind the other, with deep valleys in between. There were more sheep and triangular huts; the only person we met on the trail was an elderly shepherd and his dog. With a staff in hand, he wore the traditional wide-brimmed felt hat that seemed to balance effortlessly on his head. We attempted to communicate, but the language barrier hit again, and without Google Translate available, we resorted to gestures. He understood my request for a photo, which he graciously agreed to, and we continued on our way.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4D2UOF2ZMFDBDFUYYYGRNCYBGU","additional_properties":{"_id":"BBV3D7EGTZB25A2KHRSHGNEPI4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"AXC2ZFUKCRHM3PKEFVC3KSKG44","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363348},"content":"The walking schedule for the third day was light, allowing us plenty of time and energy to explore the impressive Astra Museum and the beautiful city of Sibiu. Astra is one of the largest open-air museums in Europe, housing more than 400 traditional buildings, including windmills and churches, from various regions of Romania. Each structure has been preserved and carefully relocated from its original site. The museum features workshops and exhibitions, and the few hours I spent felt far too short to appreciate everything it offered.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LCDBEQWLCNC6TJ6LSSB7CIUWUI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363350},"content":"It was a pleasant, flat 6km walk through a forest into the Saxon city of Sibiu. We arrived suitably ravenous and enjoyed some hearty Turkish food in our Old Town hotel. After fuelling, we set about pounding the pavement of Sibiu, known for its well-preserved medieval architecture and charming squares. The old town is divided into two levels; the upper levels feature most historic sights, conveniently located in three interlocking squares. The lower level boasts colourful old houses and cobbled streets. The two levels are connected by stairways, bridges and tunnels, making exploring fun. The city was clean and uncrowded, and the sun-drenched squares were alive with market stalls, street performers and plenty of outdoor diners.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BEI6ZEFYCZH6RBWPZQTV63NDFY","additional_properties":{"_id":"TFTQNCPKNRCWHI77YPX2QPW5XE"},"content":"Romania produces great wine too: Four bottles to taste","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"WJOSSMMBRJGY7MWJSO3PJSHDJE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363351},"content":"The following day, as we walked a dusty path from the village of Richis, I saw my first Beware of the Bears sign. I was slightly comforted that it specified “after sunset” and relieved they might be too sleepy to bother us during the day’s heat. We hiked through lush countryside in a portion of the 1,400km Via Transilvanica trail before seeing the town of Biertan appear in the valley below. With its terracotta roofs and remarkable fortified church towering above, Biertan looked like something out of a fairy-tale. The church dates back to 1468, and its turrets and towers look more like a castle. The “Prison for Quarrelling Couples” was an innovative way of dealing with marital issues; the couple was put in a room for several days with one of each of the necessities, from a single pillow to a lone table setting. Make or break, I suppose.","type":"text"},{"_id":"D7E3IMUFLZCVNHCDQIA3BRC5P4","additional_properties":{"_id":"GCYFGUAMD5GZBGG3D4VKGSS5TY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"W424Q52EHZHGLP2LD3IU2JMUUE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363352},"content":"The following night, we stayed in Mălâncrav, a village with the highest proportion of Saxons in any town in Transylvania. As we descended from the hills, we stopped at the Lutheran fortified church, where a choir practised hymns in German. One of the staff there kindly guided us to our accommodation, a restored Saxon house maintained by a preservation trust. That night, it felt like sleeping in a very comfortable museum. If only those walls could talk.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VKOQ2OCIIFCARO4SASV5HTQCEQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"SO3DEVYNNJAJZGUXNZDF2IRRVA"},"content":"Kill or confine? Italy and Romania wrestle with bear attacks response","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"ZBXHNVGDERHUBOWWVGPFKWDVTE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363353},"content":"Thankfully, it was only on the last day that we got close to a bear – sort of. Near Sighisoara, we stumbled across a massive pile of bear poo, still steaming! A few hundred meters later, a fresh paw print greeted us. We instantly picked up the pace, practically speed-walking into the medieval town of Sighisoara, famously the birthplace of Vlad the Impaler, the inspiration for Dracula, adding an eerie allure took the town’s historic charm. Just when I thought we had made it safely, my phone blared an emergency alert: there was a bear in town. Arriving in one piece was sweeter – and luckier- than I’d thought.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XBDMJRGTXBGIVK3XZVSEM5EPXE","additional_properties":{"_id":"B7RNAGXGJBBAFDF5B7KNH7M7C4"},"content":"Vlad Tidings - Frank McNally on the wild side of Transylvania","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"DMIVHYKKGVFB5IMJJNC3Q2BXZI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732016870991},"content":"<i>Deirdre Mullins was a guest of The Natural Adventure on the Medieval Castles and Villages of Transylvania tour. Prices start from €910 and the tour is available from May to October. For more information and to book, please visit </i><a href=\"http://thenaturaladventure.com/\"><i>thenaturaladventure.com</i></a>","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Deirdre Mullins"}]},"description":{"basic":"From wild bears to sausage stew and famed historical prisons, Romania is a remarkable place to visit, made all the more special by its unspoilt nature"},"display_date":"2024-12-02T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Hiking across Romania: ‘Several times, I noticed car keys left in the ignition, a nostalgic reminder of Ireland in bygone years’","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"2ZTOPKRPOVBKFD4TWEKPY7OFIU","auth":{"1":"e61466b2c71f0e7c3836217b0869d4dce02d1c92ea474280c902264d7142f87d"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/2ZTOPKRPOVBKFD4TWEKPY7OFIU.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Travel"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/travel/2024/12/02/hiking-across-romania-several-times-i-noticed-car-keys-left-in-the-ignition-a-nostalgic-reminder-of-ireland-in-bygone-years/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/travel","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Travel"}}}},{"_id":"EDMXZD33KNHCFDS6YBDM7ET6AU","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":778,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/7282657b-3d20-42c6-86fe-1c3702c0c50d/versions/1732191872/media/56f97d1775a4d421ebfe2f8b85fbd590_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/travel/2024/11/24/goodbye-to-the-46a-end-of-legendary-dublin-bus-route-made-famous-in-song/","content_elements":[{"_id":"JBMN27ZEVVC3NG7HHKTGCZNX6U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372186},"content":"On an odyssey along the entire route of a bus that’s a cross-section of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/dublin/\" target=\"_blank\">Dublin</a> city and suburbs this week, many passengers don’t know the 46A’s days are numbered. And not everyone knows the 1980 Bagatelle song that made the route famous, but a surprising number do, of all age groups.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CHP5LW2QJNEVNOV75ZTWUQQAZY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372187},"content":"<i>“I remember that summer in Dublin ... / I was singing a song I heard somewhere, called Rock‘n’Roll Never Forgets / When my hummin’ was smothered by a 46A and the scream of a low-flying jet / So I jumped on a bus to Dún Laoghaire, stoppin’ off to pick up my guitar ...”</i>","type":"text"},{"_id":"BZWMQVQFBNAMBC5HF6YL3IM52Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372188},"content":"The bus route may be legendary, it may be handy and cover a large area, but it is not rapid: the 46A bus goes around the world for sport. A Google Maps search on Monday is telling: from <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/dun-laoghaire/\" target=\"_blank\">Dún Laoghaire</a> to Infirmary Road, the 46A route takes 55 minutes via Dart plus bus, while the 46A itself is the last option on the route search, taking a whopping one hour and 37 minutes. Transport for Ireland’s app does not even suggest the 46A to me for that journey.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EFWIKTOJMNELXMIYWG3GYXHVBQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372189},"content":"So I jump on a<i> </i>bus <i>in</i> Dún Laoghaire, to travel the full long and winding route this week, a farewell voyage. It’s 10.30am and wet, a far cry from summer in Dublin. Several people get on at the stop near the Dart station, the bus pulls off and goes through the town, left on to York Road trundling through southside suburbs towards <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/deansgrange/\" target=\"_blank\">Deansgrange</a>, heading for the Stillorgan Road/N11. There’s a busy throughput with people of all ages hopping on and off along the way; mostly solitary, a couple of friends, a bunch of teenage lads go upstairs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IE4GRK5JIJAAJP72XA2IN33PJA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372190},"content":"Niamh Rush takes the 46A to college in <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/institute-of-art-design-and-technology-dun-laoghaire/\" target=\"_blank\">Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art Design and Technology (IADT)</a>, 10 minutes away. She knows it’ll be renamed the E2, but “why don’t they keep this one, and just make it 24 hours?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"RJLEAE6JMFBGLJTVIJX66Q6C2E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372191},"content":"Loretto Connors says she gets the 46A “every day, twice a day”, from Leeson Street to pick up her methadone “fortunately” at the Dún Laoghaire clinic and back. She calls methadone “liquid handcuffs” saying it’s “a fancy name for being put under the thumb. But it keeps you stable.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"RWPHZ2QFBVGELMUFLNVABHV4FA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372192},"content":"Luke is nostalgic. He’s always lived along the route so it’s “a staple of my life. It’s continuity”. His grandmother in Kilmacud even had photos of the 46A. He’s on his way to<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/st-stephen-s-green/\" target=\"_blank\"> St Stephen’s Green</a>. “It’s probably one of the best routes in the country. It’s regular and services a lot of areas.” He’s keen on it going 24 hours: “Bring them in, big-time. Who can afford €50 for a taxi to Dún Laoghaire?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"UA7WNFTUBNCPJOTFDWEBJ7GZJQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372193},"content":"When the 46A becomes the new <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/busconnects/\" target=\"_blank\">BusConnects </a>E2, it’ll run 24 hours, a huge plus for thousands of residents in a European capital in 2024 still without 24-hour public transport. Many of the passengers are delighted about 24-hour service at last, but are dismayed it’s been delayed again, and won’t run over the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/christmas/\" target=\"_blank\">Christmas </a>period.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TZSYOTWLMJAI7FWA74SLB5RBOM","subtype":"youtube","type":"oembed_response"},{"_id":"TP5HFMLP4NHGHG2ENCECUVJHQY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732235627498},"content":"Koketso Metlapeng from South Africa has been in Ireland four years. She knows the 46A is going. “There’s no day I don’t use the 46A.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ROIQVADIXBG7BIHAZ555ODEVZY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732235627499},"content":"Student Shraifa Mohanan gets on at Deansgrange, heading to <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/ucd/\" target=\"_blank\">UCD</a>: It’s supposed to run every six to eight minutes she says but “sometimes it comes late”. A young woman getting off says she gets the 46A “every day, for the job” as a home-carer.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZBRBBGVW5ZB53N7EPYBTOJKR6Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372195},"content":"It’s 10.48am and we’ll turn on to the N11 soon. The bus is moving swiftly as there isn’t much traffic. It stops very frequently, a steady stream getting on and off.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PUGZIFMDKZCATIOPFPGTPMMEAY","additional_properties":{"_id":"BXNHQTIOD5C7HACXNSSUZKDTXM"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"EQIJKLVWANCQZIPBWLYOKCTPCI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372196},"content":"Upstairs Sue Norton moves into the window seat to make space. She’s travelling from Kill Avenue and works at <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/technological-university-dublin/\" target=\"_blank\">Technological University Dublin</a>. She often gets the 46A all the way to Grangegorman campus; with drivers changing in Donnybrook, and various pauses along the way, it can take an hour and 45 minutes. “It’s a bus, not a magic carpet,” she says, laughing. She wanted information on the changes and emailed both <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/dublin-bus/\" target=\"_blank\">Dublin Bus</a> and BusConnects, but is still none the wiser. I tell her what I know (multiple times today I’m an unofficial information service) and she’s relieved the route changes are slight. “A rose by any other name. And that’s marvellous, 24 hours.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"OZLEVBIVJJBI5DHUDTRBGL2Z2Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1732235627503},"content":"There’s a bit of traffic. It’s 11.05am. We’re passing UCD. A few people are chatting, others wearing earphones. The bus is clean, but someone scattered the constituents of a salami sandwich on an upstairs seat.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZN2FLKC7SNBZRNCXUDJKZSHXCU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372198},"content":"Down the back on the upper deck, Jennifer Nelson didn’t know the 46A was going. “That’s shocking. It’s part of living in Dublin.” She got it for years, to school in Muckross in <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/donnybrook/\" target=\"_blank\">Donnybrook</a>, then to <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/trinity-college-dublin-tcd/\" target=\"_blank\">Trinity</a>. She’s delighted its replacement will run 24 hours. She laughs about how it stops for ages sometimes in Donnybrook to change drivers. “Could be two minutes or half an hour. It’s always been this way.” Today there’s no driver change.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BIXXZQTVVFFBPBZM3UKU65FIGM","additional_properties":{"_id":"W7TQIDVEOFBKBPUZVK4VALQ52U"},"content":"Dublin Bus commuters give their views on services: ‘I just wish they were more regular’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"QQ2HDNXY4BHZDFWUFQEHGWNT3Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372199},"content":"Tim O’Hanrahan, a retired doctor from Sligo visiting his daughter near Mount Merrion, regularly gets the 46A. He’s going to the Mater hospital for monthly oncology treatment, which is going very well. “It’s convenient; a great service for me”, and only takes half an hour. He knows Summer in Dublin, laughing as he quotes “a drunk on the bus told me how to get rich. I was glad we weren’t goin’ too far”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BLUO4W3XRJD7TFGUOUAI5BMWE4","additional_properties":{"_id":"YJYAMPZG45DN7HS2V6DRZLCEKY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"VXZAJZYWRZFC3EKFJE3LJYWKFI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372200},"content":"Another passenger has been worried about the 46A ending, as changing buses would be too much hassle going to work. News that it’s basically a name change “may delay my early retirement”, she says, laughing.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QQYL2QYYQJFGZKGW6K5ZSX6TSU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372201},"content":"Downstairs, on Leeson Street, Mairéad O’Flaherty is getting ready to get off. She’s on her way home to Inis Mór after visiting her daughter. “Of all the buses in Dublin this is one I’m aware of, probably because of the song.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"YKDU6EQU25F7DKUWMVEPV7AWQM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372202},"content":"Past Stephen’s Green, at 11.25am the bus turns on to Dawson Street. Outside it’s raining, the street a sea of umbrellas. The thud-thud of bus windscreen wipers punctures the quiet inside. Past Trinity, over O’Connell Bridge, passing the GPO, Henry Street, the Gresham Hotel. As they get off, many call out to the driver: “Thank you!” Later he tells me he can’t hear that well because of the protective side-screen, but through the mirror he sees when people say thanks getting off. “It’s nice.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"SK52BTGB6FDQNBXZULQL7TMXDA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372203},"content":"Thais Perez from Brazil gets on at <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/o-connell-street/\" target=\"_blank\">O’Connell Street</a>, heading to Dublin 7. In Ireland two-plus years, she works as a carer and lots of her clients got 46A all their lives, she says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TLHTD7VW4ZFMPAPKFW6D677WQ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372204},"content":"It’s 11.39am; traffic eases. Up Mountjoy Street, past the Mater, left on to the North Circular Road and through Phibsborough village. Upstairs there should be a great view of the gracious redbrick houses, but it’s impeded by ever-present bus condensation. Stopped outside Technological University Dublin at Grangegorman, drips from a tree above on to the roof make a loud echo.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PLVBY7N6ZRHYPBDK5CM47XEQ4A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372205},"content":"This route is a cross-section of Dublin city, geographically and socially; a sort of public transport Ulysses, its mutating flavours signalled by the changing election posters of the electoral districts we pass through. The E2 bus replacing the 46A on essentially the same route is classed as a “spine”, along city corridors. Spine is a good analogy for the 46A, linking at least four third-level colleges and threading through affluent southside suburbs, Georgian Dublin, the N11 dual-carriageway, city centre, north inner city, the Victorian terraces to the Phoenix Park.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UPXGSLT7GZCSVHP242PCDOFQWM","additional_properties":{"_id":"BRECMF76A5AJHMTKRXTPY3BHRA"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"L3HSD4TRHJEUTHTMCVLSRKWCRU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372206},"content":"Upstairs in the front seat, Lola Thew and Liam Kelly are heading to Phoenix Park for a walk in the rain. They’re a bit sad the 46A is going. He regularly gets it from Phibsborough to Heuston, going home to Kildare. For years she got the 46A from Phibsborough to UCD. “It’s a nice journey. Never too full.” Amazingly given their age, the youthful pair are familiar with the Bagatelle song. “I saw it on Insta,” says Lola.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HX7M2UBWSJB3TMJSKLMRGVJ6EU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372207},"content":"The last few passengers get off. End of the line. It loops: along Parkgate Street and the new courts building, then back up Infirmary Road and on to the North Circular, to retrace its steps back to Dún Laoghaire.","type":"text"},{"_id":"APFKSGGFENBPHE4EEHKGN5IZB4","additional_properties":{"_id":"RKKAYXBSFNH7NEUP36F36SDHLU"},"content":"Readers' letters: The mystery and romance of the 46A","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"CJJ3WOE6GFDW3LCZQ4FFRDXRCQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372208},"content":"The courteous young driver hasn’t heard of the song, but this route is fine, he says, when he’s stopped. He’s only four weeks on the job, and getting used to shift-work. He hadn’t driven a heavy vehicle before, nor driven in the city centre. The training was great and the tutors were very nice, he says. He notices the same passengers getting on and off the bus, sometimes the same day.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VASCMNBGWFGCFOPE63ZE6ZYBYI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372209},"content":"At the back, I speak to a man who says, “Call me William the Northsider”. He takes the 46A regularly to Phibsborough. My informal BusConnects info service tells him it may not do the North Circular Road in future. He shrugs. “The doctor says I should be walking more anyway.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"WA3SVO5ZIBCLRLOZYDPEENPUKY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117918378},"content":"The new E spine: BusConnects phase to begin in 2025","type":"header"},{"_id":"SAF4ADRREVB3XO3LX5X6IWPZZ4","additional_properties":{"_id":"GB7RLM623JEWJNHDK4GFQ2YP7E"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"GX7ZZEZFPZBLJHKDWLKPC7GEWE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732235627520},"content":"The 46A route dates from the late 1920s, though there have been a few changes to the service over the years.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4XXVM72PYJA2BBQQPZNUWCJPGM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117918379},"content":"Currently, it begins at the Phoenix Park and ends at Dún Laoghaire, or vice versa depending on what way you’re travelling, with a promised frequency of about every 10 minutes during peak times.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XE5OZJ363VGAVDA46WT5PFIPPQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117918380},"content":"Beginning on Infirmary Road, adjacent to the Phoenix Park, the 46a route travels down the North Circular Road, past St Peter’s Church in Phibsborough and the Mater hospital. It then travels down Blessington Street, past the Garden of Remembrance and the Spire on O’Connell Street, going across the river Liffey to D’Olier Street.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LDURFOHM2VCULHKV3LX342LGSU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117918381},"content":"The route then goes down Nassau Street, Kildare Street, past St Stephen’s Green and on to Leeson Street Lower, Fitzwilliam Place and Leeson Street Upper.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ELG4FBUDDJFJVGAGKVN6UKHKMY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117918382},"content":"It travels past the Royal Hospital in Donnybrook, through the village and past Donnybrook stadium and church, RTÉ's campus and up the Stillorgan Road, past the Radisson Hotel and St John of God Hospital. It also passes Foxrock Church, Deansgrange Cross and IADT Dún Laoghaire. The route ends on Crofton Road in Dún Laoghaire near the Dart station.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YYYZOM7VF5G3RMA5ZQOMJP5G2Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117918383},"content":"From January, the E2 will be in place. It will start at Ikea in Ballymun, travelling on to the Ballymun Road, past the DCU campus and on to Glasnevin before moving into Phibsborough and on to the city centre, through Donnybrook and up the Stillorgan Road, finishing at Dún Laoghaire.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4Z3VADDNHREGRHBH6XR2C2SBFE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117918384},"content":"The E1 will also travel a similar route but will begin in Northwood in Santry, move through the city centre and up the Stillorgan Road, but will then go on to Bray, finishing up at Ballywaltrim in Co Wicklow. Both the E1 and E2 will be 24-hour routes, but neither will serve the area directly surrounding the Phoenix Park or Infirmary Road.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QALOXOIP4ZETVMBP2JTMYGBDFI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117918385},"content":"Under the changes in the new year, the number 11 from Sandyford will be diverted at Parnell Square to run via Phibsborough and the North Circular Road to the Phoenix Park. The 4 route from Monkstown will be diverted at O’Connell Bridge to Heuston Station. The changes are part of the latest phase of the BusConnects project, a reorganisation of Dublin’s bus routes. The E routes are one of several key “spines” through city. The routes, which come under the 6a phase, were due to be rolled out in November but were postponed until after Christmas. – Sarah Burns","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Deirdre Falvey"}},"name":"Deirdre Falvey"}]},"description":{"basic":"The bus memorialised by Bagatelle, which runs from Phoenix Park to Dún Laoghaire, is a cross-section of the city, geographically and socially. It will soon be replaced by a 24-hour service"},"display_date":"2024-11-24T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Goodbye to the 46A: End of legendary Dublin bus route made famous in song","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"D7UNGXJQURF4ZFWOP5QTYE623A","auth":{"1":"438756f291ce480e1a9349feef7c5050f3a000d96d7c19fe2c18298333a9c5ce"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/D7UNGXJQURF4ZFWOP5QTYE623A.JPG"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Travel"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/travel/2024/11/24/goodbye-to-the-46a-end-of-legendary-dublin-bus-route-made-famous-in-song/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/travel","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Travel"}}}},{"_id":"HH5NB5BXJJHJNARPGJQWBNVM7U","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":693,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/26425c1f-2421-4155-9fa0-4d2d35be358c/versions/1731496185/media/4946626d9bfe4b37428226c9920fb067_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/travel/2024/11/24/in-need-of-minibreak-before-or-after-christmas-here-are-16-of-the-best-around-ireland/","content_elements":[{"_id":"Y76K2TF3O5GVJK4A7XEE3GKRLI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569830},"content":"From chilling out at a romantic fireside to full-on festive family fun, let someone else do the work this <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/christmas\" target=\"_blank\">Christmas</a> with an Irish winter minibreak.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SYWQM4CW2ZH5JFR5DHKBQWF3DM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569831},"content":"<mark class=\"hl_yellow\">Before the big day</mark>","type":"header"},{"_id":"MKKMVLKW2VBPJLKQSISF7FIDXE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569832},"content":"Thank goodness Halloween keeps Christmas at bay until the end of October at least, but when you’re ready to dive into the fairy lights, here are some of the best spots to try.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NFYWHOQ36FCYPIUGG3REA2746Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569833},"content":"Galmont Hotel, Galway","type":"header"},{"_id":"GSRKNBK3F5BWBAJWSB2YCWS63U","additional_properties":{"_id":"ZHRFBEINSRC7NNE7GF2EIDELIY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"TKMWGJGZPVDCFDS3LYMMVSMQJM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569834},"content":"Galway throws itself right into the festive action with the surprisingly wonderful Christmas Market on Eyre Square, Santa’s mini train, and the big View Wheel offering glittering vistas of everything – highly recommended for all ages. Add mulled wine and snacks on site, and it’s seriously Christmassy craic. B&B at the nearby and very excellent Galmont Hotel from €219 per room, <a href=\"http://thegalmont.com/\" target=\"_blank\">thegalmont.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"TGQ36ZIOSVGRTO52BB6WL6RBHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569835},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.wineport.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">Wineport Lodge</a>, Westmeath","type":"header"},{"_id":"JTMP6DTGRFEB3M3FC5U5XAWU3E","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569836},"content":"“We must get together” is a frequent Christmas cry. Although billed as a “girls’ getaway”, the Wineport Lodge doesn’t exclude men, so all and any are welcome to its Festive Bubble Break. The name itself should help do a good job of luring your pals to join you. Includes a bottle of chilled bubbles and Irish chocolate truffles on arrival, a four-course dinner, B&B in a lake view room, and a lake side hot tub with (more) bubbles, both in the hot tub, and in your glass before you leave. Available December 1st to 22nd, from €524 for two sharing.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OX2FPKJWIZDYLMRCMNTZE3L6YQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"BJHILNKCN5GMFF2C6OQ27ANT4E"},"content":"Winter walks: Eight picturesque trails with places to eat and drink at the end","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"2GACHTVLKBHWXNO5UX66FDPGCY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569837},"content":"Woodland Suite at the <a href=\"https://www.themontenottehotel.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Montenotte</a>, Cork","type":"header"},{"_id":"KPQMGFWLBJD75FMNREI3XJRZVQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"HBOJWRYLCJD4BN2X2M7TYAT7BA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"DMREBPYC3JGVPGBJOZ42JFIA5I","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569838},"content":"This Winter Escape Package is available on selected dates right through into January, but go before Christmas and you might find the hamper in your room takes care of some of your gifting dilemmas, as it includes a McNutt wool throw, tea blends and Champagne. Perched on the wooded banks overlooking the river Lee, the Montenotte’s new(ish) Woodland and River Suites are a glorious experience in escapist design. Two nights’ B&B, hamper, welcome Champagne, dinner for two on one night, sundowner cocktails and healthclub and on-site cinema access from €770 per night, for a two-night minimum stay. Book just one night without all the bells and whistles, though you’ll still get bubbles on arrival, from €600.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5VAP3OKFTJC4VPXGOQHWP22KPM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569839},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.number31.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">Number 31</a>, Dublin","type":"header"},{"_id":"ONTPUBCULNHYND6REE25RIYT3A","additional_properties":{"_id":"GWPZO7TMRNDUFO7WZ7L6IIYI3I"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"CUBPFLTTA5ACJEJLJBGTJ6OC7U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569840},"content":"A place that makes you feel like you’re in on one of Dublin’s best-kept secrets, Number 31 is a hotel of two parts. One side is a lovely Georgian townhouse, beautifully done up with warm and witty design, while on the other is a modernist gem of a place in what was once the city pad of architect Sam Stephenson (of Central Bank fame), sunken fireside conversation pit and all. Christmas in the Capital gives you bed and very excellent breakfast from €199 per room.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WZAWCHUFP5G5HMHF2PHSB33C5E","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569841},"content":"<mark class=\"hl_yellow\">Christmas</mark>","type":"header"},{"_id":"AAIU4GD4X5GY7PILHQIZ3MFYGQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569842},"content":"Spending Christmas in a hotel is generally either because the extended family member hosting this year simply can’t fit you all in, or because you’ve taken a firm stand against all that prep and catering, and are going to make sure everyone gets taken care of by someone else for a change. On a more serious note, Christmas hotel stays can be a wise way to start some new traditions if you have had a change in your family circumstances during the year.","type":"text"},{"_id":"I7HM6HPEEJDBFGFSME7ZAA3SKE","additional_properties":{"_id":"Q7IUYGEK6BB4DEMZIDUIMCM32M"},"content":"Marseilles is having a moment: The best places to eat and drink around the French city","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"KZ26JNZ7DJA25F4MCEWUYQREDE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569843},"content":"<a href=\"https://ferrycarrighotel.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">Ferrycarrig Hotel</a>, Wexford","type":"header"},{"_id":"DHVRMVNEOFFYHMEADGGHEVMBAU","additional_properties":{"_id":"OFCD75C525B5BDJCDUYRHRSHNE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"NFFXWW4MR5CGBEGTTKH4LJX4RM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569844},"content":"The Ferrycarrig, one of those hotels that manages to make all the disparate family members feel welcome and happy (should you have a disparate family, that is), has a great location on the banks of the Slaney, a short spin from Wexford town. Christmas at the hotel starts on December 24th, and your package covers all meals, including Christmas lunch, plus a visit from Santa himself, €595pps for two nights, €695 for three. Children up to three years old are free, from €185 per child up to eight years old, and €215 per child up to 16 for the two-night package.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LB4GOEMU6JH3PEBMIZQOLG5ZRY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569845},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.parkkenmare.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Park Hotel</a>, Kerry","type":"header"},{"_id":"6L25GQGYMNCELLOWMX3Y644S3I","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569846},"content":"Go full deluxe, and utterly arty at Park Hotel Kenmare, where artists from the hotel’s extensive contemporary collection have been invited to join local artists and create bespoke baubles for the Christmas tree. As these include Sean Scully, Guggi and Dorothy Cross, it’s a lot to imagine. Three nights, starting on Christmas Eve, include cocktails, choral music, all meals, games and quizzes, a visit from Santa and all manner of other marvellous Yuletide treats. Three nights from €3,906 for two.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FC5V4ZKLZZG7JM6HSK35TNWX4Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569847},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.glenloabbey.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">Glenlo Abbey</a>, Galway","type":"header"},{"_id":"HVNYPXFD3ZGYZMW5IC6FYFHWUY","additional_properties":{"_id":"ATO65PVZMBFGNMEGA2QSG5OG7U"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"X7EYZ7H5AVGGRAQFL4Z7TTULSA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569848},"content":"On the outskirts of Galway, as you take the road west, Glenlo Abbey sits you firmly in prime position on its 138-acre estate, on the shores of Lough Corrib. Check in on Christmas Eve with a mulled wine welcome, and enjoy festive themed things to do, including seasonal movies on-site, and serenity walks (handy for the overexcited). Includes music, a quiz, dinner, gifts, Christmas lunch, supper and more less festive activities such as golf. Two nights from €1,200pps, three from €1,650, reduced prices for children.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BRQX4MORIVE4VIUC5T6YFIRWKY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569849},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.cartonhouse.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Carton House</a>, Kildare","type":"header"},{"_id":"2LOQDQGSSFBJZOX6V6GG2DRD3Q","additional_properties":{"_id":"NICYFE4AFVFM5NOIWTKEOPDG2I"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"RRJV3NTA7VE63J7XPQGD56QL6A","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569850},"content":"Head to Kildare for a stay fit for a queen: back in the day, the lords and ladies of Carton House even went so far as creating a lake to amuse Queen Victoria. Today you can stay over Christmas and be regaled with mulled wine and mince pies, a Christmas gift and a stocking full of treats hanging on your door. Then there’s a breakfast buffet, a nice festive stroll round the glorious grounds, and a five-course Christmas lunch, followed by a nice nap, or gentle board games. Evening snacks and live entertainment see the day out. Two nights from €1,240pps.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HJL5KZ422RDKDJQUDTSWCTI73U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569851},"content":"<mark class=\"hl_yellow\">Twixtmas</mark>","type":"header"},{"_id":"5MOSJNEYRVHKBIYPAPPFSDJRB4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569852},"content":"“Twixtmas” must be one of the most hideous marketing terms ever coined for what is one of the nicest times of year. The week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve can feel like time stolen back from the noisy world. Steal your own time here.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2OMQ6SPLVND23PX2Z75BT3TKDA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569853},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.inchydoneyisland.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Inchydoney Island</a> Lodge and Spa, Cork","type":"header"},{"_id":"QNRWG5D22BEDBAYZQMC2KWY4HY","additional_properties":{"_id":"FZDU7WRXPBDWFECBRB4D76E6EM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"N7EWZ4HARFEPXKHBZGKKQLJUH4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569854},"content":"It might be a clever ruse to name a minibreak after less than excellent weather, but there are fewer better places to watch a decent winter storm than west Cork’s Inchydoney Island Lodge and Spa. Their Storm Watcher Package gives you two nights’ B&B, dinner on one evening, a warming Storm Watcher cocktail, complimentary yoga on selected days (check when booking) and indoor seawater therapy pool access, from €299pps, excluding New Year’s Eve.","type":"text"},{"_id":"S6BCYHJP5FB37DEZFLUUPS3FF4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569855},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.merrionhotel.com/\" target=\"_blank\">The Merrion</a>, Dublin","type":"header"},{"_id":"EY4SHLC57VERLJJTPCYBRZFZ2E","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569856},"content":"Bring the family to Dublin, whether for one of the pantos, or other seasonal theatre fun including The Gate’s The Borrowers (from €15, until January 12th), and stay over with interconnecting rooms at The Merrion, with The Winter Family Getaway offering B&B for four, plus free room service dinner for children under 12 for €1,050 on selected nights until January 31st.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NOVTAFWSMZCFHJZDHTGVTHROYM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569857},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.thejohnstownestate.com/\" target=\"_blank\">The Johnstown Estate</a>, Meath","type":"header"},{"_id":"O4SZQCBWJVDVVJPBY3EFLJO6AM","additional_properties":{"_id":"XKYTZIJGDBBWZCRCMJEPSWXBCY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"VAV3NFVGPRCZJNANDHZYEEXRLM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569858},"content":"Meath’s Johnstown Estate has two nights of Post Christmas Chill including strolling round the grounds, lolling in the outdoor hot tub, relaxing by the open fires and indulging in evening entertainment. You’ll get B&B dinner on both nights including one in the hotel’s fine dining restaurant, Fire & Salt, from €680 per room for two. Check in December 27th or 28th.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V3XUGXCEAJGUBGALFN3I7SBFM4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569859},"content":"<a href=\"https://doylecollection.com/\" target=\"_blank\">The Westbury</a>, Dublin","type":"header"},{"_id":"OCFNN77DSNAKTKZ5XRFQY22OMU","additional_properties":{"_id":"FXF4F2ZKIJB4LJTQAYSATN3OKE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"IZMHK4O6PRB3JN2VTISBNRBCKY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569860},"content":"The sales don’t wait till January these days, and you’re in the heart of the action at The Westbury. It’s also a very nice place to sleep over if shopping isn’t a lure for you. The Festive Family Moments package includes B&B for two, plus a family portrait photo session for up to five people beside the hotel’s glitzy Christmas tree, so if you’re not feeling too haggard after the big day, this might be next year’s family card all snapped up. Check in dates December 27th to 29th, from €630 per room.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BBX4TVJYRBGQHPXRYRQOVILJU4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569861},"content":"<mark class=\"hl_yellow\">New Year’s Eve</mark>","type":"header"},{"_id":"7DFXGI7GKVA7JNODTUOJ3AWDFE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569862},"content":"For those of us who frequently peak too soon, here’s a tip: tune in to one of those countries that ring in the new year a couple of hours ahead – Greece, Finland, South Africa for starters – enjoy the celebrations, and be tucked up nicely, ready to wake up when you are good and ready for 2025. Or book a hotel, get your nap in and get ready to countdown to the cheers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4DRIT33KXVCKDLP3AHOGCIX4WU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569863},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.icehousehotel.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">Ice House Hotel</a>, Mayo","type":"header"},{"_id":"JRS2OV2CPJGSNALKVI5RD4ZDIE","additional_properties":{"_id":"UOM5KWCTDBH2XIQHVSHVCHZX4Y"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"42JMAZDLMZF65CFNRZCIZXXT6Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569864},"content":"Don’t just say goodbye to 2024, but start 2025 right at Co Mayo’s Ice House. On the banks of the river Moy, you’re on the spot for fabulous winter walks. At the hotel, there is a five-course dinner, and a New Year toast in bubbles, plus late-night snacks (in case five courses weren’t enough). Book into the Chill Spa for the morning, and get ready to make resolutions in the outdoor baths as a new year dawns. Includes dinner, Champagne toast, snacks and B&B, €600 per room.","type":"text"},{"_id":"P4VVQNQ5SVHAJFIHH7TAHJOU5A","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569865},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.cullodenestateandspa.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Culloden Estate & Spa</a>, Belfast","type":"header"},{"_id":"FY6MQ4ZVA5A4PGSLCLT7X6TBQI","additional_properties":{"_id":"G7QG6EABBVBZBJ4JUUQ2NLWD4I"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"LAEWLMUMBZFGJBBG3S4UUHZAXM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569866},"content":"Set in lovely parkland, just on the outskirts of Belfast the Culloden makes you feel like you’re in another luxurious world. Check in from 3pm with welcome fizz, then get your glad rags on to toddle down for cocktails and canapés, before dinner in Vespers for some fine-dining fun. Then hang out in the lounge to wait for the Piper to come and lead you into the New Year with yet more bubbles. From £290 pps.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ERHQ4ELC7BHBHD2MZIFEIJJPZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569867},"content":"<a href=\"https://radissonblu.ie/royalhotel-dublin\" target=\"_blank\">Radisson Blu</a> Royal Hotel, Dublin","type":"header"},{"_id":"UJ3C26ISKFEE3PZT2QJP745KZU","additional_properties":{"_id":"IONHHKGPAJHX7DZHZKIFFCFTZU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"FB2UCZGZ45AZZCJTW5KJXULCKE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569868},"content":"A stone’s throw from both Christ Church and St Patrick’s Cathedrals, and not too far from Dublin Castle either, you’re in the heart of the New Year action at the Radisson Blu Royal on Golden Lane. Overnight on December 31st lets you make your own plans for turn-of-the-year action, and gives you B&B from €255.50 per room if you sign up to membership when booking.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RLDGGBVCAFCXZCJPRWUJZ3RHXU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569869},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.ashfordcastle.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Ashford Castle</a>, Mayo","type":"header"},{"_id":"UNB263KETNHJ7JGVXGZ55MAUME","additional_properties":{"_id":"3HXNBUSDCFGDBEKS7YJAWQPKWA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"2WRWFDI7HRAWRKLDCVAD7DOFBM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569870},"content":"Celebrate in the manner of movie stars, presidents and minor royalty, all of whom have graced the halls of Ashford Castle before you. They have the photos to prove it, and you’ll find them adorning the walls. They’ll be there, in spirit at least as you check in for mulled wine from noon on New Year’s Eve. Afternoon tea starts at one, and then it’s next stop pre dinner drawingroom drinks before a black-tie dinner, leading you into midnight celebrations with Champagne and dancing. The next day, after a leisurely brunch, your choice of complimentary estate activities includes a history walk, falconry, treasure hut and boat cruise on New Year’s Day and if you have any room left, more dinner. Two nights from €2,162.50pps.","type":"text"},{"_id":"G3EAVURR6ZHQJIGO2UZKPOAZ4E","additional_properties":{"_id":1731497618289},"content":"Hotel gifts","type":"header"},{"_id":"FGKS3TSQAVD6TGPHCHYDUJFF3U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569871},"content":"Even if you’re planning to stay put for the season, don’t forget a hotel voucher makes a clever present, adding the gift of expectation to escapism. A good deal all round. Check out gifting options from hotels including goodies from <a href=\"https://www.dromoland.ie/charlotte-and-co/\" target=\"_blank\">Charlotte & Co at Dromoland Castle </a>that range from the luxurious to the quirky, or foodie and wellness gifts, and otherwise highly covetable delights from the <a href=\"https://www.cliffhome.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">Cliff at Lyons</a>.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Gemma Tipton"}},"name":"Gemma Tipton"}]},"description":{"basic":"City break or country escape, treat yourself with a festive stay."},"display_date":"2024-11-24T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Looking for a minibreak before or after Christmas? Here are 16 of the best around Ireland","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"QRH3IETGDRA4XOT5BTRN4CNU3M","auth":{"1":"807251378aba504be44ce82a9144a73a756af2d39e60eb602b1af3ce573f7bc2"},"focal_point":{"x":1250,"y":1070},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/QRH3IETGDRA4XOT5BTRN4CNU3M.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Travel"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/travel/2024/11/24/in-need-of-minibreak-before-or-after-christmas-here-are-16-of-the-best-around-ireland/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/travel","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Travel"}}}},{"_id":"4M7AKCYZY5BPJIOQYLQWREPRZ4","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":716,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/fbb907b7-6d2e-432a-87f0-d05aa9fd0df5/versions/1729498917/media/4b54e262a09acca06d784a3e8ba8b3d2_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/travel/2024/11/21/markets-in-vienna-or-christmas-at-the-shelbourne-10-holiday-escapes-2/","content_elements":[{"_id":"RMJPKWVHJBBZZBYKVLGS2MOZ5Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1728985731210},"content":"SJ Schooner","type":"header"},{"_id":"47R23I45HVDAPKJZBJLXPGAYJY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496359405},"content":"Co Donegal","type":"header"},{"_id":"GGZMGUGF5RBSFKG72VTPYRLIBI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728985731211},"content":"For those seeking an alternative <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/christmas\" target=\"_blank\">Christmas</a>, somewhere authentic and sustainable in splendid isolation, think about one of the lighthouse properties in the Irish Landmark Trust portfolio, from Galley Head in Co Cork to SJ Schooner at St John’s Point Lighthouse, which takes in views across <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/donegal\" target=\"_blank\">Donegal</a> Bay towards Sligo. It sleeps four, with one double room and one twin room. Spend time exploring the hidden bays and mountains nearby or curling up by the fire with a good book – pack or gift the new children’s book The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Irish Lighthouses by David Hare, Gill Books, €22; which makes fascinating reading for all the family. A four-night stay, December 23th-27th, is €922. <a href=\"http://www.irishlandmark.com/\">irishlandmark.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"NOGZ4S6HLBB3NP3CVUZQL54MIQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728985731212},"content":"Samsú","type":"header"},{"_id":"535AFV46GBBODMJMRBXJZQM22M","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496359408},"content":"Co Dublin","type":"header"},{"_id":"TGD4EZBQQVEE5KLCGXMF2KDT4Q","additional_properties":{"_id":"7DPDN32IRJEOFFLCIPYBWNOXXI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"UB7TFGZFONCFHMHRUFJFJ5LAD4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728985731213},"content":"For a luxurious off-grid Christmas, Samsú provides beautifully designed cabins in nature, just 60 minutes from Dublin. It was founded by Rosanna Irwin, after a transformative camping experience on the Danish island of Samsø. The name Samsú represents “the feeling of contentment in the present moment evoked by simple pleasures, often enjoyed with warm blankets and surrounded by nature”, she says. Sounds cosy. The cabins are powered by solar energy; guests receive an analogue kit on arrival, including a phone lockbox, film camera, cassette player, journals, sleep sprays and a map of the surrounding area. Prices start at €195 per night and include a king-sized bed, logs for the fire and locally roasted coffee. Vouchers are also available from €50 to €750, which can be redeemed for stays in any Samsú cabin. Of these vouchers, Rosanna says: “For the person who has everything, give the gift of rest in nature.”<a href=\"http://www.samsu.ie/\"> samsu.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"H6G6X7MHHJDXJG25UYO7ZSVICM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728985731214},"content":"The Old Inn","type":"header"},{"_id":"EPHSDILCFBDIVPOCKXDBRMOH7M","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496359412},"content":"Crawfordsburn, Co Down","type":"header"},{"_id":"EX33NH5D6BAJJN4S3LIJ4DKQDM","additional_properties":{"_id":"2VM5VBO6MJGLNMP7VWZGGUDGJI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"JHIGP7G5OBAV3D3MODQIEAF544","additional_properties":{"_id":1728985731215},"content":"The Old Inn is one of the oldest hotels in <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/\" target=\"_blank\">Ireland</a>, dating from 1614. It was a favourite haunt of writer CS Lewis, who honeymooned there. It is now a boutique hotel, part of the Galgorm group, which means guests can expect excellent spa facilities and dining options. At Christmas it’s particularly atmospheric, thanks to its decor and sense of history. Until Christmas, an overnight stay is priced from €161.18 per person sharing, but if you want to go the whole hog, then try its Merry Little Christmas package – a two-day escape from Christmas Eve to St Stephen’s Day, which includes good food, good fizz and good times. On check-in, there are cocktails and canapés, as well as access to the tranquil outdoor Treetop Spa, overlooking Crawfordsburn Forest Park. In the evening, guests can expect Christmas carols around the tree accompanied by the local Salvation Army Brass Band, with mulled wine and mince pies, before dinner in the (AA 4-Star Silver) restaurant. There’s also entertainment in The 1614 Bar. On Christmas morning, a Champagne breakfast is the prelude to an optional dip in Helen’s Bay, something of a local tradition, or a brisk beach walk. Father Christmas also does the rounds, delivering presents before a four-course lunch. In the evening, a festive hamper is delivered to each room, and there is more entertainment to enjoy in the bar. A late checkout after a leisurely breakfast on December 26th completes the offer, from €650.69 per person sharing. irelandsbluebook.com","type":"text"},{"_id":"XPGEQBTTOZHDPMVQUFAPQSCNFM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728985731216},"content":"Christmas Markets","type":"header"},{"_id":"LQQVLLPPLZEGXB32HRPEYNMKZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496359416},"content":"Vienna, Austria","type":"header"},{"_id":"F5YGPTEKIZBCDFDSF46XHPALHY","additional_properties":{"_id":"YCMSZXKVJVD7FFTVOGSTWOO2XA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"DKJ4YGLBE5CWJDHYPQFEUNJGMY","additional_properties":{"_id":1728985731217},"content":"If your idea of Christmas is enjoying some glühwein and shopping, then the Travel Department Christmas market tours will appeal. It offers 19 different destinations – the most popular for market mavens being to <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/berlin\" target=\"_blank\">Berlin</a>, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/budapest\" target=\"_blank\">Budapest</a>, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/prague\" target=\"_blank\">Prague</a> and <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/vienna\" target=\"_blank\">Vienna</a>. There are departures during November and December, which offer three- and four-night itineraries. Vienna is always magical, but especially so at Christmas; the itinerary includes a stay in a four-star guest house with a guided tour of hot spots such as the Schönbrunn Palace, the Ringstrasse and the Vienna State Opera House. There’s plenty of free time to visit the Christmas markets – the main ones being Christkindlmarkt, Schönbrunn, Belvedere, Am Hof, Maria-Theresien Platz and Karlsplatz, but there are lots of others that aren’t overtly Christmassy. Don’t leave the city without visiting a few of its famous coffee houses (try Demel) and taking in a trio of top art exhibitions: the Chagall exhibition at the Albertina, Gauguin at the Kunstforum, and Rembrandt at the Kunsthistorisches Museum. From €579 including flights and transfers. <a href=\"http://www.traveldepartment.com/\">traveldepartment.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"RJKQRMPYFBGCBK42AWBS6GHLZE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728985731218},"content":"Carton House","type":"header"},{"_id":"7PBJQFUUMRDVRDGCFIQ7Y4ULHY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496359420},"content":"Co Kildare","type":"header"},{"_id":"X5AQQR7HIZGVZDT2P3JOZBNRMY","additional_properties":{"_id":"2BEH5INJ3ZH3PEG24SJBLUNEHA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"TAEQFENFNNDQ3HGD5EX5IIXSDM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728985731219},"content":"As one of Ireland’s most historic and elegant resorts, the Christmas experience at Carton House comes with a choice of accommodation options – between the contemporary and luxurious guest bedrooms of The Garden Wing or a Suite or State Room in the magnificent 18th-century Palladian-style mansion. The four-bedroom Lennox Lodge is also available for Christmas and is ideal for families or groups. Guests can choose to arrive on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day for a two-night stay, from €1,238 per person. A three-night experience is also available from €1,857 per person, arriving on December 24th with a festive afternoon tea served in the impressive Gold Salon on St Stephen’s Day. Lots of treats are included in these offers, from mince pies on arrival to Christmas stockings filled with surprises. Guests can enjoy morning swims in the wellness suite, a stroll or cycle around the 1,100 acre estate to work up an appetite, or simply savour the splendour of the hotel, which dates from 1739. <a href=\"http://www.cartonhouse.com/\">cartonhouse.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"LNQ37UUT6JBMVLILBJ4GVFZZLE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728985731220},"content":"The Shelbourne","type":"header"},{"_id":"VFACM4YAOBGARLJE2LZQI7XUBA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496359424},"content":"Dublin","type":"header"},{"_id":"NXJLPRI2JFBYHAUOCFKGICWV6I","additional_properties":{"_id":"Q77UQJUSLVD6LHWI4DF4H3RVVM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"BUXXCQXCCZFAXKX7SUKUBCIDN4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728985731221},"content":"Dublin’s grande dame has been celebrating her 200th Christmas this year and comes into her own in the festive season, when the hotel is often a favourite meeting point for family and friends to celebrate the season over a festive afternoon tea. Upgrade to a one-night Christmas Day stay with breakfast and lavish five-course Christmas lunch or dinner. This starts from €1,230 per room in a deluxe king room based on two people sharing (€125 per child under 12, €150 per child under 16 sharing a parent’s room) and includes a visit from Santa in the Lord Mayor’s Lounge. <a href=\"http://www.theshelbourne.com/\">theshelbourne.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"OUQ6WBPUXVCNLJO52UAS3B3PGI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728985731222},"content":"Mount Juliet Estate","type":"header"},{"_id":"3Z5ZMEGPNZH3JMKE66E34LZATU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496359427},"content":"Co Kilkenny","type":"header"},{"_id":"FVYVLXABE5CXPJMRCYCNVWLALA","additional_properties":{"_id":"C4AHPYJTUVF45GL6GVU2YAWVVE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"XZMUTN73VNFC5MABSU3AATDSWI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728985731223},"content":"For the hazy days in-between Christmas and New Year known as Twixmas, Mount Juliet Estate offers midweek stays that allow guests to enjoy a relaxing time together after the excitement of Christmas. A two-day stay with breakfast each day starts from €199 per person sharing with check in on December 26 available. A must-see is Mount Juliet’s famous Gingerbread Village installation, while for the sporty, outdoor pursuits on offer include fishing and falconry, in addition to a state-of-the-art equestrian centre and Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course. <a href=\"http://www.mountjuliet.ie/\">mountjuliet.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"VSIH7R4WZNDR7G6GGNJHGFTUTA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728985731224},"content":"Sheen Falls Lodge","type":"header"},{"_id":"3Z65FLT2ORHNVDW4T4XHRJ7KEE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496359431},"content":"Co Kerry","type":"header"},{"_id":"UUPUFWB4UVGWTBVOWWVLDWROA4","additional_properties":{"_id":"5Y7LI72VCFAD7GDFIXIEUBNCGI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"6SYR6PKTZFFZPJMYICZLFVVGJI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728985731225},"content":"Could there be anywhere more charming to decompress after Christmas during a three-night Twixmas break from December 27th or 28th? Against the backdrop of Kenmare Bay, with views of glistening waterfalls and (possibly snow-capped) mountains, there’s plenty of scope for relaxation – from reading in the Library, where books are carefully curated and change regularly, to enjoying its Easanna Wellness & Spa, where treatments are offered from spa brands such as Seabody, Elemis and Ground Wellbeing. The hotel estate spans 300 acres; activities include falconry, clay pigeon shooting, horse riding, fishing and scenic walking trails. The Ring of Kerry Golf Club is just five miles from the hotel, which offers complimentary transfers for guests who want to play the 18-hole, par-72 course, which is set between the Caha Mountains and MacGillycuddy’s Reeks. Don’t leave without sampling the Mediterranean menu at the club house’s Nua Vista restaurant. This package includes a breakfast each morning with two dinners – at The Falls Restaurant and The Stables Brasserie & Bar. Prices start from €1,975 for two adults sharing a Classic Room, with one child under 12 included. <a href=\"http://www.sheenfallslodge.ie/\">sheenfallslodge.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"WGPO5ZTUKZHU3FYFJYVLFKWL6A","additional_properties":{"_id":1728985731226},"content":"Springfort Hall Country House Hotel","type":"header"},{"_id":"UFYPIHQ75VDAFBDJ6D5ZNEBYOE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496359435},"content":"Co Cork","type":"header"},{"_id":"RTUP2XHASNGWVGER2RG5OHZEYE","additional_properties":{"_id":"L6OYTLR2GJFWLFCKBTW6ORCXYQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"HQYJICB7LBC7RDLRVI53Q6CFBA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728985731227},"content":"Its woodland setting, warm hospitality, fabulous food (order the signature dish of slow-cooked feather blade beef) and dog-friendly accommodation makes this period country house hotel a comforting option for Twixmas. In addition to 51 bedrooms, there are nine luxury log cabins. Each has its own balcony with views over the garden guaranteeing privacy and shelter for long lazy mornings and afternoons. The log cabins are available from December 28th, for €200 per night for a one-bedroom cabin, which sleeps two, and €350 for a two-bedroom cabin, sleeping four. An old stone cottage has also been renovated, part of the hotel’s 40th anniversary last year, as have the existing bedrooms. The cottage has two spacious bedrooms with a private courtyard. As for pet lovers, with 17 acres of beautiful grounds for walks and its own little stream, this location promises a winter wonderland for all the family. <a href=\"http://www.springfort-hall.com/\">springfort-hall.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZUUFKXITGZDOPKPM3MVHCLSVXQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728985731228},"content":"The Lodge at Dun Alluin","type":"header"},{"_id":"X6RM6S6ADBF5LIZBS66JMRVMS4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496359439},"content":"Scotland","type":"header"},{"_id":"P2SYBYA6DZAERHPX4LXUSXC4XM","additional_properties":{"_id":"625GES4J4JEWDPZN7FIQMDBYOE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"QHA757GIW5HV7AP5WMMHCJPN7A","additional_properties":{"_id":1728985731229},"content":"Stylish, sustainable and in the Scottish Highlands, The Lodge at Dun Alluin is near the artistic community of Aberfeldy and will fulfil those dreaming of a Hogmanay escape. The lodge, a former 1950s postwar prefabricated bungalow, is in a free-to-roam area so ideal for hiking enthusiasts. It was redesigned by Irish couple John Burke and Susie Whyte, who reimagined the space as an American shack with an emphasis on outdoor living. It provides a cosy inspiring retreat. The interior design reflects the nuanced colours of the landscape, and the superb decking area offers sweeping views across the river Tay, where a fire pit is in situ for late-night chats. The only neighbours you’ll see or hear are the resident owls, pheasants and visiting deer. Low-level lighting was installed on the perimeter to promote the dark sky initiative to help resident wildlife, and the perimeter has been rewilded. John and Susie received a Gold Green Tourism award for Dun Aluinn, an exclusive rental near The Lodge, from where guests can enjoy highland safaris, fishing trips, whiskey tastings and more. They also recently opened a three-bedroom Church Tower in nearby Crieff, within walking distance of Scotland’s oldest distillery, The Glenturret, which also has a Michelin-star restaurant. The cost of the lodge, which sleeps eight guests, for the Christmas period is £1,500 (about €1,800) per day with a minimum four-night stay. <a href=\"http://www.dunalliun.com/\">dunalliun.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Penny McCormick"}]},"description":{"basic":"Shake up your usual Yuletide routine with these options, from off-grid cabins to grande dame hotels, and from lighthouses to pet-friendly retreats"},"display_date":"2024-11-21T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Markets in Vienna or Christmas at The Shelbourne? 10 holiday escapes over the festive season","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"F5YGPTEKIZBCDFDSF46XHPALHY","auth":{"1":"1b18bbd9e5530f9a0d6e51a15d91a13cf4dd21dc129969401767d350030457a1"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/F5YGPTEKIZBCDFDSF46XHPALHY.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Travel"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/travel/2024/11/21/markets-in-vienna-or-christmas-at-the-shelbourne-10-holiday-escapes-2/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/travel","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Travel"}}}},{"_id":"HA4N2WAYENF6TB26CECNZI2RKQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":552,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/80cfda88-0b83-4ef8-951a-f5e31a388cd2/versions/1730824224/media/2b5691ed68e61f0e3b4c79882c9be157_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/travel/2024/11/18/travels-through-time-in-thessaloniki-my-fathers-memories-enrich-my-visit/","content_elements":[{"_id":"JKCVESMH4FEPLA2O3GMTQ6K2HY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730201342709},"content":"It was by accident rather than design, in the summer of 1968, that I found myself for the first time in Thessaloniki, in the northern <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/greece\" target=\"_blank\">Greek</a> province of Macedonia. My plan had been to head for the hippy colony in the Caves of Matala on the south coast of Crete. However, a teacher in Athens had told me that the military government was taking a dim view of the surge in the number of hippies, draft dodgers, “flower children” and other foreigners appearing on the Greek Islands.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IL364FZG4BDNLNQFB2YWLYVG6A","additional_properties":{"_id":1730201342712},"content":"I decided to hitch north instead. As I generally did on my long hitchhiking journey from Ireland, I advertised to passing vehicles in big letters on a piece of cardboard my next destination of Thessaloniki. The name resonated with me because it was part of my own history: it was the place where my grandfather, a soldier who went off to war in 1914, had found his final resting place.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5MWIXR4A4RGXTAOCSEHDB55YAU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730201342713},"content":"Fast forward to a sunny Thursday morning in October 2024. I was back in Thessaloniki, just outside my accommodation, a little boutique hostel called The Crossroads, perched in the high northern suburb of Agios Pavlos. It was the morning after my Ryanair flight and, with those “first morning” eyes, I contemplated the vista before me.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WUNDMEAWNRF33JCLVPDNMECCQI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730201342715},"content":"Across the vast white city below, mythical Mount Olympus stood proud along a line of deep blue mountains on the southwestern horizon. Off to the southeast, in lingering morning haze, Mount Athos seemed to claim its own theological space among the high wooded hills of the beautiful Khalkidhiki Peninsula. I hoped to visit both mountains.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TFQBBJ7WGVD3LE3EOMDRV2HSX4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730201342716},"content":"But first there was Thessaloniki. This city, unlike Athens, Barcelona or Rome, is not to Irish visitors a typical tourist destination. It is, however, a teeming, authentic Greek city of chatter, coffee shops, patisseries, street eating and strolling. All over the city, in gaps between rows of tall buildings, brown weathered ruins poke up like old, uncovered bones, some with helpful information panels, others enigmatically silent, their stories untold. Some are the remnants of Thessaloniki’s Romano-Greek golden age, that of the Emperor Galerius (r. 305-311), as they are at the city’s focal and meeting point, the Triumphal Arch of Galerius, and his largely intact Mausoleum and less well preserved Palace.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DKLVPFEYAVDNDI7GHKQFGAR5M4","additional_properties":{"_id":"IGYLZMW5SNGFJI4EMSAAVWWEAI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"WXCMT737RFFENFDFL6FJKXV4CA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730201342720},"content":"As a solo traveller with no one to please but myself, I spent hours at the Archaeological Museum of Macedonia, delving into the timeline of archaic Greek, the flowering of the Macedonian kingdoms of Philip and Alexander the Great, and on through the violent coming together of Roman and Greek culture.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AYB274UZRJBFBIPNPBQPRILGMI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730201342721},"content":"The city’s history is one of splendour and enrichment as the second city to Constantinople during the later Roman (or “Byzantine”) period, even as Rome itself and the western empire disintegrated. Ultimately, it too was to fall in the early 1400s, and from then to the early 1900s there followed lengthy periods of relative calm under the Ottomans, punctuated by periods of violence and suppression.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NAEKHCRYGRGIDMNDBMEWFBMD6E","additional_properties":{"_id":1730201342722},"content":"From history to practicalities: my second day involved an early start. The bus to Ouranoupoli, the gateway to the Mount Athos restricted Monastic area, left at 6am. Fortunately, the three-hour morning journey was lovely, driving through still-sleeping villages and over wooded hillsides of early morning grey.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NJIXM6FUEFGKJAJQAXKWMCGY7I","additional_properties":{"_id":1730814407631},"content":"Passengers were virtually all dark-clothed, heavy-set and dour-looking men, some Russian, and one snoring mightily as we went. Much later, I watched them emerge from the Holy Executive of the Holy Mount Athos – Pilgrims’ Bureau in Ouranoupoli, clutching their entry permit for Mount Athos. They were on their way to the nearby ferry, on their Orthodox Christian pilgrimage to one of the many male-only monasteries of the Holy Mountain.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LS5Z35V2U5FGVFBSMMZEWGL7Z4","additional_properties":{"_id":"EEYUPVNGDJDILFGAJNOFQLWJ7Y"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"JCOMJBNUXNAJXMUJDDM6YLCVFM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730201342724},"content":"My tour was a slow, three-hour cruise along the west shore of the easternmost point of the Khalkidhiki Peninsulas. Being a cruise of men and women passengers, we were required to stay 500m offshore from Holy Mount Athos.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FQW7GCMH7BHQLKSGKVJ7S2KBNY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730814407633},"content":"As we travelled we were informed that in the early Christian period, hermits established themselves through the wooded and then uninhabited hills of that beautiful peninsula, motivated by the same need for spiritual isolation as our own monks on Sceilg Mhichíl. Later, in the 900s, more organised monasticism was established, and a great number of monasteries were built on the shores and in the wooded hills. In later years, the settlements became prey to pirates, the notorious Catalan Company of mercenaries, and, after 1430 or so, ruinous taxation by the occupying Ottoman authorities.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6XCEMJXWLJHGFEMPFHDXG7FIHE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730201342725},"content":"We listened to all these stories, as we glided by monastery after monastery, many of them semi-deserted. The slow swell, the silence of the hills and shores, made it feel as though we were travelling back in time, to gain a glimpse of another world.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6UNOVVEGGRDBFIBEUEGM4TOWXU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730816776480},"content":"The next day offered an intensely personal experience. I walked about 12km right across the city to Mikra, in the suburb of Kalamaria, where my grandfather was interred, feeling the emotion in me build as I got closer and closer.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2PCG2NL6KFEEJGZWR6BDYLXURM","additional_properties":{"_id":"SGIJ6MAOJBCDBLXXVTFJUM3YIE"},"content":"I booked a 10-day solitary stay in a ‘God Pod’ at an Irish monastery. Here’s how it went","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"KNX4YQPMQ5HGZFTQ2POU5NQPOU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730816776482},"content":"I walked slowly along each neat row of nearly 2,000 headstones in the beautifully maintained Mikra Cemetery. The names and cold white headstones spoke to me of pain and loss and death in strange places away from loved ones. All this suffering was at odds with the dignity, peace, calm and tranquillity of the place where each person, mostly young and many Irish, now occupied their little piece of Greek ground.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UY3B4N2C6VHI5P5LITRAR33HNA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730201342727},"content":"I stood beside my grandfather’s headstone and remembered the young version of me standing there in 1968. I also remembered the cool late autumn day of 1982, when I stood there with my own father. Later, over a meal and beers downtown in Thessaloniki, my father told me again of his sadness as a seven-year-old boy, watching his father go out the door and disappear forever from his life – but not before he paused and walked back to give one last hug to the little boy that was my father. It was as if he glimpsed perhaps what might lie ahead for himself and for his son.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XB7LR4CMNRAQNCZROUY6FXW5NE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730201342728},"content":"The whole Guilfoyle family came there in 2000, and I visited on a long cycle from Beziers in France to Istanbul in 2012, on much of the same way as on my hitchhiking route of 44 years before. But these are other stories, for another time.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5N4XOVK22JAMBDLORGEKM7VQDU","additional_properties":{"_id":"TAAHKDWT3BEUBMNUUC2DVTLDBE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"YVP4S7GUQNFO3MEMRYO4SJVWAE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730201342729},"content":"The next two days were upbeat and mostly relaxed, days of woodland and mountain hiking, and exploring the lovely gateway to the Mount Olympus National Park in the picturesque town of Litochoro.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F6GPLMIMUZGETLJGBXSO3JKYN4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730814407640},"content":"I swapped the noise and vibrancy of the big city for quiet birdsong, mountain air and paths of autumn leaves and slanting sunshine. And I swapped the emotion of Mikra Cemetery for the lightness, and even fun, of walking my legs and imagination into the world and stories of the Old Gods, and of the myriads of nymphs, dryads and satyrs whose antics in these woods, and elsewhere in this fabled land, have enthralled and enriched the imaginations of generations.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4MKP2VR4TFEIVFRMBGLJTXSARM","additional_properties":{"_id":"2NDCY62QAVGVHNMCZJOWFKAK6Y"},"content":"Marseilles is having a moment: The best places to eat and drink around the French city","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"ZHM3KGRMIRANTFBT45475NDBLE","additional_properties":{"_id":"7M2DQFY3EVBN5MJR6AJFUNKE4Q"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"4S2HUKTZJZCQRG6XESAAPPAZDI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730201342731},"content":"My hikes over those days were on the E4 long distance European trail that runs from Greece to Spain, a path that conveniently passes through Litochoro and ventures high over the shoulder of Mount Olympus, my favourite of my two Holy Mountains. Though I had more ambitious plans, I wisely and happily contented myself to walk and wander the Epineas Gorge between Litochoro and Prionia.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BVWON7YQQRBS5D5W2UAKJBTQ3U","additional_properties":{"_id":1730887051846},"content":"Along the way, on my second hiking day, I lit a candle to the new Gods in the little trailside hermitage tucked into the Cave of Agios Dionisius. I needed their help on an upcoming tricky descent of 12km, where I’d been warned that the wooden footbridges over the Epineas river had been destroyed.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SG5KTZOZSZCX7MDNWCFGDVWL4I","additional_properties":{"_id":1730201342732},"content":"My last day, before my late-night Ryanair flight home, I spent mostly hanging out on the wonderfully sunny 12km-long promenade of Thessaloniki. In the morning, I joined a walking tour of the city. And, in the late afternoon because I could, I took a 30-minute cocktail cruise of the bay.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X5AJYVDLKFEZLIIQH5RZGQR7CE","additional_properties":{"_id":"6PKCARXAYZGCTFX4GTMHAW7XPE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"AR3G3DAETZDTVKPFV26SRJRE5M","additional_properties":{"_id":1730201342733},"content":"As evening closed in, I hauled myself up the 25-minute 200mt climb to the Crossroads Hostel. I bade farewell to the friendly young hostel staff and had my last meal of prawns and linguine and semi-sweet Greek wine in nearby Krionidis’ Balcony restaurant. And with that great compensation of the solo traveller, I mindfully took in a slow Macedonian sunset over the hills of distant Mount Olympus, and noted the old Roman walls becoming warmly floodlit against a darkening sky.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Micheal Guilfoyle"}]},"description":{"basic":"Greek holiday alternates between charm and nostalgia for Michael Guilfoyle, as he visits cemetery where his grandfather was buried"},"display_date":"2024-11-18T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Travels through time in Thessaloniki: I stood beside my grandfather’s headstone and remembered the younger me","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"BMHRNX3LYNGW3G4OLQXVQQWIH4","auth":{"1":"5069b157c9538079907ab109adad53f3f3e900b3ef37ecffbc79889530859380"},"focal_point":{"x":3950,"y":2190},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/BMHRNX3LYNGW3G4OLQXVQQWIH4.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Travel"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/travel/2024/11/18/travels-through-time-in-thessaloniki-my-fathers-memories-enrich-my-visit/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/travel","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Travel"}}}}],"count":8810,"_id":"f03b1e8dc8360bb713355acda91ac3af0ca00bdd2417e57e2b0b73b6956b78d4"},"expires":1733295607217,"lastModified":1733295306949},"{\"feedOffset\":0,\"feedSize\":5,\"offset\":0,\"query\":\"(taxonomy.primary_section._id:\\\"/life-style/gardening\\\")\",\"size\":5}":{"data":{"content_elements":[{"_id":"QKRNCWJZG5BC7MCJ73G25NZRUQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":180,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/70563dee-dc79-433c-a770-7fba9f2d3642/versions/1732197706/media/e6f72c8fb23ed30cdc7eaf36c5410253_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/gardening/2024/11/30/does-a-tree-fern-need-extra-protection-from-the-elements/","content_elements":[{"_id":"M237DPLJFRDIHGYHK4DZRC2CUU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732195825765},"content":"<b>I recently invested in a beautiful tree fern for our shady back garden. A gardening friend told me that I’ll need to give it some protection from winter cold to prevent it being damaged. Is this really necessary? DM, Dublin</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"NMRBTLXQYNGHBNY4U4SANOHEMU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732195825767},"content":"Tree ferns have become very popular with Irish gardeners in recent decades, their dramatic silhouettes and stately presence used to add structure and drama as well as winter interest in the shape of their whiskery trunks and giant, arching, evergreen fronds. To see them growing at their impressive best in this country, pay a visit to <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/life-style/people/2023/04/28/collecting-ferns-was-like-a-drug-habit-i-just-kept-collecting/\" target=\"_blank\">Kells Bay Gardens in Co Kerry</a>, which is home to a remarkable collection of towering specimens lovingly tended by owner and nurseryman Billy Alexander, some of them dating back to the early Victorian era.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SBCGYVXWOFHQ7M5XCRF2USZERA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732195825768},"content":"Native to Australia and parts of southeast Asia, the hardiest and most commonly grown species is Dicksonia antarctica, whose cinnamon-coloured trunk is topped with a giant shuttlecock of finely cut fronds that are typically three to four times its height. Other very ornamental but less hardy species of tree fern include Dicksonia squarrosa and Cyathea dealbata. All are available to buy from Kells Bay Gardens’ nursery, along with many other unusual species of ferns (<a href=\"http://kellsgardens.ie/\">kellsgardens.ie</a>).","type":"text"},{"_id":"TNI4WCAOJ5FYNMCUWEDUU4QE5E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732195825769},"content":"Tree ferns are really only suitable for sheltered gardens in similarly mild, coastal regions of Ireland where harsh frosts are a rarity. Below minus 2C, the foliage will blacken and die back to the crown, while temperatures below minus 12C will generally kill them outright – hence their huge casualty rates after the fiercely cold weather that came with the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/beast-from-the-east-could-see-country-s-heaviest-snowfall-since-1982-1.3404985\" target=\"_blank\">Beast from the East</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UNVPOPP655ALFDDCTDTJYIHU2E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732195825770},"content":"Alexander advises stuffing a protective layer of pine needles into the crown of the plant (the point in the trunk from which the fronds emerge), which will offer protection from temperatures as low as minus 4C. Tree ferns like an acidic soil, so the pine needles serve a second purpose as a useful acidic organic mulch that helps to feed the plant. But if and when the forecast is for temperatures below minus 4C, then you’ll need to offer greater protection in the shape of several layers of horticultural fleece secured over the crown and fronds, making sure to remove this whenever temperatures rise to avoid weakening the plant.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MEKFIM6KOFBJDDG7SBWWWQYKOU","additional_properties":{"_id":"PGVR3BXBHZHIHJI5B5XUPBLDVQ"},"content":"Collecting ferns was like an addiction, I just kept collecting","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"IAVXJJZML5FN3OMUYOAUNKKUXY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732195825771},"content":"Despite their reputation as shade-loving plants, tree ferns will grow quite happily in a sunny spot as long as they’re given protection from wind and cold, and an ericaceous soil (or an ericaceous potting compost, if grown in a large container). What they won’t tolerate is dry growing conditions. To keep yours happy, make sure to water it daily (twice that for newly planted specimens) and generously from March-October once temperatures reach above 10C, slowly drenching the crown of the plant as well as liberally wetting the fronds. A monthly liquid seaweed feed (again, directly into the crown) is also very beneficial.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5DLPU4OQB5EHHE22VOZTOUEKNE","additional_properties":{"_id":"YXTGW2MLDBB33N67NN5GNCAJEE"},"content":"\n<span class=\"contribly-contribute-v2\" data-client=\"9fc0f2a4-9bf9-4464-8b77-ec351ad0db03\" data-assignment=\"26088556-6bae-4d51-8542-58d3cc9df2c9\" data-display=\"inline\"></span><script type=\"text/javascript\" src=\"https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/contribly-widgets/contribute/contribute-v2.js\"><\/script>","type":"raw_html"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Fionnuala Fallon"}},"name":"Fionnuala Fallon"}]},"description":{"basic":"Packing pine needles into the crown will protect against temperatures down to minus 4C, but below that you’ll need to secure several layers of horticultural fleece over the crown and fronds"},"display_date":"2024-11-30T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Does a tree fern need extra protection from the elements?","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"MWSDR7SEPNVLMG53FAH4FZ7UOA","auth":{"1":"481136bcbfe3d94af1dc5d1aa69678b59c2f9618f9f3cb5f07eb040a4d69ed9b"},"focal_point":{"x":750,"y":430},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/MWSDR7SEPNVLMG53FAH4FZ7UOA.jpg"}},"subtype":"analysis","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Gardening"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/gardening/2024/11/30/does-a-tree-fern-need-extra-protection-from-the-elements/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/gardening","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Gardening"}}}},{"_id":"6DV6DLKUJRH6LOKZHRM2SW55WY","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":480,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/94696c2d-a756-498b-9b61-53fd9eab88e5/versions/1732194197/media/99c863600b9c535eb7ab1b7df3aaf121_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/gardening/2024/11/30/gardening-tools-that-will-last-a-lifetime-if-treated-right/","content_elements":[{"_id":"2ONK3TQBNFDA5G6L4CHSKXK3BQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732189914643},"content":"Even as the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/gardening/\" target=\"_blank\">gardening </a>year slowly folds in on itself, there remains a host of routine jobs that I’m hoping – fingers crossed – to complete before the winter solstice. Roses and fruit trees, for example, requiring winter pruning. Weeds that need digging out. Compost that needs turning and spreading, young hedging, roses and baby trees that need planting, as well as woody prunings waiting to be chopped or chipped before being added to the compost heap or used as a mulch.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YO6IXVXID5DLNDYAAEZQEKBZRQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732189914644},"content":"Bitter experience has slowly but surely imparted a valuable lesson regarding these seasonal tasks, which is that a trusty selection of garden tools crafted from hard-wearing quality materials and ergonomically designed for ease of use as well as for longevity is of the essence.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HCXIYS5GZJCJHMK2NDYH3KK4JE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732189914645},"content":"Beware, for example, the flimsy secateurs whose blades blunt or even buckle at the first sturdy branch. Avoid the shoddily made trowel that quickly succumbs to rust or falls apart; the tinny wheelbarrow; the rickety rake with a welded head that cracks after only light use. Not only will they cost you time and money in the long run, but they’ll also inevitably induce such fits of fury – few things are more frustrating than poorly designed, badly made garden tools – that you’ll end up shirking the very tasks that they were supposed to make easier.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6C7NPU2EFRFPDAD24ZRLYPMPM4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732640670981},"content":"The essentials? For those tough winter pruning tasks, invest in a sturdy, heavy-duty loppers with geared or ratcheted blades that cut through thicker branches with relative ease, as well as a model with a rubber buffer between the handles to lessen the impact of the repetitive cutting motion on tired hands and arms. Lightweight, telescopic handles are also a must, allowing you to reach up into higher branches without having to perch dangerously on a ladder. Examples include <a href=\"https://www.burgonandball.com/products/telescopic-ratchet-lopper-rhs-endorsed\" target=\"_blank\">Burgon & Ball’s telescopic handled ratchet lopper</a>, endorsed by the UK’s Royal Horticultural Society.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5PR77LMSRBEPROJM57IW7LW6YI","additional_properties":{"_id":"7AITJA3EMVGRLJ37NJMU7MAKW4"},"content":"Frost can feel cruel but it’s not all bad news in the garden","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"26KD7WK7ANC3TO4APE5R3QQGEI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732189914647},"content":"For lighter pruning work that can be done with one hand, you’ll need a strong, well-balanced secateurs (technically “secateur” if you’re a stickler for grammar) with angled, hardened steel blades that can be easily sharpened and repaired, plus nonslip, colourful handles that make it both difficult to lose and easy to hold. The scarlet-handled Swiss-made Felco range has long been considered the gold standard in this regard with the gardener’s traditional favourite being the Felco 2, followed by the Felco 4. But recent challengers to the throne include several high-end, beautifully engineered Japanese brands with hand-forged, super-sharp carbon steel blades that are proving increasingly popular with Irish gardeners such as Okatsune, Kurumi, Asaka and Niwaki (stockists include <a href=\"http://niwaki.com/\">niwaki.com</a>, <a href=\"http://mrmiddleton.com/\">mrmiddleton.com</a>, <a href=\"http://quickcrop.ie/\">quickcrop.ie</a> and <a href=\"http://howbertandmays.ie/\">howbertandmays.ie</a>).","type":"text"},{"_id":"GVIO3BFC4EVFCDG3FV72SPNPQE","additional_properties":{"_id":"ZS2O2WYBTBFDBODWGIJTMBJ3HU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"N6HESCSIKRAH3BJGMXWVZ2GWSU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732189914648},"content":"A sharp, light, hard-wearing border fork, spade, shovel, oscillating hoe, pitchfork and rake (ideally both a spring-tine model for collecting leaves and grass cuttings plus a soil rake for seed beds and so on) are other gardening essentials. In this case, reliable brands include De Wit, Sneeboer, Freund Victoia, Greenman, Burgon & Ball, SHW, Wolf Garten, Berger, ARS and PKS. Bear in mind that for ease of use, a lightweight ash handle is generally kinder to the back, absorbing stress and making it possible to use the tool for longer.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UUXFNSTIBRF7NAPO566QTZLINA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732189914649},"content":"Before purchasing, take your height and size into account. If you’re tall, choose a suitably long handle, while if you have large hands, be wary of Y-shaped handles unless they’re generously sized. <a href=\"http://fruithillfarm.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Fruithill Farm</a> in Cork stocks two lengths of straight ash handles suitable for hoes and rakes (1.5m and 1.7m) as well as an outstanding range of many of the brands listed above.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EMLO3YZEPJCWBLBXACXYQ4ON24","additional_properties":{"_id":1732189914650},"content":"All the suppliers listed above also stock a tried-and-trusted selection of hand-tools from sturdy trowels and hand forks to weeders and dibbers. Some – for example the PKS range – are made of copper, believed to have a beneficial effect on soil health. Others are made of stainless steel (particularly good for heavy clay soils, which slip more easily from its smooth surface) or of forged steel (prized for its strength and sharpness but more vulnerable to rust).","type":"text"},{"_id":"BQBDMOCS4JF6VNUQ44RTX6VYSE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732189914651},"content":"My own favourite garden hand tool is a heavy duty, double-serrated digging trowel/knife with a superstrong manganese steel blade and a rubberised, non-slip handle designed for use with a metal detector (or “treasure digging”, as its manufacturer, Dr Otek, describes it). Think of a Hori Hori knife on steroids. It is pretty much indestructible, super strong, versatile and comfortable to hold, and I use it all the time for hand-weeding as well as for planting.","type":"text"},{"_id":"I7P5VVW6A5E5PLUORH7IACWTW4","additional_properties":{"_id":"5AJUKIMLHBBINOZQZTUF4MY424"},"content":"Five life lessons my garden taught me: Nature often has a quiet but not unkind laugh at our expense","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"7ZOPIHGT4NHNRLVT6KRNIEGHZY","additional_properties":{"_id":"MUD3T7SNBFH5NDMWUXD46U2ATI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"PPHAKDXX5NGWTNLW4XAPQYHHYA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732189914652},"content":"The other gardening essential that I wouldn’t be without is a sturdy, lightweight wheelbarrow for ferrying heavy loads of manure, soil, compost and leaf mould as well as weeds and plants. Barrows come in all shapes and sizes, from models with 1, 2, 3 and even four wheels, capacities that range from 75 litres up to 170, troughs made of reinforced plastic or galvanised metal, and even some that are battery-powered to help with moving and tipping heavy loads. My own preference is for a toughened plastic trough on a powder-coated steel chassis with a single puncture-proof wheel. Stockists include all good Irish garden centres as well as many of those listed above.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R7VA32BELNDKHEYCHEG363BQHY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732189914653},"content":"Remember that no matter how well made, even the best garden tools need some TLC to keep them sturdy and rust-proof for many years of use. So try to have some old cloths and a soft hand brush to the ready to clean, wipe down and dry both blades and handles. Use a scouring block such as Crean Mate followed by some camellia oil to remove sticky resin and sap from the blades of secateurs and keep them clean and rust-free, plus a whetstone to sharpen them. For wooden handles, apply a light coating of linseed oil a couple of times a year. Finally, repeated exposure to rain and frost is bad for any garden tool so make sure to store them undercover. In this way they’ll last you a lifetime, something that can never be said of their cheap equivalents.","type":"text"},{"_id":"U2SUMS7NPNDORI7O7ZEMX2IT3M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732189914654},"content":"This week in the garden","type":"header"},{"_id":"HDK5KQ4SEZFHRL5E76G62PT6LI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732189914655},"content":"Recent night-time frosts and cold daytime temperatures signal the arrival of winter proper, and the best time to plant tulip bulbs to help prevent the risk of the fungal disease, tulip fire. Try to choose a dry day for planting, burying the bulbs to a minimum of three times their depth, or to a maximum of 30cm if you’re hoping to perennialise them. In gardens where tulip fire was a problem in recent years, avoid planting into the same area and/or plant into containers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LXPJNHDEVNFXRNQN6D4JCLGUXY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732189914656},"content":"Round up any slightly frost-vulnerable plants growing in containers and place them in a huddle together against a warm wall to make it easier to offer them extra protection in the form of garden fleece whenever harsh frosts threaten.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JO2MG4I2BVDV3DUBCZL4JQ76L4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732191479270},"content":"Dates for your diary","type":"header"},{"_id":"PINFT34P3BGI7PVL2HLTQQQTEM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732191479271},"content":"<i>Tuesday, December 3rd (7.30pm-10pm): </i>National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin 9. Christmas flower-arranging demonstration with floral artist Karen Massey. Booking essential. <a href=\"http://heritageireland.ie/\">heritageireland.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"ARKUDRAPR5E6LP7F55TYMXCVXQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732640670997},"content":"<i>Saturday, December 7th, Sunday, December 8th and Saturday, December 14th (10am-1pm): </i>The Grinding House, June Blake’s Garden, Tinode, Blessington, Co Wicklow, seasonal and sustainable Christmas wreath-making workshops with garden writer and flower-farmer-florist Fionnuala Fallon. <a href=\"https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/seasonal-christmas-wreath-workshop-with-fionnuala-fallon-tickets-1051369493457?aff=oddtdtcreator\">eventbrite</a> or <a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/theirishflowerfarmer/?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\">@theirishflowerfarmer</a> on Instagram for details or to book tickets.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EUNQJJHWSJA4LDJH7W2QZ5VC5Y","additional_properties":{"_id":"WSLJNIRJK5EPLKUCMK4ONLVJO4"},"content":"<span class=\"contribly-contribute-v2\" data-client=\"9fc0f2a4-9bf9-4464-8b77-ec351ad0db03\" data-assignment=\"26088556-6bae-4d51-8542-58d3cc9df2c9\" data-display=\"inline\"></span><script type=\"text/javascript\" src=\"https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/contribly-widgets/contribute/contribute-v2.js\"><\/script>","type":"raw_html"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Fionnuala Fallon"}},"name":"Fionnuala Fallon"}]},"description":{"basic":"A bad day’s gardening is often the result of shoddy tools, so invest well in your implements"},"display_date":"2024-11-30T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Gardening tools that will last a lifetime if treated right","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"EH74CSCYYA3XKWKTVIILEWQD2U","auth":{"1":"97e2df804a24faaa9458a3c7b8e846f86b6f65e9b6bc28041c7bd3c56f6e4eaf"},"focal_point":{"x":695,"y":263},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/EH74CSCYYA3XKWKTVIILEWQD2U.jpg"}},"subtype":"columnist","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Gardening"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/gardening/2024/11/30/gardening-tools-that-will-last-a-lifetime-if-treated-right/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/gardening","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Gardening"}}}},{"_id":"RTVLC2EW3VEE7HVBRBBSW4ANZA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":144,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/e79a15c7-5132-47b0-ae19-9c88cb56efc4/versions/1731421016/media/f618fa07fb84a61e43542dbb90fb78af_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/gardening/2024/11/23/gardening-qa-my-young-escallonia-hedge-looks-tatty-what-have-i-done/","content_elements":[{"_id":"PLRBIO2HFRCQFE4ARZ7TGRRCHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731414227277},"content":"<b>Q: I’ve always understood that escallonia is supposed to be evergreen, but my young hedge has lost a lot of its leaves and looks pretty tatty. Am I doing something wrong? </b>– <i>Sean K, Co Cork</i>","type":"text"},{"_id":"JDHZKLLGAJF5RGSOJNLOHTQPFQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731414227279},"content":"A: You’re absolutely right to think that escallonia has traditionally been used as an informal, evergreen flowering <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/life-style/gardening/2024/11/16/what-is-the-best-choice-of-hedging-for-my-garden/\" target=\"_blank\">hedge</a> – one of the reasons for its popularity in milder, coastal parts of Ireland, where it can also happily withstand salty sea gales. But unfortunately in recent years it’s fallen victim to a now widespread fungal disease commonly known as escallonia leaf spot that causes it to lose its leaves.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JXD2G3UVVFDSNEEBFYMPLYDLJQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731414227280},"content":"Early signs include dark blotching and yellowing of the foliage, which gradually spreads to many parts of the plant. You’ll often also see tiny greyish-white patches appearing on the leaves where the fruiting bodies of the fungus have developed. Badly affected plants can often, slowly but surely, lose all their foliage from late summer onwards, especially in a wet year, so that by the time late autumn/early winter arrives, it gives every appearance of being a deciduous species.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4KGCJX6KNRAF3PKPUFGI6ZZLEE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732110821380},"content":"New leaves appear in spring, but these can also slowly succumb. Over time, this constant cycle of new growth followed by defoliation weakens the plants, resulting in poor growth and even death. Rainy weather in particular really encourages the rapid spread of the disease, helping the fungal spores to easily move from plant to plant.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VX25ZEYQXBGYLCVXTVADTAEN34","additional_properties":{"_id":"DO7Y6AVOPZA5THH2NKO5RGJHP4"},"content":"Everyday plants that emit the most pleasing perfumes","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"X5NA7UU3OBBRFGS3OC3AKVPOXM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731414227281},"content":"While there’s no cure, you can help to reduce its spread by collecting and carefully disposing of any clippings and fallen leaves as well as handpicking any obviously diseased leaves that remain on the plant and then burning them. But that’s often not an easy task. Providing good growing conditions by avoiding planting in poorly drained soil is another part of the solution, alongside mulching with an organic mulch around the roots in spring and scattering some slow-release organic fertiliser.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EVHBKIMQUFD55OQTZ4IPFDSBDY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731414227282},"content":"A careful pruning regime is also important. When used as a hedging plant, escallonia is traditionally pruned in September/October. But a mid-spring regenerative pruning is also advised if you need to selectively remove any dead branches and encourage their replacement with plenty of new, healthy young growth.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NIF7SV6D6BASTJR4PWTNUSXI5I","additional_properties":{"_id":"FVQ3NNKE4ZGU3AJ2MC27YZFJBI"},"content":"<span class=\"contribly-contribute-v2\" data-client=\"9fc0f2a4-9bf9-4464-8b77-ec351ad0db03\" data-assignment=\"26088556-6bae-4d51-8542-58d3cc9df2c9\" data-display=\"inline\"></span><script type=\"text/javascript\" src=\"https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/contribly-widgets/contribute/contribute-v2.js\"><\/script>","type":"raw_html"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Fionnuala Fallon"}},"name":"Fionnuala Fallon"}]},"description":{"basic":"Unfortunately in recent years, this flowering hedge has fallen victim to a widespread fungal disease commonly known as escallonia leaf spot that causes it to lose its leaves"},"display_date":"2024-11-23T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Gardening Q&A: My young hedge looks tatty - what have I done?","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"HFDBANDDLZDUFGQR7NHJL5LUYM","auth":{"1":"31c6b18a4db8de49bcee254e30f4e835726b347c92c5e659c87772bfae73fb62"},"focal_point":{"x":1767,"y":1580},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/HFDBANDDLZDUFGQR7NHJL5LUYM.jpg"}},"subtype":"analysis","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Gardening"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/gardening/2024/11/23/gardening-qa-my-young-escallonia-hedge-looks-tatty-what-have-i-done/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/gardening","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Gardening"}}}},{"_id":"MJ4RLCZ63NBUVHZ2J4TTN3V2XY","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":467,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/cf8bce53-bdfd-4e80-8e46-111426086ff1/versions/1731405681/media/af900e627c1839c1cad883d23f66ce0e_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/gardening/2024/11/23/five-life-lessons-my-garden-taught-me-nature-often-has-a-quiet-but-not-unkind-laugh-at-our-expense/","content_elements":[{"_id":"ONPS4L3F2RFSLCMLS6AQIC5MLM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731402590092},"content":"In a world where so many of us feel like Lewis Carroll’s Alice as she tumbles down the rabbit-hole – “We’re all mad here” – I’ve been thinking of the life lessons or “life learnings” that our <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/gardening\" target=\"_blank\">gardens</a> and allotments share with us.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TPKQRVNXCRG4VA5YWUFW6VKIF4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731402590093},"content":"Patience, of course, is one of them. A tree doesn’t grow to maturity in a week, a seed won’t germinate in a second, and winter won’t suddenly give way to summer, no matter how much we would wish it otherwise. There is no fast-forward or “skip” button, no way to accelerate the process, forcing us to “live in the moment” even when we would sometimes really rather not.","type":"text"},{"_id":"B3ZIGPIAWJBQBEKCENAO4FR2VI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731402590094},"content":"Acceptance is another. To garden is to slowly but surely learn that even the most carefully hatched plans can be overturned by any number of weather events, pests and diseases, as well as any of the 1,001 challenges that life throws our way from work deadlines and family obligations to unexpected illness. Life, we discover, sometimes gets in the way. Things aren’t always what they seem or what they were supposed to be, from that perfect variety of faded pink dahlia that turned out to be acid yellow to that treasured batch of seedlings devoured by slugs as a tasty snack or the neatly mown lawn disturbed by hungry badgers in search of food. Such “failures”, part and parcel of being a gardener, putting us on a path to accepting that we’re never entirely masters of our destiny, no matter how much we’d like to think we are.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MZ356HB7GJGAFIGIM555AYCBBA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731402590095},"content":"In much the same way, through our gardens and allotments we see the value of taking a live-and-let-live attitude. That we’re all part of the vast web of life, that every creature matters. This in turn nurtures what the American naturalist Dr Edward Wilson described as “biophilia”, or a love of life in all its forms, an innate inclination hard-wired into all of us to seek out a deep connection with nature.","type":"text"},{"_id":"56CLCN2WNVHIZBJAYJCPVIBNYY","additional_properties":{"_id":"OF6AFQYSLJGNLLBHA6XE4PYTC4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"XYN5YOGSVNGPXLINFS53XJM5HY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731402590096},"content":"Which brings us to resilience. To garden for any length of time is to inevitably witness resilience, whether it’s a row of newborn seedlings pushing their way through damp, cold soil or a butterfly taking to the wing after a summer rainshower. When Storm Aisling romped across the country last month, I watched with awe as the garden hunkered down and somehow took it in its stride. The next day the dahlias continued to bloom as if nothing had happened, the birds to sing, the bees to hum. “Life endures” was the message, even despite the obstacles thrown its way.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GVGEK7EHBBGATB3BZAY3YFCFCE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731402590097},"content":"Resilience goes hand in hand with persistence, another trait that all good gardeners share in common and a quality that yields as much success in the flower border or kitchen garden as it does in life in general. “Try, try and try again” is a motto to live by for good reasons.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GRDLYQJP4JDFXFMZMBY2GTH4VU","additional_properties":{"_id":"Y4LKDE2W6NHHBIJJS2BRU5NOKM"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"WNJOU72MGFGYVAM3DSBUTEA7WU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731402590098},"content":"So is the notion of carpe diem, or grab the day, without which our gardens – and our lives – would be so much the poorer. Just think about it. Every tree, every shrub, every hedge planted in the country’s gardens and allotments was put there by someone who decided that they had had enough of procrastination. Each one is a living testimony to grabbing the day. Carpe diem is, of course, also about enjoying the moment, something that naturally happens when you garden. To watch a flower unfurl is to simultaneously be reminded of the fact that life is both beautiful and fleeting.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LEFWN7BXHFEBJCIPMFOS65X5PU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731402590099},"content":"As anyone who has found themselves knee-deep in mud knows, gardening also teaches us a fine sense of the ridiculous. That nature often has a quiet but not unkind laugh at our expense. This summer, for example, I filled a new flower bed with summer-flowering annuals raised lovingly from seed, anticipating a tasty display of tall, fiery-coloured African marigolds coupled with dusty-pink and blood-red cosmos (the varieties, ‘Antiquity’, ‘Rubenza’ and ‘Apricotta’) and peach dahlias (the variety ‘Preference’). But the marigolds turned out to be a strange pygmy variety utterly unlike what the packet promised, half the dahlias were devoured by slugs, and many of the cosmos mysteriously refused to flower. The result, reminiscent of a cheesy, moth-eaten 1970s bedding display, made us all laugh.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BIX5RSPZRND5XDJFVH3U444SAY","additional_properties":{"_id":"CQ3UZAOBRBEKXFVLKFZ3NFX3CQ"},"content":"How to pack up your plants when moving on","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"LKICUXNPAVFO5MGEYVPCWFFFJM","additional_properties":{"_id":"JHVUAL4P6VGVXKTDEVX43AT6SE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"5M3QXIG3NBHGXFKF4W3AD6VGUY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731402590100},"content":"Counterbalancing that sense of the ridiculous is a sense of joy and wonder. At the first snowdrop of the year, the first rose in bloom, the first home-grown tomato of summer filched from the glasshouse or polytunnel and eaten in a gluttonous rush of pleasure. I would hate a world without any of them.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MI4J4KYHTFCRJITG3453MVLEQE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731402590101},"content":"Which brings us to the generosity of nature and the opportunities that our gardens and allotments give us to be generous in turn, as well as to appreciate that quality in others. No one, you’ll agree, could ever accuse the plant kingdom of stinginess. Instead, it teaches us the pleasure of abundance. Even if the latter is sometimes just a glut of courgettes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ENKYQQ4B7ZDBJGQ2UWBDO66H6A","additional_properties":{"_id":1731402590102},"content":"Finally, as we approach the deep darkness of the winter solstice, our gardens and allotments share important lessons with us about death, hope, restoration and the promise of new life. About the powerful effects that a connection with nature has on our physical, spiritual and mental health.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XL4RWAC54ZADLFRIYJF7OD5OLE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731402590103},"content":"All of these life learnings have been noted and celebrated by gardeners down through the ages. One of them was the late, great garden writer and landscape architect Russell Page, author of the classic The Education of a Gardener, who once wrote that “a garden really lives only insofar as it is an expression of faith, the embodiment of a hope and a song of praise”. I’d agree with every word and add that perhaps the greatest lesson gardening imparts is to believe in the future, an increasingly precious thing in a world that feels so utterly at odds with itself.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FW4ODW62XNGT7G36D3337746NU","additional_properties":{"_id":"SVSKTCZUTJFGHAPL44KHZ3QUMY"},"content":"What is the best choice of hedging for my garden?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"3V4VGGRIENF25EHWOQ7QXFTJFY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731402590104},"content":"This week in the garden","type":"header"},{"_id":"F2JBAZRKKFGHTCNBD256IT7XCI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731402590105},"content":"Collect fallen autumn leaves of deciduous species of trees and shrubs and either use them to make leaf mould or add them to the compost heap. For leaf mould, place the leaves in strong bags (old builder’s bags are ideal), lightly water them if they’re very dry, seal the bag, pierce it a few times with a knife or scissors for air and drainage, and then place it in a cool, shady place to rot down over one to two years.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5WVTM7FRCNGEPJOFZH22V6BQGE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731402590106},"content":"Lift root crops such as beetroot and carrots along with any remaining maincrop potatoes and store them in a cool, dry shed or cellar. In gardens or allotments prone to winter wet, it’s also a good idea to harvest and store parsnips, turnips and celeriac and store these in boxes of sand in a cool dark shed or cellar. Newly emptied beds should then be covered with a generous organic mulch to protect soil health and fertility over winter.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4MCGQLNPQBCXDIBFVXPPOUYFVQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731402590107},"content":"Dates for your diary","type":"header"},{"_id":"DP4K3PJLOBFV5I4LT5YJHZREQ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731402590108},"content":"<i>Throughout November:</i> a series of hands-on workshops on hazel coppicing and hedge laying by Hedgerows Ireland. <a href=\"http://hedgerows.ie/\">hedgerows.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"MBLTBXKINFANLLIIGRGJMB66V4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731405411813},"content":"<i>Thursday, November 28th (8pm): </i>Scoil Mhuire Naofa, Station Road, Carrigtwohill, Co Cork, T45PF80, Summer Flowers from Seed, a talk by Derry Watkins of Special Plants Nursery","type":"text"},{"_id":"EAYRZPSUEVFM7KMIGAJAV7R62Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1731405411814},"content":"<i>Saturday & Sunday, December 7th & 8th, and Saturday, December 14th (10am-1pm):</i> The Grinding House, June Blake’s Garden, Tinode, Blessington, Co Wicklow, seasonal Christmas wreath-making workshops with garden writer and flower-farmer-florist Fionnuala Fallon, see <a href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/seasonal-christmas-wreath-workshop-with-fionnuala-fallon-tickets-1051369493457?aff=oddtdtcreator\">eventbrite</a> or @theirishflowerfarmer for details/to book tickets.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3LQJT7KTQVGNPI7IAHAWJFJLME","additional_properties":{"_id":"3O7YJNP7C5AMPDIQ3R6TOD3FPY"},"content":"<span class=\"contribly-contribute-v2\" data-client=\"9fc0f2a4-9bf9-4464-8b77-ec351ad0db03\" data-assignment=\"26088556-6bae-4d51-8542-58d3cc9df2c9\" data-display=\"inline\"></span><script type=\"text/javascript\" src=\"https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/contribly-widgets/contribute/contribute-v2.js\"><\/script>","type":"raw_html"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Fionnuala Fallon"}},"name":"Fionnuala Fallon"}]},"description":{"basic":"To watch a flower unfurl is to simultaneously be reminded of the fact that life is both worthwhile and fleeting"},"display_date":"2024-11-23T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Five life lessons my garden taught me: Nature often has a quiet but not unkind laugh at our expense","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"IKLCQ6ZNZNBD7GIYCLE67PASJU","auth":{"1":"fbb225a69a2b3c4431d7ce7570332e346ffc15b186e93476bfec5a742a37d98a"},"focal_point":{"x":1920,"y":1520},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/IKLCQ6ZNZNBD7GIYCLE67PASJU.jpg"}},"subtype":"columnist","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Gardening"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/gardening/2024/11/23/five-life-lessons-my-garden-taught-me-nature-often-has-a-quiet-but-not-unkind-laugh-at-our-expense/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/gardening","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Gardening"}}}},{"_id":"WUVYKYTHMBFW3L4LTEOQVMGMSQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":127,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/5469/podcasts/7e0b8b90-8a6a-4d01-9ae0-64edf12bd67b/versions/1730894772/media/49aa23642286d30f4b76cad08371ca1a_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/gardening/2024/11/16/what-is-the-best-choice-of-hedging-for-my-garden/","content_elements":[{"_id":"VEP7AI6JVZGENJ2MGMQBI4IZKY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730893154466},"content":"<b>Can you advise me as to what would be the best choice of hedging for my country </b><a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/gardening/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>garden</b></a><b>? The soil is a heavy, damp clay while winter frosts are also not uncommon. J Clarke, Co Kilkenny</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"WKZ2FEOXXNCY5MX2M4XGPFUONQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730893154467},"content":"You’re absolutely right to think very carefully about the most suitable species of hedging for your garden, whose growing conditions would be challenging for some, resulting in poor growth and making them vulnerable to di<i>s</i>ease. Beech hedging, for example, dislikes a heavy clay soil, which is also often naturally inclined to winter wet, as does yew, box, lavender, teucrium, photinia and the shrubby rugosa rose. So do some native hedging species such as the spindle bush, Euonymus europaeus.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OCSLUKJALBFMTM5J2B2AIUZNTI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730893154468},"content":"Other species, however, can tolerate or even like it but you’ll still need to concentrate on those that are reliably hardy in your colder inland garden. Suitable deciduous examples include hornbeam, berberis, flowering curran), spiraea, hazel, hawthorn, field maple, blackthorn, Viburnum opulus, willow and alder. Suitably hardy, reliably evergreen species include Portuguese laurel, Viburnum tinus and holly.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XSQLATUMMNFHTPJCBKY2HI6XQQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730893154469},"content":"Other factors to weigh up when choosing a hedge include its eventual size, style (formal or informal, native or non-native, flowering or nonflowering, mixed or just one species) and its rate of growth/maintenance requirements as well as your soil’s pH. Bear in mind that hedges that incorporate a mix of species aren’t suitable for use as very formal clipped hedges. Neither are flowering hedges.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JE26O6ECIBAJPDRKPTJ5ZE7LVY","additional_properties":{"_id":"NCU6ROLOI5GVJOPHAASZKMFS2U"},"content":"Our friend has warned us against planting a hawthorn boundary hedge. What can we use instead?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"LFR3TDVB5VA7DDG5EA3LLQ6QNE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730893154470},"content":"Finally, also bear in mind that your garden’s heavy clay soil can always be improved by incorporating plenty of coarse horticultural grit and even some fine pebble into the planting holes along with some well-rotted manure. If the ground is very prone to winter wet, then consider gently banking or mounding up the soil before planting to help protect the hedge’s root system from sitting in wet ground. Rather than winter cold, it’s the latter that’s so often the cause of plant death in Irish gardens.","type":"text"},{"_id":"I7Q63CMRT5GOLI3TRXHFI3OGNE","additional_properties":{"_id":"G2E4E3WYMNHQHFAEN74BJWH3II"},"content":"<span class=\"contribly-contribute-v2\" data-client=\"9fc0f2a4-9bf9-4464-8b77-ec351ad0db03\" data-assignment=\"26088556-6bae-4d51-8542-58d3cc9df2c9\" data-display=\"inline\"></span><script type=\"text/javascript\" src=\"https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/contribly-widgets/contribute/contribute-v2.js\"><\/script>","type":"raw_html"},{"_id":"ZD4J7XXLG5B2BF26A2S24X72PU","additional_properties":{"_id":"YBTTTTQF3ZD5VMKK2YQ6D3VEPA"},"content":"Why bare-root planting is always a good idea for your garden","type":"interstitial_link"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Fionnuala Fallon"}},"name":"Fionnuala Fallon"}]},"description":{"basic":"Soil type and general weather conditions matter when it comes to choosing a garden hedge"},"display_date":"2024-11-16T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"What is the best choice of hedging for my garden?","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"5469"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"4M4NP6ELWJDKVINPPXL2SHRT5I","auth":{"1":"81fff0b68a734fd50a6e1ad334e3a75e15e34b020dae01a370daa44236ccfbab"},"focal_point":{"x":1055,"y":615},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/4M4NP6ELWJDKVINPPXL2SHRT5I.jpg"}},"subtype":"columnist","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Gardening"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/gardening/2024/11/16/what-is-the-best-choice-of-hedging-for-my-garden/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/gardening","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Gardening"}}}}],"count":1034,"_id":"2f95f7b42f8497a7a34a3222869ebfff84363bf5f76cfea59c70232f6197d54b"},"expires":1733295607200,"lastModified":1733295306867},"{\"feedOffset\":0,\"feedSize\":5,\"offset\":0,\"query\":\"(taxonomy.primary_section._id:\\\"/life-style/fashion\\\")\",\"size\":5}":{"data":{"content_elements":[{"_id":"BV6MXK6R45EPPGHI2TZZZ53TKA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":228,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/ef0d0dfc-25bb-4350-8170-fff2897bdead/versions/1732119505/media/b4982e6a57583bcc6f96a2296919d1f1_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/fashion/2024/12/02/irish-designer-aoife-rooneys-eco-approach-to-fashion-i-use-anything-i-can-get-my-hands-on/","content_elements":[{"_id":"MD5A4BXZ2NGLLDHJYL6ZWLNLGQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732104225523},"content":"Not many Irish designers can claim that their careers started teaching art in a forest in the Dublin mountains. But that’s how Aoife Rooney, a <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/magazine/\" target=\"_blank\">designer </a>who has won awards for sustainability and circularity in fashion, first began her working life.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TLYHHUJNWRF4VHVOC2QNMFIEGA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117460737},"content":"“My forte was fine art and portrait drawing and I spent 11 years at the Pine Forest Arts Centre in Glencullen teaching jewellery making and screen printing — it was a great life outdoors,” she recalls when we meet at Beautiful South in Rathmines, one of the stockists of her latest collection of clothing and accessories.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ADXSMXLM3NFAJE3HTWDA2VT7HM","additional_properties":{"_id":"C5WJHATFFNCC5P4MWUIACNXXQ4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"MI4B2CQTWVHYRLGLW6USWR2AZE","additional_properties":{"_id":"QAJS3KNCY5H4PJKH6WGWMARU3U"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"S2HWAM4WZVENTJZEC6FO6NLO7M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117460739},"content":"That experience led to her founding an events business with a workforce of 10 people. But when serious illness struck her eldest child, she took time off to care for her, for more than eight years. During this time Rooney achieved a master’s in education and later specialised in eco-printing. She also completed a course in fashion and dressmaking at the Grafton Academy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PYDQ34FDLFHV5DK2IIFMS3N4GI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117460740},"content":"“I had been thinking of starting my own brand with a deep grá for biodiversity because eco printing is such a slow process,” she says. “I was testing banana and coco fabrics and came across econyl made from ghost fishing nets — discarded nets that represent 49 per cent of ocean waste. This discovery made me realise that I wanted to work with regenerating the environment and producing an ethical product,” she says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TGUXO4QNYBDXDHCYTG635QL7FI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117460741},"content":"In 2017 she launched Aoife, a line of luxury accessories, featuring nine different bags. “Within three months it got huge publicity in the UK by people mindful of circular design,” she says. “We were chosen by the Crown Estate to do a conscious pop-up and in Italy selected as designers making a positive impact, putting us on the same grid as Prada. And at the Moda Museum in Atlanta’s Full Circle Design exhibition highlighting circularity, I was the only Irish designer.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ANO2STOA3RFMXNICNDMYHOTMGI","additional_properties":{"_id":"RKX6FI47QNC2XHCILHJ6SQYTWQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"OXLWIO73OVHWVNG46C6NIV53IQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"FSIAMEJHLRAQRNA5B7VHJYMA5Y"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"LOJ3ERDQS5EQ7MAJDFDIC46Z24","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117460742},"content":"Expanding from accessories to clothing, making use of deadstock materials from factories and “breathing life into something old” was a natural organic development. Her latest collection, called Marcella after a stylish grandmother, makes use of Irish and Italian tweed, beetled Irish linen from William Clarke, French corduroy and GOTs-certified [global organic textile standard] cotton, all factory leftovers. She is also using Galway Wool for hand-knitted gilets to pre-order. “I use anything I can get my hands on.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"EWY3TUCEUNAXRFPYCBVG4SEJMQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117460743},"content":"These materials are refashioned into everything from tailored skirts and wet-look dresses to her signature sculptural pleated shirts and ruffled-shouldered bomber jackets. Easy-going loose-fitting tops and trousers are designed with menopausal women in mind, cool in every sense. This season she has introduced a line of knee-length starprint socks in brown, beige and white, which would make lovely Christmas gifts.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VDULCYG6XFF6XG3TAWNULMGUBI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117460744},"content":"Her plans now include furthering her business in the United Kingdom and Europe and exhibiting at Scoop in London, Tranoi in Paris, Coterie in New York and CIFF in Copenhagen. Rooney is stocked in Dromoland Castle, Co Clare, McKimmie in New York, Some Fancy Name in Denmark, Wolf & Badger in the UK, Beautiful South, Rathmines in Dublin, Marion Cuddy in Powerscourt and Les Jumelles, Galway, as well as online at <a href=\"http://www.aoifelifestyle.com/\" target=\"_blank\">aoifelifestyle.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"EZJSCXPISRCD5O7HOMA6Q23EUA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117460745},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Deirdre McQuillan"}},"name":"Deirdre McQuillan"}]},"description":{"basic":"Aoife Rooney’s path into design was not straightforward, but the designer and entrepreneur has carved out a successful niche"},"display_date":"2024-12-02T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Irish designer Aoife Rooney’s eco approach to fashion: ‘I use anything I can get my hands on’","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"RMHUQRZE45DXHAYD2M4GU2VI74","auth":{"1":"a50825467b68b2430f5f3ec35199ccab9446f72a70733d7d5ab93baf036ae4fe"},"focal_point":{"x":1600,"y":755},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/RMHUQRZE45DXHAYD2M4GU2VI74.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Fashion"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/fashion/2024/12/02/irish-designer-aoife-rooneys-eco-approach-to-fashion-i-use-anything-i-can-get-my-hands-on/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/fashion","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Fashion"}}}},{"_id":"2LCXYXARWNAOZMEJPW4X6RJGKI","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":305,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/3048b34e-74d4-44a9-b307-1b19ef2b6e68/versions/1732032590/media/d61cc8e4fea89230c372860850af540d_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/fashion/2024/11/29/five-of-the-best-beauty-gifts-for-christmas-from-irish-brands/","content_elements":[{"_id":"K5LRSK5W4NDGBDGTK7WMX2E2OM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727449},"content":"I love writing about beauty, but when it comes to Christmas gifting, it can sometimes feel like a chore. The market becomes overrun with familiar-looking gift sets that, while nice, don’t always offer that extra spark of excitement or something truly unique for the recipient.","type":"text"},{"_id":"B6PLGZQ56BBIFKVVBPPSJXYPXA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727450},"content":"That said, several brands get it right each year – and I’m here to tell you about them. Some do it with thoughtful, beautifully curated, unique gifts that are genuinely exciting to give and receive. Others simply present their stellar, well-loved products as the perfect present – not because they’re new, but because they’re worth the splurge and will provide lasting value to the recipient.","type":"text"},{"_id":"M635HDOMS5BEFIUFXEWVK2M4ZI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727451},"content":"Everything in this list falls into one of those categories and best of all, they’re all from exceptional home-grown brands. Get ready to surprise and sleigh.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PWNRK2XHG5CPJPS5EZPPLWHHU4","additional_properties":{"_id":"4KQ75HTMFNHWPERCUORYFEEHWU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"RC6S5HGSL5HKHGURDWJV5OPIKQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727452},"content":"Ground Wellbeing Sleep Sound Gift Box","type":"header"},{"_id":"5QLAYRZDV5B37M3N5W3BOBB6ZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727453},"content":"Give the gift of wellness this festive season with what might just be the most thoughtful present on this list: a good night’s sleep, courtesy of award-winning brand, Ground Wellbeing. I’ve tried several of their sleep products, and I can honestly say they work wonders. There’s something so meaningful about giving a gift that helps someone you love feel truly rested.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GZ6UECXBWFGVXOQMZBRBZAJHRQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727454},"content":"The Sleep Sound Gift Box (€62 from <a href=\"http://groundwellbeing.com/\" target=\"_blank\">groundwellbeing.com</a>) includes two beautiful products: Night Body Oil and Night Bath Salts. They’re potent, calming and expertly handcrafted by Peigín Crowley, one of Ireland’s top wellness experts.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DHNG367S7JHYHCNMQHJH72WY3A","additional_properties":{"_id":"ZIFYIEF5D5D3VA23VGFKW37JR4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"R72UMXIUIRAVPFTRAUYEU7FCLM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727455},"content":"LanaiBlo Professional Hair Dryer","type":"header"},{"_id":"MPMS4BG7F5FOBDH6FPRKRADSCI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727456},"content":"After over a decade in the beauty industry, I’ve tried countless hair dryers, but few have impressed me as much as the LanaiBLO (€109.99, or €124.99 with personalisation, from <a href=\"http://lanaiblo.com/\" target=\"_blank\">lanaiblo.com</a>).","type":"text"},{"_id":"MNQOHMFQENEV3CTGRYXUC3QGCI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727457},"content":"These powerful, salon-quality dryers not only look sleek and stylish, they also deliver an amazing blow dry every time. They come in a variety of colours, including some new shades for the season – Rose Gold, Emerald Green, and Purple Pastel, among others. Plus, each one can be personalised, making it feel even more special. A perfect gift for anyone who loves a good hair day.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MCFY2YHNEBGNJAC5ITWREHHCIU","additional_properties":{"_id":"4UWWXIFS4RBQBNTSXG7GMXZVSI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"RSRSUBHIR5FTDPNLZ4BRB53PBQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727458},"content":"Sculpted by Aimee The Gift of a Full Face","type":"header"},{"_id":"NHITG65QPBHHLNPTWEUDB6JQJI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727459},"content":"I’m a little concerned this gift set might sell out before this piece even goes to print, but here’s hoping! Sculpted by Aimee’s annual gift collection is always beautifully curated, with options to fit a range of budgets and tastes. One of the highlights this year is The Gift of a Full Face (€50 from <a href=\"http://sculptedbyaimee.com/\" target=\"_blank\">sculptedbyaimee.com</a>), which includes some of the brand’s bestselling make-up products (valued at over €100): Bare Basics Face Palette, MyMascara, HydraLip (a lipstick-balm hybrid) in the shade Rose, a pack of moisturising sheet masks, and two excellent face brushes. An impressive (and affordable) gift, and an ideal way to introduce a friend, family member or colleague to one of our most-loved beauty brands.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CYHLNW23RBFQ7DFF7O4VCFU5DM","additional_properties":{"_id":"EPRQVFNWKJGSVGYMCSGKTQ3FQM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"PYQSJ522JZGRVOTEANM2BRX6RU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727460},"content":"Cloon Keen Noble Fir Candle","type":"header"},{"_id":"AGLVDAWMJ5DVPPOF3DZOIYBHPE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727461},"content":"I’ve chosen Noble Fir (€45 from <a href=\"http://cloonkeen.com/\" target=\"_blank\">cloonkeen.com</a>) as the go-to candle gift from Galway perfumer and candle maker, Cloon Keen. Honestly, though, any of their gorgeous candles would be a joy to receive and would instantly set a cosy, inviting atmosphere. A luxurious gift, each Cloon Keen is hand poured at the brand’s atelier in the West and delivers a burn time of more than 60 hours.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X4WT2QWP2BCJZHR33M3OVL65A4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727462},"content":"Noble Fir is a personal favourite of mine as it captures everything I love about Christmas: warmth, togetherness and those cosy evenings by the fire.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KGKI3YFV3JEK5K6XJTU5QPCQLM","additional_properties":{"_id":"DDAVHGCIRJHRRIWGO7TV7BZYUQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"IEDLV3B2DRGOBJOTJS7ETJJI3Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727463},"content":"Ella & Jo Masking Moments Gift Set","type":"header"},{"_id":"2YQI7M3YSRCUBESTUUXWBK6XWU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727464},"content":"Skincare can be a bit tricky to gift, especially when you’re not sure about someone’s skin type or specific needs. A set that solves this issue beautifully is Ella & Jo’s Masking Moments Gift Set<i> </i>(€65 from <a href=\"http://ellaandjo.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">ellaandjo.ie</a>).","type":"text"},{"_id":"UTDF23YA7JEPDAH3AUAJHWJAHI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727465},"content":"It includes two of their face masks: The Miracle Mask<i>,</i> which hydrates and soothes, and The Glow Up Enzyme Mask, which helps exfoliate and brighten the skin. In essence, it’s a complete mask set that will please just about everyone and deliver gorgeous, glowing skin along the way.","type":"text"},{"_id":"72TSZPEY2RGRXEIIQBXEREPNBM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727466},"content":"This week I’m loving ... Milk Makeup Odyssey Lip Oil Gloss","type":"header"},{"_id":"YVZUTC62IZA5TDJ46QZLTBIX7E","additional_properties":{"_id":"UZM7GKTVCVBZRCTPZ4PSAAX2VA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"MESM2XGUKNF6VCPABDZTCRCMCE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727467},"content":"Seriously nourishing with impressive colour pay-off and a long-lasting high-shine finish, Milk Makeup Odyssey Lip Oil Gloss (€29.90 from Space NK) is my new favourite lip product. Potent enough to wear alone – delivering a full, colour-drenched pout – yet soothing and hydrating for those times when your lips need a little TLC. It is available in 12 appealing shades: you might find yourself, like me, trying one and then wanting them all.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Simone Gannon"}},"name":"Simone Gannon"}]},"description":{"basic":"Simone Gannon’s handpicked selection of festive gifts includes something for every beauty lover, from make-up and fragrance to haircare and wellness"},"display_date":"2024-11-29T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Five of the best beauty gifts for Christmas from Irish brands ","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"},"basic":{"display":true,"text":"Beauty","url":"/tags/beauty/"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"KGKI3YFV3JEK5K6XJTU5QPCQLM","auth":{"1":"c98994ca7b1d6728ea8bab4225ea8c2fc40da0cd4e89003604607a2e9ddaa0de"},"focal_point":{"x":780,"y":640},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/KGKI3YFV3JEK5K6XJTU5QPCQLM.png"}},"subtype":"columnist","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Fashion"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/fashion/2024/11/29/five-of-the-best-beauty-gifts-for-christmas-from-irish-brands/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/fashion","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Fashion"}}}},{"_id":"OYAO2MDFZNDE3MM4KGOXJUDCZY","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":316,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/6cb4a58f-e0f7-48e6-a830-7e35ddc78ff5/versions/1731594448/media/77e3cb60907fdd88801b35a126037025_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/fashion/2024/11/23/festive-fashion-what-to-wear-for-christmas-party-season/","content_elements":[{"_id":"B6MUMB7OGNAD3GGNMA6HVATFCI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731587096107},"content":"With the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/christmas\" target=\"_blank\">festive season</a> comes parties a-plenty, and planning what to wear can quickly become a style struggle. There’s deciphering the various dress codes and finding something to withstand the winter chill that easily transitions indoors where the heating blasts. Then there’s navigating the trends – sequins, sharp tailoring, shots of colour, sparkles – where to begin? Finally, and perhaps most overwhelming – figuring out the festive fashion that suits you while also being comfortable. Oh, and lest we forget, ensuring your outfit is office-party/family-gathering appropriate.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Y5ON4Y5NUBAWFNUOMCYXNDZ4CI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731587096109},"content":"Festive dressing should be fun and joyous, but with so much choice and pressure to understand what works best for you, it can be daunting. Each woman has different features that may need to be taken into account while dressing, but the goal isn’t to fix anything or flatter – it’s to figure out what works and makes you feel great.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PXXT5KVUKVBCVC47FEPWPYP6PQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"T77G5NE7IBEJVLNVQARWGTZSZQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"S3P2TRSHWZGBFEPBNBCGT23NKI","additional_properties":{"_id":"VVH2ZTZB3BBIVC2N6IWHDGZRIU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"KRBNLJMYCZAPRLM6MMJP4YVLXA","additional_properties":{"_id":"JWM4BQXJRFCGHPGZ73O4UL5YCQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"6SIB4I3N7RDU3PYWQOJHAINQCA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731587096112},"content":"Understanding the proportions of your body to achieve the ideal fit is integral. Laura Jordan, stylist and founder of StyleSavvy, explains: “Body shape is still relevant, but the fruits to describe them are not. I find them unflattering and unhelpful for body confidence. What is more important is the relative proportion of the torso to legs, which determines vertical body shape, and the relationship between the chest, waist and hips to determine horizontal shape.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"BWCKLZH2AFHZFGKO7IBDPGSJGY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731587096113},"content":"Your vertical shape is all about how your body’s length is proportioned. Your horizontal shape is more about width and how the chest, waist and hips align. Isabel Gleeson, stylist and image consultant, adds: “I do not refer to the apple, pear body shapes when working with my clients as not every woman fits into one category. It is about noticing which shapes you feel most comfortable and confident in.” Knowing these elements can help cut through the style noise and narrow options for the festive season.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SK22RSWUSVF67DEZ2BR3SZVNFY","additional_properties":{"_id":"RZVLJ4Z3AZGVBK34ADHXEUG3KY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"JHM3UYE3Y5GZXM6U67P56F5IG4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731587096115},"content":"You can mix and match tips from each body-shape category, selecting tips that relate to you and help focus on playing up the features you love, whether it’s your arms, legs, or waist. Highlight what makes you feel great. “Ask yourself: what part of your body do you love most?” says Jordan. “Narrow shoulders? A small waist? Toned legs? Pick pieces that highlight these areas.” Once you’ve identified what you want to emphasise, the next step is about balance. As Jordan explains, “Look at the parts you would prefer to have less visible and conceal accordingly. At StyleSavvy, we call this the ‘reveal – conceal balance’ and it is a key tool in choosing outfits for our clients,” says Jordan.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3WBWUQ435BDOZINCH4LRVZOVDE","additional_properties":{"_id":"IKGVTSOEJFA3ZNMBHPPDXI44DA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"DRSCWYJ4OFE2TFJJLVNXY7CWEA","additional_properties":{"_id":"FFICCL45N5FB5POPSANGXXGHLA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"V5ESTJSWNRCTZDL623GT6WRN3I","additional_properties":{"_id":1731587096118},"content":"Colour or fabric can also highlight and play up areas. “When you identify the parts of your body you are happy to highlight, put the colour, sparkle and detail there,” says Jordan. With their shimmer and shine, sequins or metallics are perfect for drawing the eye exactly where you want them. They effortlessly catch the light and create instant focal points. Bright, bold colours will do the same job. Soft, drapey fabrics such as velvet or silk create a fluid silhouette, depending on where you place them.","type":"text"},{"_id":"O22UX6PF65H5XK325G2BYPUA7I","additional_properties":{"_id":"GMQYCCLYJNDC7MKYXJX77XOZ3Q"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"QEY2MCI7MBGGBJL3AC3MTCIWRM","additional_properties":{"_id":"LLKF5WEOQJHWHIQKFO67BYLZ4U"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"L4O47I5I6FDOLFDZXQYF4EHWKU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731587096121},"content":"Experimenting with different necklines and hemlines can instantly modernise a festive look. A square neckline will frame the collarbone, drawing the eye up, as V-necks, halterneck, and off-the-shoulder give the illusion of a longer neck. Gleeson adds, “A sweetheart neckline works for many different bust sizes. A gorgeous sweetheart neckline and jeans is a great going-out look”. High-low or asymmetrical hemlines add movement and fluidity to the lower half and elongate the legs. Tailored trousers are another strong style choice. “Straight-leg trousers will follow the natural lines of the body and work on many different body shapes,” says Gleeson. “Gorgeous satin straight-leg trousers with a nice top and a heel feels like a lovely festive night out.” If you want to showcase your legs, wear an abbreviated hemline or high-slit style. Suiting is a sophisticated option for the festive season. No matter your body proportions, well-tailored clothing is vital, so do look at getting pieces rehemmed or taken in to make it look more custom.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GX45F6KFOVDPDGKK2TNISVNPP4","additional_properties":{"_id":"NI7ZUS35ZNFGZB3ZYCEU6FBAUM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"PYALXWKFVBFDDKJ3IWGGKR5FTU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731587096123},"content":"Thirdly, add that sparkle – metaphorically, and since it’s the festive season, maybe literally, too. Don’t rely solely on shape-based recommendations when dressing for the festive season, as they can become too formulaic, and you don’t want to lose your sense of style. “Women should think about their best neckline, dress shape, and so on, and look for fun partywear/festive alternatives,” says Gleeson. Lean into pieces you’re excited to wear and focus on fun textures, colours, silhouettes and fabrics you love.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JYNEQMEBABBUBM5GBNZIMSBF7A","additional_properties":{"_id":"IG6BPUTPMFBOVP4YQHMOWVOKDM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"UOEI76ACNJFFRFH4VGVGBBXSCM","additional_properties":{"_id":"R5AXMY5I5RAKNGYYW2RO46RHUM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"YHBSIYRIP5AIDKYEIDMK7DE3IE","additional_properties":{"_id":"GG45WP4YZBHAJPZ2GGHL6NJMC4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"VA7642WYWBBLJFINJ4SXICDQBU","additional_properties":{"_id":"JET5QDEX4NADBAENN6K7AOJ4MY"},"type":"image"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Corina Gaffey"}},"name":"Corina Gaffey"}]},"description":{"basic":"Identify what features you want to emphasise and ‘put the colour, sparkle and detail there’. Finding the right balance is the key"},"display_date":"2024-11-25T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Festive fashion: what to wear for Christmas party season","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"R35JA2OI2FBDVF3GBYCJFG77E4","auth":{"1":"bf6ef230fe2fed55c998e722fb57b85fee5554076439c17aabecec63c34d5af1"},"focal_point":{"x":797,"y":348},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/R35JA2OI2FBDVF3GBYCJFG77E4.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Fashion"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/fashion/2024/11/23/festive-fashion-what-to-wear-for-christmas-party-season/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/fashion","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Fashion"}}}},{"_id":"F6OGKEJ5YNBCZACZZOYM4O7MEM","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":112,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/d541a74e-c84d-468e-8811-244e63355a39/versions/1732108646/media/077351d6da7e811667aa14c6c1fce9f4_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/fashion/2024/11/24/standout-jewellery-for-the-christmas-party-season/","content_elements":[{"_id":"66BZVCGUANHSTEPGNVAUGK6SSA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732293156274},"content":"Iris Apfel Peach & Lilac earrings, €48 at A Little Idea","type":"header"},{"_id":"FV6A36DMNFAYHBBPWNDRU5YDUQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"3UPP52SKTNCGXOQ6T3RGHDPISQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"45UJX5UZCZCE7MRECBA4KSOWGE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732293156276},"content":"Carnelian Double Wrap bracelet with 9ct gold clasp and charm, €145 by Natasha Sherling","type":"header"},{"_id":"37LQQG5KC5C2BEJ5EQJCDLOMJU","additional_properties":{"_id":"WDIZQXQF25A6XKOZ56J6OIJZLY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"QISV4Z7BVRCOTPV6GWFSHBTYKU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732293156278},"content":"Drop crystal and pearl brooch, €160 at <a href=\"http://ecrustudios.com/\" target=\"_blank\">ecrustudios.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"65FKWLOSYNDVTCSLNMLL6D7DZ4","additional_properties":{"_id":"J7C3HVNRZJHV3EQBXJHLYGNQNE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"DZNZOC5Z55BEZMUVOM7IF3TQVE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732293156280},"content":"9ct Gold Three Row Black Spinella Wire Ring, €250.00 at MoMuse","type":"header"},{"_id":"RGCD3BDPMFHNRF5T73YENF5DLQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"723MZJQIKJHGXNGENC4QD3C34E"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"NBTV4TWSHFABXE462SOZUPCQDU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732296478118},"content":"Bowerbird blue necklace, €440 by Melissa Curry","type":"header"},{"_id":"ITKMQZGK3NFIRO2OCK6DNOXXTE","additional_properties":{"_id":"Y4X6YABFSZEUHLPXB7XNM47C6Q"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"6IUO27XBBJDGVHJQEMM7AGB34U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732293156284},"content":"9ct Gold Chevalie Çre Coeur Malachite Or Jaune Signet Ring, €1080 Yvonne Léon at Weirs","type":"header"},{"_id":"3OQGQPN3ZVFD3HMRPUBDIPXYE4","additional_properties":{"_id":"UA7EC4NNCNGKRNJEQXJJ3PLBBE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"HLOJROEZANCA7PVRDOJTWCGGZI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732293156286},"content":"Hanabi earrings, €250 by Isabel Marant at Costume","type":"header"},{"_id":"UECGNWX4EZCDBNWUHJ2LXAZA2E","additional_properties":{"_id":"BTCDHUR7D5AWVI7LVNSNJVF7HI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"4JFEZS22A5FG5HEJIWBLOPBE74","additional_properties":{"_id":1732293156288},"content":"9ct gold Chevalie Çre Coeur Turquoise Or Jaune signet ring, €1,080 by Yvonne Léon at Weirs","type":"header"},{"_id":"UVE3NHZKZZDR3BKVUMBNVHJ46E","additional_properties":{"_id":"QVYDP7LGV5DKJNH7BYYB4MPY4M"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"RE776BHDUZDTTL7XOCIS2UZ2LM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732293156290},"content":"Ohlala cuff, €245 by Melissa Curry","type":"header"},{"_id":"H3JXVTDWUBFLLAZWSKYD66GJNU","additional_properties":{"_id":"TLJHGKBMTRAZFOVTEHBVFOPWRY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"MKRR6XUWXBCP3ORJ7CKB5M4GZQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732293156292},"content":"9ct Gold Sky Blue Topaz Ring, €525 at MoMuse","type":"header"},{"_id":"FDTNQZCJWFDWLFA4I65RJOP6NY","additional_properties":{"_id":"YPHQLQBDCNFTBM23ZKVWD2V75U"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"L5LDGIDP6NEQDFDWN7CW2QMKC4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732293156294},"content":"Grace Jones Yellow Lightening Bolt earrings, €42 at A Little Idea","type":"header"},{"_id":"LFHBLD2UMVFHNCX7MBLHSV3LGY","additional_properties":{"_id":"F2G3RKCK2JCEZMYRXZDI24QSCM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"UK246AVBUJDQPFBECSXFQ6YA6Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732293156296},"content":"Earrings, €75 by Nash at Costume","type":"header"},{"_id":"DOF6DD2OXRA5FG2FA3PE2PG7MA","additional_properties":{"_id":"4N7RCVXIZZF3TONRUE7CHKDS5E"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"P5CQC32LV5GLBCCKYXAKJ5SMGQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732293156298},"content":"Thalia Heffernan X Betty and Biddy charm necklace, €25, individual charms €8 each at Betty and Biddy","type":"header"},{"_id":"UX46Q4D73ZBZLOE6DKLRQQPIR4","additional_properties":{"_id":"34GPAQLGGFCJ7CHK7CUUXOFAII"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"GNCRB2W2FNFA3JUKUJUHCBTIVU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732293156300},"content":"Well Done stackable bracelets, €239 by Roxanne Assoulin at Seagreen","type":"header"},{"_id":"LUGM522EK5BCBOI2MTHPTFS4GM","additional_properties":{"_id":"PSBNIYMCJNAMRHAQMMEDYHTQE4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"XY7GUPGDDVCURDE2MDWARSILWE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732293156302},"content":"Serendipity 18ct Gold ring with White Diamonds, €3,900 at MoMuse","type":"header"},{"_id":"XU3X7SCJYZFXRDELTG266RZVHE","additional_properties":{"_id":"AGXNVWBK3JG6HN72V4PA43G7OI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"JU6GU2JFHRHTPML33BHJYWRUJY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732293156304},"content":"9ct Diamond Gold Initial, €399 at Loulerie","type":"header"},{"_id":"TXYVNBDJPFAFNE6CYGEE3J4HDA","additional_properties":{"_id":"7YGDCX3FINGMRLGHXJLFJ6FAW4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"T6PRO7JNPVDGLOAGDWI55NYAJ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732293156306},"content":"9ct yellow gold peridot oval cabochon necklace €1,025 at The Collective","type":"header"},{"_id":"G7T2KZNVGZCGVGQM2544YCN5CA","additional_properties":{"_id":"OTPDIOVLOVCGRO4FVGJG555LKY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"TJ2R5A2HKNAOBMV55CCQGOAINU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732293156308},"content":"Iris Apfel Red & Pink earrings, €48 at A Little Idea","type":"header"},{"_id":"AL4DEDROPZBUHEC6ZQC7MSOMPA","additional_properties":{"_id":"IZXOAGUJ2FDYDK6JXJV3HEIVA4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Suzie Coen"}]},"description":{"basic":"Whether you're looking for precious metals, something personalised or fun costume jewellery, we've got you covered"},"display_date":"2024-11-24T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Standout jewellery for the Christmas party season","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"5SEGEXRFTBE6VHQGPM4HTOFVRU","auth":{"1":"d780134fa6fa6a109788b9bebe1dd0460f1c245286613e300938d0ab76af0029"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/5SEGEXRFTBE6VHQGPM4HTOFVRU.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Fashion"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/fashion/2024/11/24/standout-jewellery-for-the-christmas-party-season/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/fashion","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Fashion"}}}},{"_id":"RFR2P3LTBZAEBNRGAUCPUAXNGU","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":339,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/fada9aa5-0992-47db-95df-39bf5ef1ef63/versions/1731489650/media/3e2e49bee25de4fdeef870e87aa888fc_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/fashion/2024/11/22/how-to-transform-a-dormant-fragrance-brand-take-a-new-approach-to-telling-its-story/","content_elements":[{"_id":"BOLNDZYVOJFCJFMFES4R2HILOY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731346527584},"content":"Launched in 2015, Phlur has undergone a complete transformation, largely thanks to savvy entrepreneur and lifestyle influencer Chriselle Lim.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FPETQPZTXZELZHXP3BFX3DFZJU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731346527585},"content":"After taking over the dormant fragrance brand in 2021, Lim completely reimagined it within just 12 months. Out went the old, boxy, opaque packaging; in came sleek, clear oval bottles with simple typography and refined accents, and most notably a new approach to storytelling.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YBKSNYTEHREXRNIJGFWPPMG7J4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731346527586},"content":"The first fragrance released under Lim’s direction was Missing Person (€99 for 50ml), a skin-like scent that’s musky, floral and almost ethereal. In a risky move, it was launched direct to consumers online – no retail partner, no physical location where potential customers could try out the fragrance before purchasing. In essence, a fragrance that no one had ever smelled before. “We were not sure if the strategy would work, honestly,” Lim says, speaking to me from her home in Los Angeles.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NB5MDRUY6VESRFXCHXKRUV4PWY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731346527587},"content":"The strategy in question is Lim’s personal story. One she shared online when Missing Person launched. “I spoke about missing a moment in my life, missing a time. It was a very emotional period for me as I was going through a divorce. I was feeling very nostalgic, and so we created a scent that felt like someone’s skin; that felt warm, that felt like you were being held or hugged. I shared it with the hope that we would sell a few bottles.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"RE3JKBMSUBER7DRI2NZVP6N44I","additional_properties":{"_id":1731346527588},"content":"Not only did the strategy work, but something else happened. Lim’s honesty and openness in sharing her story sparked a huge reaction online, resulting in others sharing their own emotional moments of missing people and missing periods in their life. The fragrance sold out almost immediately.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DRCGXT357VDXBOEKIRLVC3NJJI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731346527589},"content":"“It’s something I’m very proud of. I believe in authenticity and transparency and being able to show up as your full self and I think Phlur represents that. Missing Person became almost therapy for people, where they felt they could be vulnerable with themselves. And it created this excitement around every scent we launched after that.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"OG2ZM4UEAFFXRMMDGTCI456CGI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731346527590},"content":"The scents that followed, Not Your Baby and Tangerine Boy, also proved popular, but the buzz around Missing Person resurfaced with the launch of Father Figure (€99 for 50ml). Designed in partnership with Frank Voelkl – the nose behind Le Labo’s Santal 33 – Father Figure is a powdery, woody and androgynous fragrance. It’s clean, sensual and subtly spicy. As Lim describes it, “It’s not hypermasculine, it’s not feminine – it’s somewhere in between. I always say Father Figure channels your inner boss while remaining graceful and sophisticated. It’s one of our staple fragrances.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"YJ56Q5QL5ZAZBJFHATZALI766Y","additional_properties":{"_id":"47MFZM3EJ5HCTJQQI44YNF4FVA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"ZB43W5IGBNCNJDAMXTW2MSPQ2Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1731346527591},"content":"Phlur’s fragrance line has since expanded to include more than 14 perfumes, as well as body mists, lotions, oils and deodorants. The core fragrance collection is available at Brown Thomas – where nine of the fragrances are offered, along with several body mists and a body lotion. A Discovery Set (€39) is also available. It contains eight 2ml tubes of the brand’s best-sellers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IGQYZPV2ZZEUTOAXVHVZ7JOOEQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731346527592},"content":"When asked what she would recommend to Irish consumers trying Phlur for the first time, Lim suggests “it’s like creating your capsule wardrobe with that first key piece, that first base layer. Missing Person is that scent for us. It’s a skin scent, so it’s a different experience for each person. It’s also great for layering with other fragrances. Our other hero scent is Vanilla Skin (€99 for 50ml). It’s grown up, not too sweet, a little spicy. It’s sexy and sophisticated.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"IOIW6HZ3XJHJTOVJ24QQBDM6RU","additional_properties":{"_id":"URHJTY2GWFBVBJIVJINLFLICBU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"I5EYLWA52ZDADOLD2J7YOCTQNA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731346527593},"content":"We end our conversation reminiscing about the fragrances from our teenage years that left a lasting impression. She leans out of frame, before returning and waving a bottle of CK One and Clinique Happy in front of the screen. “These are mine” she says, laughing. She also mentions her grandmother’s penchant for Coco Chanel, a bottle of which was always a fixture on her vanity.","type":"text"},{"_id":"P224E3YGDJEPDNKMKX5CFHRWOU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731346527594},"content":"“It’s so different now,” she says. “The consumer is very, very different. Our mothers and their mothers had one sacred scent that they wore at night. I think the modern woman today has different emotions, different moods. They have different places to go, they have to wear different hats throughout the day, throughout the week. We really believe in creating fragrances for men and women that are well-rounded, that represent the different experiences and emotions we all go through.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"YON2NZ5NENFWTCG2SRCLLTAZ34","additional_properties":{"_id":1731346527595},"content":"This week I’m loving ... Nunaïa Earth Blossom Moisturising Cream","type":"header"},{"_id":"6GLPYFMUS5BVZOOF7XJJAQ73VY","additional_properties":{"_id":"CQ7F2YNEDBCTTAET5FKZKCZTJ4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"WEC5VA3RLJC2RLMUNFECX7YRUE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731396116937},"content":"New and beautiful from home-grown wellness brand Nunaïa, Earth Blossom Moisturising Cream (€70 from <a href=\"http://nunaia.com/\" target=\"_blank\">nunaia.com</a>) is the ultimate thirst quencher for skin in the colder months. Silky and lightweight yet rich and nourishing, it contains a potent blend of antioxidants and a natural retinol alternative to soothe, calm and restore the skin while improving texture and boosting radiance.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Simone Gannon"}},"name":"Simone Gannon"}]},"description":{"basic":"Chriselle Lim’s honesty and openness about her own story sparked a huge online reaction"},"display_date":"2024-11-22T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The stories that shape us: how a perfume entrepreneur’s personal honesty helped her find a new audience","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"},"basic":{"display":true,"text":"Beauty","url":"/tags/beauty/"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"DKJT3YZ4TRADRFWK64BF3DOUVI","auth":{"1":"43661ad099dcd29753d0869909a94088f31654e5a0324bce59b5d785af0998e2"},"focal_point":{"x":1856,"y":877},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/DKJT3YZ4TRADRFWK64BF3DOUVI.jpg"}},"subtype":"columnist","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Fashion"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/fashion/2024/11/22/how-to-transform-a-dormant-fragrance-brand-take-a-new-approach-to-telling-its-story/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/fashion","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Fashion"}}}}],"count":3751,"_id":"ceaeacab0ae341e559540d59715939307ec146009374c0e37a5f8b89a6d12405"},"expires":1733295607112,"lastModified":1733295306916},"{\"feedOffset\":0,\"feedSize\":5,\"offset\":0,\"query\":\"(taxonomy.primary_section._id:\\\"/life-style/fine-art-antiques\\\")\",\"size\":5}":{"data":{"content_elements":[{"_id":"EOMKHVGPJNDNRBEF64MKUJXOVI","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":411,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/7e9d4fc2-0b08-414b-b499-55c130e81973/versions/1732699137/media/32028363fe6830acfa53af9e67563ba3_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/fine-art-antiques/2024/11/30/female-pioneers-of-modernism-shine-in-irish-art-sale/","content_elements":[{"_id":"OXAGZC7M2RAI3KEUZJXZOCCJTY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732650730618},"content":"Some of the most significant female figures in Irish modernism, including Mainie Jellett and Mary Swanzy, will feature in Bonhams’ upcoming Irish art sale.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NICUWG67U5C4XIF2Y7TVFTZ3CU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732650730619},"content":"The Vision and Voice auction, to be held on December 5th, includes 20 works by Norah McGuinness (1901-1980), including an unusual seascape of Dublin Bay (€10,000-€15,000), and Snow on the Hills, Rockbrook, County Dublin (€10,000-€15,000).","type":"text"},{"_id":"72VCFXIWRVGJXN5QZL44B4BLJM","additional_properties":{"_id":"OVQXADRCDRFWFGEVWKTAO5TJOQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"AE3DXNPNCFAHRKARDYFKLP4O2A","additional_properties":{"_id":"IBXFRP2OKBDQFFEOJFNFO757JA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"WNBXSEXUVBBSXOBQ5NFIA5ARUM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732639338284},"content":"There are also works by Mary Swanzy and Mainie Jellett, both of whom were among Ireland’s first abstract painters, including South of France landscape by Mary Swanzy (estimate €20,000-30,000), and Composition by Mainie Jellett (estimate €15,000-€20,000). All three artists were pioneers of a national avant-garde and were strong supporters of modern art in Ireland. Jellett and McGuinness were co-founders of the Irish Exhibition of Living Art in 1944, which was formed in opposition to the dominance of more traditional institutions such as the Royal Hibernian Academy. As noted in the auction notes, interest among collectors has increased significantly over the past 20 years for Irish female artists.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V2PT7VHVQJBLXKJJM3XHDZT7OM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732650730621},"content":"Further choice will be found at Whyte’s Irish and International Art on December 2nd.","type":"text"},{"_id":"O7BZNSVBS5FMZESNIFMPJ35OUE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732639338272},"content":"Ian Whyte of Whyte’s estimates that about 60 per cent of the works for auction are new to the market, as there are no previous sales records for these pieces.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UHOC7MBUN5DMTFU7V2D5BRHTYU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732639338273},"content":"“When we take in work from collectors, we publish their provenance and we have some interesting works, which were gifts from the artist to family members of the present owners,” he says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3XDT3VKWL5EI5A2GWBAPROSHPE","additional_properties":{"_id":"WSAWD7PW5FCXJG6UQEWFOHR3TU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"OMSNQ4UZZRDURGIK7EYLFDI6KE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732639338274},"content":"One such painting is Walter Osborne’s Girl Feeding a Tortoise Cat, painted in 1897 (€60,000-€80,000). In the catalogue notes, Dr Julian Campbell explains that Walter Osborne excelled at painting children and animals. “He was the son of an animal painter, William Osborne, and pet dogs and cats were an important part of the family household, providing inspiration for many notable pictures,” writes Campbell. The George Russell painting Children Playing in a Wood (€8,000-€12,000), was also gifted by the artist to the present owner.","type":"text"},{"_id":"N6WKUMRH3NBJPHTCX6VYNSYIPA","additional_properties":{"_id":"GMQ7XBH4HZDCXAUFFM26JT3HUE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"OAKUHHIZMZFZDJ4VVDTWDKFWXI","additional_properties":{"_id":"X3XM66VMURDMTKZJRLOHUDLWLI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"5FWK2R6QRVEB7ERS7L3ZJZLE5Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1732639338275},"content":"There are plenty of landscapes and seascapes too. John Lavery’s The Turquoise Sea Mimizan, 1917, with an estimate of €60,000-€70,000, is particularly pleasing. Other such works include those by Edwin Hayes, William Percy French, Frank McKelvey, James Hubert Craig, Paul Henry, Arthur Armstrong and Letitia Marion Hamilton – her Rainbow and Cottages has an estimate of €1,500-€2,000.","type":"text"},{"_id":"C6KEK46VDNDODI4K5KSAA2EHII","additional_properties":{"_id":1732639338276},"content":"Whyte is also keen to point to “a nice selection of sculpture” in the current auction, with works by living Irish sculptors including Sandra Bell, Linda Brunker, John Coen, Rowan Gillespie, John Coll and others.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FMEUX5PNB5EJBGISNC5WE7YB6E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732639338277},"content":"James O’Halloran from Adam’s is particularly excited about the paintings from the Jacqueline and Vincent O’Brien collection in Adam’s Important Irish Art auction on Wednesday, December 4th.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QANAQOIAVJFMLPFSMXLHQIXZAY","additional_properties":{"_id":"WG3HAPOIQRH4DH5KFJBJVNUPXM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"CJOWFUCP7VCLVHBQJWMXE3KA7A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732639338278},"content":"The auction has four Jack B Yeats oil paintings including Horseman (1947), He Reads (1953) and The Window with a View over the Town (1951), which were owned by the Co Tipperary horse trainer and Jacqueline O’Brien, a photographer and writer. The paintings hung in the couple’s home, Ballydoyle House, from the 1970s until O’Brien retired from training, after which they were on loan to the National Gallery of Ireland.","type":"text"},{"_id":"S2UXNHMP6JC5VBBADWYHQ5MYGY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732639338279},"content":"Jack B Yeats painted more than 670 oil paintings from 1941-1955 – the most prolific years of his career. And in 1945, when Yeats was 74, a big exhibition of his work, The Jack B Yeats National Loan Exhibition, was held in Dublin at the same time as the publication of the book Jack B Yeats: An Appreciation and an Interpretation, by Irish poet and critic Thomas MacGreevy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EALUXZHUNRCRFFA5PSC3RS7OM4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732639338280},"content":"Also for sale at Adam’s are 39 works owned by the late American appeals court judge, Hon Francis D Murnaghan jnr. Murnaghan, from Baltimore, was a nephew of James Augustine Murnaghan, who served on the Supreme Court of Ireland and was a trustee of the National Gallery of Ireland.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JMARZMK36FERHFE2JH5RTR3OUY","additional_properties":{"_id":"LX3Y4IXMRRGDTCEXDUXG5OFRXA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"DMCYHBXUINBXTDHUP4CCTCRYNQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"FJ46NFE55VGOPDKDATNXEE7N6Q"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"QATBZBKPWVCJFKKERST3VTXKBM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732639338281},"content":"The collection includes The Cello Player by Leo Whelan (1892-1956) (€20,000-€30,000); and The Christening Party by Aloysius O’Kelly (1853-1936), with an estimate of €10,000-€15,000. O’Kelly was one of the first Irish artists to study at L’École des Beaux Arts in Paris. He was also one of the first Irish artists to discover the landscape and people of Brittany, which later became a popular destination for many other artists from throughout Europe. This painting was exhibited in the Irish Impressionists exhibition at the National Gallery in 1984. The Adam’s auction also has an interesting selection of sculptures, including those by Orla de Brí, Hilary Heron, Edward Delaney and Conor Fallon.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FD3PVWKX5VDZVH6M6GQPCMTDZM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732639338282},"content":"Another artist of note is Sarah Cecilia Harrison (1863-1941), whose self-portrait is on sale (€6,000-€8,000) at Adam’s auction. Harrison, a leading portrait painter of her generation, was also the first female to be elected to Dublin Corporation (now Dublin City Council). She passionately championed the rights of Dublin’s underprivileged, while also being a fervent advocate for the arts, campaigning for a modern art gallery to house the art collection of Hugh Lane.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6CPRPNNGXNHT3FB4JPRX32GYIA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732639338285},"content":"<a href=\"https://outlook.office.com/owa/redir.aspx?REF=uwD5_o7E5hMXgwSWDNKleI6Yb5IFDA2N5VkQa2s2jfE82j81NQ7dCAFodHRwOi8vYm9uaGFtcy5jb20.\"><i>bonhams.com</i></a><i>, </i><a href=\"http://whytes.ie/\" target=\"_blank\"><i>whytes.ie</i></a><i>, </i><a href=\"http://adams.ie/\" target=\"_blank\"><i>adams.ie</i></a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"UKAOUXS75ZE6LFFKSZJBBZSUYE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732527083221},"content":"What did it sell for?","type":"header"},{"_id":"IT53TZXXSVCJRDRUNBFY4UGGQQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"URE42WTBOBBLHDC5C653FEINWI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"CGLGRXXWXRCUVCHQ66WBCZ4D5A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732527083222},"content":"Rescued by Martin Gale","type":"header"},{"_id":"YU6GMIKN75F5PALIDN44LB6KGY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732527083223},"content":"<b>Estimate </b>€10,000-€15,000","type":"text"},{"_id":"DNZANE4INBDJXNYP266DPRSYIQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732527083224},"content":"<b>Hammer price</b> €19,000","type":"text"},{"_id":"ANHMEQ4YTRGQTKPXO2P26POJGA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732527083225},"content":"<b>Auction house </b>deVeres","type":"text"},{"_id":"X2AHOELJZNCKNNEUN52FAH45QU","additional_properties":{"_id":"PPOTYFES2RFKDJERRVV6IJPATI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"V6YDOORLYVFBPCPYFEWJ632RTU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732527083226},"content":"Footbridge at Seapoint, 2001 by Donald Teskey","type":"header"},{"_id":"5VLSSZJCXRCJ5PQ4MB7D2BQWBA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732527083227},"content":"<b>Estimate </b>€20,000-€30,000","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZBSVWWKRPZE37ELV4POYDBGNSQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732527083228},"content":"<b>Hammer price </b>Not sold","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZQ4N5UWYIFCKJM2LO5N72Y7OEI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732527083229},"content":"<b>Auction house </b>deVeres","type":"text"},{"_id":"PSL7ATC2UBFDRJVXSVE2IHFRRU","additional_properties":{"_id":"CCHUP6EPVFACXLGZOVNSWBZNYQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"EWVBFLQANJFURIHVN3XFLE3GQE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732527083230},"content":"Winged Figure by Sonja Landweer","type":"header"},{"_id":"QGFBJKGPANEBBEGAR56ZKLVPWU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732527083231},"content":"<b>Estimate </b>€3,000-€5,000","type":"text"},{"_id":"DU77Y3QRQ5AKLBEEWJDXSMGVOM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732527083232},"content":"<b>Hammer price </b>€3,000","type":"text"},{"_id":"OHJOPW4UVFFDVOFWP2WTURC5JQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732527083233},"content":"<b>Auction house </b>deVeres","type":"text"},{"_id":"UUGOPF4MDJHRNBFJWBZDJ2R2GU","additional_properties":{"_id":"XTF7OG5VTZHYZM5YFMULCL6LAE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"SBRV6O4VB5H7PIG55MTO74WKC4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732527083234},"content":"The Red Bogs by Camille Souter","type":"header"},{"_id":"RX4ZXGUREZAMXADYNJPO7RJUZ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732527083235},"content":"<b>Estimate </b>€3,000-€5,000","type":"text"},{"_id":"LTKHQFNG4FHA5PYTOXIOA4YPWQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732527083236},"content":"<b>Hammer price </b>€3,800","type":"text"},{"_id":"CNRP4LBID5GQ3MCD22XONCBVEY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732527083237},"content":"<b>Auction house </b>deVeres","type":"text"},{"_id":"YCDY6C2IB5FUNMX3YVDX7FFP3I","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Sylvia Thompson"}},"name":"Sylvia Thompson"}]},"description":{"basic":"Irish art collectors are spoiled for choice with upcoming sales in Bonham’s, Whyte’s and Adam’s featuring a wealth of local and international talent across painting and sculpture"},"display_date":"2024-11-30T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Female pioneers of modernism shine in Irish art sale","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"AUS35HOKFJBSNBDK2VKCK3ODAI","auth":{"1":"fd4f7d0c607a3b8e796184a9e39ac31919f57c51de98953927d4b9e98ec0da17"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/AUS35HOKFJBSNBDK2VKCK3ODAI.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Fine Art & Antiques"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/fine-art-antiques/2024/11/30/female-pioneers-of-modernism-shine-in-irish-art-sale/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/fine-art-antiques","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Fine Art & Antiques"}}}},{"_id":"OFZ63A7IKVG4VCN5BF4BZRRGCU","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":268,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/90d8ceab-192b-459f-a739-34b1fc70f7f4/versions/1732183166/media/80bfca896b8a181d37a891868641d1d6_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/fine-art-antiques/2024/11/23/luxury-gifts-diamonds-watches-and-art-deco-brooches-under-the-hammer/","content_elements":[{"_id":"UVAP732S5BB3LBRVIO6VTCSFRE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115514673},"content":"Whether you’re drawn to retro chunky earrings, art deco brooches, Egyptian revival bracelets, diamond rings or Cartier watches, Irish antique dealers and auctioneers are ready and willing to meet your tastes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"K65XJCKRY5FZZLZNREI73EDQGQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115514674},"content":"People tend to spend more on luxury items when the economy is flourishing (and it is, in spite of ongoing housing, health and cost of living issues). And Christmas is, of course, a prime time for buying fine jewellery and watches, either as gifts or investments. Now, as the festive season fast approaches, auction houses and antique and vintage jewellers are gearing up to show their customers lots of variety in the next few weeks.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H37VNTV5H5ESBK2EV2DBHY2ID4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115514675},"content":"Claire-Laurence Mestrallet, head of the jewellery and watches department at <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/adams-auctioneers/\" target=\"_blank\">Adam’s auctioneers</a>, says Irish people have quite classic tastes when it comes to jewellery. “They will go for cluster rings, three-stone rings, tennis bracelets etc, but they also enjoy blending their styles,” she says, adding that art deco and 1940s-1950s retro French and Italian pieces are particularly popular here.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BN2G2S2FUVH3FB72EKZD5WRQEU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115514676},"content":"Such is the demand for such pieces, that Adam’s is separating out its fine jewellery and watches auctions for the first time this December, with the fine jewellery auction on Tuesday, December 3rd, at 4pm, and the watches auction on Thursday, December 5th, at 6pm. Both are on view from Friday, November 29th, in Adam’s showrooms on St Stephen’s Green, alongside the lots in the Important Irish Art auction (Wednesday, December 4th, at 6pm – of which, more next week).","type":"text"},{"_id":"RLF6ADY3DBASBBQTJURG3JDJ4Q","additional_properties":{"_id":"47JIDJYE75EQTH3ODFZTPH3AJI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"FEXE7QWQ4RGP3FNLEW45SVSVJE","additional_properties":{"_id":"BZABHOCXMFB7PB3MTS3SI2QTTI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"J6O2RA6W6RF5TNQLMBQXXLBQ64","additional_properties":{"_id":"EXOQQIXSTBCGJKBFV6R5AUUE6Q"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"HBHEZDDBCRGBRGWRBEQ7BPHJ2M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115514677},"content":"Mestrallet is particularly excited about a diamond Toi et Moi dress ring and earrings (€50,000-€60,000). “This exceptional piece of design has each principal diamond mounted on a fitting that can be unscrewed and converted into a ring, pendant earrings or earstuds,” she says. The principal diamonds weigh 3cts each and come with a laboratory certificate.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ECOZ2BWUTZB4VOQO7ZEJFY3EFU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115514678},"content":"Another eye-catching item at the Adam’s jewellery auction is the rare Tutti Frutti gem set and diamond brooch by Cartier from the 1930s (€15,000-€20,000) “Tutti Frutti designs flourished throughout the 1930s as Cartier began to embrace the influences from India and the East to incorporate vibrant gemstone ornamentation,” says Mestrallet. She also points to a deep yellow diamond Piranesi ring (€30,000-€40,000), which, unlike colourless diamonds, has a golden glow due to the traces of nitrogen in the crystal structure.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NFFLKEITFJD3LH2MPSN7MQOURE","additional_properties":{"_id":"BH4HWFH7ZJFFFGXWPQOB4OI3IQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"GZJ5AANNWVAJXKAVVMGOU6PSMA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732181526556},"content":"Keeping watch","type":"header"},{"_id":"MDH2V3DT7RESTASEIRKLLSXF7Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115514679},"content":"Ken Israel, who takes over as head of watches at Adam’s for the first of what will be two biannual watches auctions, notes some highly collectable and rare watches made by Swiss watchmakers Patek Phillippe and Rolex in the December 5th auction.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EG5T6X2CEVFCFN3KQ3ETVUFYDI","additional_properties":{"_id":"4YMG3SCZMFC6NFARCTTTCTPVWQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"CVCS5TUAKBGZDHGUDBN4C5OXKE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115514680},"content":"“The Patek Phillippe Calatrava (€5,000-€8,000) is considered to be the most elegant timepiece in the history of watch-making, with only about 15 known examples in existence,” says Israel.","type":"text"},{"_id":"564GGCDXXZCQHGPZYKALSAOPDM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115514681},"content":"Meanwhile, Courtville Antiques in Powerscourt Townhouse, South William Street, Dublin 2, is also gearing up for a busy Christmas season, following the launch of the latest issue of their Icons antique and vintage jewellery magazine earlier this month.","type":"text"},{"_id":"P6TIFKYJDBDP3FHI4UMJFQ6SWM","additional_properties":{"_id":"HGOYTVTELRE5HOMVNVPABVPRVY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"MEM4IFKIDJGZZGZFJUXRV7O6UA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115514682},"content":"The magazine cleverly displays various collections by highlighting the tastes of high-profile personalities such as <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/princess-diana/\" target=\"_blank\">Princess Diana</a> (who was fond of sapphires and, later, aquamarine gemstones); Polish-born Paris-based artist Tamara de Lempicka (who adored art deco jewellery); American actor <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/elizabeth-taylor/\" target=\"_blank\">Elizabeth Taylor</a> (whose favourite gemstones were rubies and emeralds); and pop idol, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/rihanna/\" target=\"_blank\">Rihanna </a>(who smashes all previous fashion rules, by wearing clusters of art deco brooches and antique gold chains).","type":"text"},{"_id":"TX43LEDBVVCGBFQCPOT6RHLVRM","additional_properties":{"_id":"YQQJABWJBVHENGP32WECYKKXFE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"TA6DPF3OYBAPBOART4QN7AQOSM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115514683},"content":"Jewellery enthusiasts can also tune into Matthew Weldon’s popular podcast <a href=\"https://open.spotify.com/show/6z8DMDbFgTZVqzHb02zKjC?si=34a25f6ccf2d4100\" target=\"_blank\">Gem Pursuit</a> to hear about other jewellery trends, such as wearing multiple bangles on one arm and placing sets of brooches on your waist.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7SDQHCZW35CIFI7W7UTJ5S3IRQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115514684},"content":"<a href=\"http://adams.ie/\" target=\"_blank\"><i>adams.ie</i></a><i>, </i><a href=\"https://outlook.office.com/owa/redir.aspx?REF=3QpxEFj6HaTjRDUUGxLMNrk1cAs3E_ZlD_qW0MJswtDBkHoScwndCAFodHRwOi8vY291cnR2aWxsZS5pZQ..\"><i>courtville.ie</i></a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"YCDY6C2IB5FUNMX3YVDX7FFP3I","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Sylvia Thompson"}},"name":"Sylvia Thompson"}]},"description":{"basic":"Put some sparkle under the tree this Christmas, or give the gift of time, with Cartier gem sets, yellow diamonds and Patek Philippe watches up for auction"},"display_date":"2024-11-23T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Luxury gifts: diamonds, watches and art deco brooches under the hammer","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"OJIQ5MQAYZASLITTVBCE4NDGAY","auth":{"1":"487e68a881e509fa788d42fc06e24bf7f95ce23eb40ac66737a9dd6f45d26c1c"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/OJIQ5MQAYZASLITTVBCE4NDGAY.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Fine Art & Antiques"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/fine-art-antiques/2024/11/23/luxury-gifts-diamonds-watches-and-art-deco-brooches-under-the-hammer/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/fine-art-antiques","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Fine Art & Antiques"}}}},{"_id":"RXL47DMEPJFIFOPLLXJKKWTBNA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":427,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/724ff110-eac3-4312-b689-a062a7f0b490/versions/1732094186/media/f6b8c1ba7ed75500d400407c7ee767d1_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/fine-art-antiques/2024/11/23/irish-art-sale-standing-room-only-anticipated-at-live-auction-return/","content_elements":[{"_id":"OTXPAB7GGZE5RHSJSWOI3XZW6A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732030871539},"content":"The first of the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/christmas/\" target=\"_blank\">festive season</a>’s Irish <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/art/\" target=\"_blank\">art</a> auctions kicks off on Tuesday, November 26th at 6pm when <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/deveres/\" target=\"_blank\">deVeres</a> Art Auctioneers and Valuers in <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/dublin/\" target=\"_blank\">Dublin</a> invite people into their Kildare Street offices for their first live auction since 2019.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DPI4NWF2NFFAXCJFBKWEV4NTZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732030871540},"content":"“It was time to see everyone again, but I advise anyone who wants a seat to reserve one in advance – otherwise there will be just standing room,” says Rory Guthrie, director of deVeres.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TEUE5QQKYVGUPCMDMZNXZHQR6Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732030871541},"content":"Guthrie points to the good showing of paintings by Irish female artists in the auction. “About 25 per cent of the paintings are by female artists including Camille Souter, Mary Swanzy, Letitia Hamilton, Grace Henry, Anne Madden, Evie Hone, Nano Reid and Norah McGuinness,” he notes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"32P6FSLAJBFJTAU7RO4A6VEBIA","additional_properties":{"_id":"AB45OP67ERCALG5T5DJAPUEZ24"},"content":" Art Camille Souter: A giant of Irish art who uncovered the richness within everything she painted","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"3YKJ2PTD7FGAVK6DUYXDEDUHAA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732030871542},"content":"Guthrie also explains that paintings such as The Red Bogs by Camille Souter (€3,000-€5,000) and Dutch-born Sonja Landweer’s Winged Figure sculpture (€3,000-€5,000) are on the market for the first time.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KAMZJDU44NEX3C4XLSGKNC5INU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732030871543},"content":"Camille Souter’s My Father’s Garden II (€12,000-€16,000); Norah McGuinness’s Roadside Grasses (€15,000-€20,000) and Drying Nets, Dunmore (€7,000-€10,000); and Mary Swanzy’s The Bird Catcher (€10,000-€15,000) are also striking pieces which will, no doubt, attract attention.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UUGOPF4MDJHRNBFJWBZDJ2R2GU","additional_properties":{"_id":"24RZMOYDLFBE5MVROZ43DV4T3Y"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"PSL7ATC2UBFDRJVXSVE2IHFRRU","additional_properties":{"_id":"TLWIPDDS6JDVRGR6FCFOR2OQKM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"BX7KFMTMLNDB7P4NO3QSXQ7WDY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732030871544},"content":"Interesting work at deVeres’ auction by Irish male artists include Rescued by Martin Gale (€10,000-€15,000); Donald Teskey’s Footbridge at Seapoint, 2001 ((€20,000-€30,000); and Colin Middleton’s Lagan, Lambeg (€3,000-€5,000).","type":"text"},{"_id":"6NSPGHF6QZCAZJBA3DHTPVNHPM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732030871545},"content":"Guthrie is also keen to highlight works by deceased artists, whose work often fetches high prices. These include paintings by some of the most collected of all Irish painters – Jack B Yeats, Roderic O’Conor and Louis le Brocquy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IT53TZXXSVCJRDRUNBFY4UGGQQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"2WF3XUI3EVFYLJCPRYJQDLU2CU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"PBW66Z7Z5ZBUZKT6AJRPGAUXXA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115561686},"content":"The latter’s Head of Samuel Beckett (€100,000-€150,000), was part of a celebrated series of works, which earlier “searched for an abstract concept of humanity that went beyond the identification of physical features” and later focused on somewhat ethereal images of literary figures including James Joyce, Seamus Heaney and WB Yeats. Samuel Beckett was one of le Brocquy’s close friends, and the painting was completed two years before Beckett’s death in 1989.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YH4HVYMY2NAQPL5YBMNVIT4NGA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732030871546},"content":"Roderic O’Conor’s Breton Farmstead with Haystack (c1892), with an estimate of €180,000-€220,000, is one of three O’Conor paintings pitched at investor art collectors. At the time, O’Conor was spending quite a bit of time in Brittany in the company of painters such as Paul Gauguin, Henry Moret and Paul Sérusier – many of whom also painted “en plein air”, enjoying the Breton countryside as they worked. The O’Conor painting is one of a group which he completed during his first year in the Pont-Aven artists’ colony.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HTMMBF2OOBE5RMGBGV2VLXK5HI","additional_properties":{"_id":"LU7WVG72FRDJ5FXLBVLOAROSYI"},"content":"From the archive: Roderic O’Conor: Ireland’s great forgotten painter","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"5WHV65SLXRG57INWSDWJEMTWZY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732030871547},"content":"Meanwhile, in Belfast, Ross’s auction of more than 140 lots of paintings, sculptures, prints and art books from the Grant Fine Art Gallery in Newcastle, Co Down, has some attractive paintings with very reasonable estimates.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QGKNSM7ZTRHT5GUDYRYZEYDALE","additional_properties":{"_id":"NIEVZOHU7RFGBDWGXXYSYTT24A"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"3V24OKAGFVFRLL3F7E77T3MSY4","additional_properties":{"_id":"5QSWXQYE5ZEHTLIP6IB37WSPUA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"J4J63O3NIRHLPJE6XOTFDF6L3Y","additional_properties":{"_id":"6JG65UCGXFHYFJPH3WTBK72XYU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"JNGDE642OVCFNL3RPLTTXLJDSY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115561693},"content":"The auctioneers and valuers, at 37 Montgomery Street, have been tasked with selling the residual contents of the gallery, which was run by Margaret and Gerry Grant in the seaside town under the Mourne Mountains for more than 50 years. The gallery closed in 2022.","type":"text"},{"_id":"O3WR6QA4XRBBDG4DQCRYPIENVY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732030871549},"content":"Described by Ross’s as one of the premium galleries in Northern Ireland, the Grant Fine Art Gallery sold paintings by Colin Middleton, Jack B Yeats, Basil Bradshaw and George Campbell, to mention but a few, well-established, painters. They also exhibited European modernists such as Enzo Plazzotta and Josef Herman, and brought the works of art graduates from the Slade School and Chelsea School to Irish audiences for the first time.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TMAFTXFWQFCHZJW44PINY7ARQM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732030871550},"content":"This auction – which starts on November 27th and ends on December 4th – includes several interesting paintings primarily inspired by Irish and Italian landscapes and urban streetscapes. These include English painter, Len Tabner’s Hawthorne by the Roadside (£1,000-£1,200); Scottish landscape painter, George Rowlett’s Mournes & Dundrum (£1,500-£2,000); and Northern Ireland artist Hector McDonnell’s Cushendun (£150-£200). A sculpture by Dublin-born artist Catherine Delaney entitled Moore Street Pram (£1,000-£1,500), should also draw some interest.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6RK6SKHL5FG2JP7J2WBBVC2XWI","additional_properties":{"_id":"CLEN5FRVPFGABHRWN6R4GRFS4Q"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"ES4GBBQSUFBXDGKTNMAPXKU4BQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732030871551},"content":"For the second year in a row, Dublin Simon Community has launched A Community of Hope: Artists for Dublin Simon, as a pre-Christmas fundraising initiative. The auction, hosted by Gormley’s Fine Art Gallery, will include pieces by singer Imelda May; comedian Tommy Tiernan; jewellery designer Chupi Sweetman and many others.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ICHWTQTORZFNBAJPCKPMMV3TL4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732030871552},"content":"The Art Auction was initiated in 2023 by artist John O’Donnell in response to the shocking conditions faced by many of those living on Dublin’s streets, not far from the gallery itself. Bidding runs from November 28th to December 10th and the art can be viewed at Gormley’s Art Gallery, 27 South Frederick St, Dublin 2 from November 28th to December 2nd.","type":"text"},{"_id":"552V6GOCBRHL3FBCEZG33UZW6U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732030871553},"content":"Finally, Robin O’Donnell from Hibernian Antique Fairs ends the year with an antiques fair in a new venue. The Claregalway Castle Antique and Vintage Fair will go ahead this weekend, with about 20 dealers from around the country selling their wares today and tomorrow from 11am-6pm.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2CVUHW44XNFVVHMT3HIVYR7W74","additional_properties":{"_id":1732030871554},"content":"<a href=\"http://deveres.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">Deveres.ie</a>; <a href=\"https://www.rosss.com/\">rosss.com</a>; <a href=\"http://gormleys.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">Gormleys.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"QDYPW2IBYFHQ3D3DDQINDUJXDY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732027252551},"content":"What did it sell for?","type":"header"},{"_id":"TRRFSNQNBNA2LMUZVBXRAF6B3E","additional_properties":{"_id":"QSMF6XE4INFENPHBTPMUAKJG4U"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"OXN2VPIQGRA7LMPQKQEORGKQDY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732027252552},"content":"19th century imperial ceremonial sword","type":"header"},{"_id":"3EMLE4R6DBC6DMTNS2ON7ZZNRI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732027252553},"content":"<b>Estimate:</b> €100,000","type":"text"},{"_id":"BGQ6QGX5PZBK5IVBV5D7U74ZA4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732027252554},"content":"<b>Hammer price:</b> €370,000","type":"text"},{"_id":"GCUO4RUGJFHMDBDWHGX6MHA2DI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732027252555},"content":"<b>Auction house:</b> Adam’s","type":"text"},{"_id":"MXWUQWZ4BNHY3FVRPSHCXCSJAE","additional_properties":{"_id":"KIBS4FSRDZDOPAGMXU6MVTLVBI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"DZAW5DVWCRC4RCKQMQFRX3FERU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732027252556},"content":"O’Connell Bridge, Dublin, Jack B Yeats","type":"header"},{"_id":"TAZNMOW3EVD7RCC3OPR4ZWBLFI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732027252557},"content":"<b>Estimate:</b> £500,000","type":"text"},{"_id":"36XNRIF4DZHOPAGNYNBGA77J4M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732027252558},"content":"<b>Hammer price</b>: £882,000 (€1.1 million)","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z3I4OSUVCBFV7LNP6AG37XPXLY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732027252559},"content":"<b>Auction house:</b> Christie’s","type":"text"},{"_id":"MPQH52KKJZE5JADQ6CVUBPQVLQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"USWOGAGNSZGAJE35CVJLCMV2JU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"7G6HHDOM5JBDPOPEVHGMMZJHJ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732027252560},"content":"All Birds Pay Homage to the Phoenix, Eileen Agar","type":"header"},{"_id":"A3EUBR2EYJFFNEEDNY6TBSLVJU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732027252561},"content":"<b>Estimate: </b>£20,000-£30,000","type":"text"},{"_id":"2YCQJZHMO5HHRLXLDONBIVPL6M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732027252562},"content":"<b>Hammer price:</b> £94,500 (€113,101)","type":"text"},{"_id":"HBEJF77YXVFKTFAJ33ZWMOQKXU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732027252563},"content":"<b>Auction house:</b> Christie’s","type":"text"},{"_id":"USBTQYNTH5BFRJXSJIOMTPGSE4","additional_properties":{"_id":"GXMIWAMWP5GATF2LUD5BEUDP4Y"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"XE4BTXKNW5E73ALK2FLHXQ5XGA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732027252564},"content":"Mrs Evelyn St George, Sir William Orpen","type":"header"},{"_id":"44ORSK4VAZEYLHPQTS46EHM7XU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732027252565},"content":"<b>Estimate:</b> £600,000-£800,000","type":"text"},{"_id":"L4ICRQERJZDUNKKSTHNFUMHSYY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732027252566},"content":"<b>Hammer price:</b> £690,000 (€825,820)","type":"text"},{"_id":"KBQPKFPNMFDOTH3FL3KRKGTQDQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732027252567},"content":"<b>Auction house:</b> Sotheby’s","type":"text"},{"_id":"YCDY6C2IB5FUNMX3YVDX7FFP3I","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Sylvia Thompson"}},"name":"Sylvia Thompson"}]},"description":{"basic":"Camille Souter, Mary Swanzy, Roderic O’Conor and Louis le Brocquy are among the highlights at deVere’s Irish art sale"},"display_date":"2024-11-23T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Irish art sale: Standing room only anticipated at live auction return","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"X2AHOELJZNCKNNEUN52FAH45QU","auth":{"1":"29e4adb823e5b3a137f94b5c2ff7a36e73fedb8fae9a913b4de10ca0bcf507ad"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/X2AHOELJZNCKNNEUN52FAH45QU.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Fine Art & Antiques"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/fine-art-antiques/2024/11/23/irish-art-sale-standing-room-only-anticipated-at-live-auction-return/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/fine-art-antiques","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Fine Art & Antiques"}}}},{"_id":"4GV2CUXUQZFXFML3MWL2YZKZYU","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":406,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/518d5f8a-5b5d-45be-aa1a-2899acc2249f/versions/1731501321/media/80a2799b1fd22c79c3450e012cdb3ac2_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/fine-art-antiques/2024/11/16/the-story-behind-the-object-upcoming-sales-of-antique-furniture-art-and-historic-prints/","content_elements":[{"_id":"W3Z6BW6COVC6BP6JZV6EAPFNM4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490570125},"content":"Auctioneers often speak about the provenance of objects they are selling in excited yet hushed tones, as if they are revealing family secrets. Sometimes, they are, indeed divulging key historical facts that have been hitherto unknown, but often, they have delved into the biography of the particular piece to attract more buyers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LLTAJAKZ45A75A4D5QPLXT75S4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490570126},"content":"Buyers themselves are also often drawn to specific items – clocks, historic prints, chinaware or tables, cabinets and tapestries – so that they can regale visitors to their homes with interesting stories. Viewing the items in their original setting also adds to the allure of potential purchases.","type":"text"},{"_id":"66HXVC722FE2VIWCXD7DAPCXR4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490570127},"content":"In the next few weeks, buyers of antique furniture, objets d’art, historic prints and so on will have opportunities to view lots of pieces that have interesting historical origins. Take, for example, the Lynes & Lynes auction in Carrigtwohill, Co Cork, on November 30th. Of the 400 lots on auction, about a quarter of them come from Gurrane House, a 19th-century country house, with the ruins of Garraunigarinagh Castle in its grounds. The house was sold recently for the first time since it was built, circa 1850.","type":"text"},{"_id":"N77WMNDWJFAEVPIBSNJUXCNCIU","additional_properties":{"_id":"ASAXNH7H3NAB5MS2MIYSE3TZUY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"QYMR3DUKCFDCHMJ4KNO7M2XYKM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490570128},"content":"Items include an engraving of Cork Harbour with its original frame, by 19th-century Dublin-born, Cork-based artist Robert Stopford (€300-€500). Also of interest to local historians is a large view of the Cork International Exhibition in 1903 (€200-€300). The Cork International Exhibition was a vibrant part of Edwardian Cork, in which international exhibitors from as far as Russia, China and Turkey partook in a celebration of art, architecture, music, sport in the early years of the 20th century when local political tensions were running high. Exhibitions of this kind were held in cities such as London, Paris, Glasgow and Chicago.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YL453DF4V5HAHC7KNWBOBE33QM","additional_properties":{"_id":"P3NZQTFMR5H7JLT74MLOPUQ2LQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"J44BU75EPZA6BBROUAA3CP2POQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490570129},"content":"For lovers of clocks, there are two from Gurrane House – a long-cased clock (€800-€1,200) and a 19th-century marble table or mantel clock with dials for time, weather and date (€400-€600). There is also a George III long-case clock in the upcoming auction by Sheppard’s. This clock is one of about 750 lots, which can be viewed in the 18th-century Grange Manor (which operated as a country house B&B for several years) near Ballyragget, Co Kilkenny, November 23rd-25th, before the auction at Sheppard’s on Wednesday, November 26th.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R3PXE23LFFFTDLVNTCSAQPTCJI","additional_properties":{"_id":"DYCCMZHI65DF7N4LEUEYANMWPU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"4MCAXGJXH5ANBFBB3DO54UZ5VI","additional_properties":{"_id":"UAVY2O3WBBFHTPUYBNLAG2NWRM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"F672HXI3YNB2NFBAZPPSE2LV6U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490570130},"content":"The Sheppard’s auction also has a pair of mid-19th-century richly inlaid cabinets (€100,000-€150,000), which once belonged to Kilkenny Castle. Attributed to Arthur Jones & Sons, the acclaimed late-19th century/early-20th-century Dublin cabinet makers, Michael Sheppard explains that the cabinets – which were made following the intricate marquetry technique pioneered by French cabinetmaker, André-Charles Boulle – were sold as separate lots at the Kilkenny Castle dispersal sale in November 1935, and subsequently reunited. The Butler family sold the castle to “the people of Kilkenny” for the nominal sum of £50 in 1967. It was formally taken over by the Irish State in 1969.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5IK6UEVEAFCVLOCKOBW3CI4N74","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490570131},"content":"The Lynes & Lynes auction also includes the contents of the 19th-century Ballydowney House, just outside Killarney town and next to the National Park, which was recently put on the market for €1.1 million. A large Masons ironstone china dinner service (€700-€1,000), and four Waterford glass chandeliers (€600-€800 each) are among the many items for sale.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UT6AHOZRL5FENGDJY57DDGSGOA","additional_properties":{"_id":"DFKUJK3BYVDL7HPKCMGPPBT4ZY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"CJVBMQF43FAXLG2PUSM5A5KPCI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490570134},"content":"Buyers of quirky ephemera may be drawn to a large collection of ornamental clowns and other buffoonery (€3,000), also for sale in Lynes & Lynes auction. The owner was a clown in Duffy’s circus for more than 50 years and his estate is now being sold by his nephew. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"HRCBCHNAA5AOPBA4DRSKQUTMEU","additional_properties":{},"content":"“It took me a while to decide to sell these after I first viewed them in a house in Cork city last September. There’s everything from clown clocks and teapots to photo frames and a plaster bust of Jimmy O’Dea [the late Irish actor and comedian]. I might end up the clown myself – if I don’t sell them – but I hope I won’t,” says Denis Lynes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X5FYQI3QX5GO5IDFJ6ZKPJBWYY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490570132},"content":"Meanwhile, John Weldon’s auction of jewellery, watches, silverware and gold coins in his Temple Bar auction rooms in Dublin on Tuesday, November 19th, also has some pieces of significant provenance – the most striking of which are more than 50 pieces of jewellery of the late Ita Griffin.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KFCIKNFCIREJZCZR4BL3DSBMI4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490570133},"content":"Ita Griffin (nee Brennan), from Galway, was an accomplished equestrian and wife of Noel M Griffin snr, whose family founded Waterford Crystal. Griffin was the managing director of Waterford Crystal, which employed more than 3,000 people at the height of its production. The jewellery collection for sale includes an antique diamond bangle (€2,000-€3,000), a ruby and diamond cluster ring (€3,000-€5,000) and a diamond necklace set in 14-carat gold (€2,000-€4,000).","type":"text"},{"_id":"5572FVTGVZDKBE7GWX347HDTDY","additional_properties":{"_id":"66TDJRZWOVAOHCB6XVRXJH5XGM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"CJVBMQF43FAXLG2PUSM5A5KPCI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490570134},"content":"Finally, a little advance notice for music lovers – the Usher auction rooms in Kells, Co Meath, will be selling the estate of Irish tenor, Josef Locke on December 2nd. The auction will include Locke’s piano, awards, music and furniture.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MA6SW7E4RZHEZHLTEOI4AC76S4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490570136},"content":"<a href=\"http://lynesandlynes.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><i>lynesandlynes.com</i></a><i>; </i><a href=\"https://outlook.office.com/owa/redir.aspx?REF=lsklZETHQHQ58d7M-BVkcTI-9TGVgWZ2vTMXm6v4buP9HKPPPgPdCAFodHRwOi8vc2hlcHBhcmRzLmll\"><i>sheppards.ie</i></a><i>; </i><a href=\"https://outlook.office.com/owa/redir.aspx?REF=fZgYauGmpmtfNy3LFwHXEYoEl7IceF7GUIEfLkILowP9HKPPPgPdCAFodHRwOi8vandhLmll\"><i>jwa.ie</i></a><i>; </i><a href=\"https://outlook.office.com/owa/redir.aspx?REF=d2t7wBCG-uRSL_bbCEIg7Ko4v-7lSgF28MLOGSaI69X9HKPPPgPdCAFodHRwOi8vdXNoZXJhdWN0aW9ucy5pZQ..\"><i>usherauctions.ie</i></a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"PX753GLOCBDMHH2FKH4JOUECIM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490570137},"content":"Captain Lambert Brabazon, Nathaniel Hone (the elder)","type":"header"},{"_id":"NFAAXVYCSNESXAYC2PNR2LNENQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"DEH4N5GHVJDHDFI7S6EEZU7L2E"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"7TAP2KOAK5ELLA54MGUCDXHN5E","additional_properties":{"_id":1731411443999},"content":"<b>Estimate </b>€18,000","type":"text"},{"_id":"OGEDBU7NIBCT3DRFJGVKQKCKSE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731411444000},"content":"<b>Hammer price</b> €8,000-€12,000","type":"text"},{"_id":"5DTMHIZVFJCT3GH6U2SYHFBE2Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1731411444001},"content":"<b>Auction house </b>Adams","type":"text"},{"_id":"3PKEZSYV4FGSRDXU4O25Q7KI3M","additional_properties":{"_id":"ARN3HDZDNVF35FMKLGKJYIFNEM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"BG3LNTX6TNF3TC4N5F6HQJJ6TI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731411444002},"content":"Landscape with a Pool and Bridge, Horse watering, Thomas Roberts","type":"header"},{"_id":"GYSTRNT4YZE7JMFMX4KI3G2GSM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731411444003},"content":"<b>Estimate </b>€40,000 – €60,000","type":"text"},{"_id":"JXSACJ4YDNE2ZNZVKFJR7B7NCI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731411444004},"content":"<b>Hammer price </b>€44,000","type":"text"},{"_id":"LPM5ZUURLVAFXIO2HXM2VWFJ4M","additional_properties":{"_id":1731411444005},"content":"<b>Auction house </b>Adams","type":"text"},{"_id":"VJHS3RM2UZE7DNBGTRCX7S2KZY","additional_properties":{"_id":"5HEQ2QD6GJHFPNNLUOJ7TJJR3E"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"FCPLCKUUD5CKRO5YXV7MSSK5WE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731411444006},"content":"Coloured aquatint of College Green, Dublin, Robert Havell","type":"header"},{"_id":"342SMF74H5BQLC4DTLUPKGTQAA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731411444007},"content":"<b>Estimate </b>€1,500-€2,000","type":"text"},{"_id":"MP7OY2PHVBEW5PSPYIDXM5G234","additional_properties":{"_id":1731411444008},"content":"<b>Hammer price</b> €1,300","type":"text"},{"_id":"ULGUJTCEXNG3PD56GXCKR752MA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731411444009},"content":"<b>Auction house </b>Adam’s","type":"text"},{"_id":"YCDY6C2IB5FUNMX3YVDX7FFP3I","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Sylvia Thompson"}},"name":"Sylvia Thompson"}]},"description":{"basic":"Upcoming sales have plenty to interest lovers of clocks, historical prints, china and chandeliers. Or how about a collection of ornamental clowns?"},"display_date":"2024-11-16T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The story behind the object: upcoming sales of antique furniture, art and historic prints","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"UT6AHOZRL5FENGDJY57DDGSGOA","auth":{"1":"1636f8e833179b73ec2c1d042aeeff76a324c77fcccb34f27a11c907779fddb6"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/UT6AHOZRL5FENGDJY57DDGSGOA.JPG"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Fine Art & Antiques"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/fine-art-antiques/2024/11/16/the-story-behind-the-object-upcoming-sales-of-antique-furniture-art-and-historic-prints/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/fine-art-antiques","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Fine Art & Antiques"}}}},{"_id":"BUZYTOMDMVEEFOWIWA2I6BLU5Q","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":397,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/09648d72-4bd0-4ed5-84ac-4bcc83daad53/versions/1730894560/media/7fd22531006ff5241262a14411712f62_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/fine-art-antiques/2024/11/09/asian-art-arm-yourself-with-knowledge-of-japanese-kobudo-before-adams-sale/","content_elements":[{"_id":"XEBZDGQ7ZVBN5DGXUNEXPVOKFU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730890562482},"content":"From the porcelains, jades, snuff bottles and <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/art/\" target=\"_blank\">paintings</a> of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/china/\" target=\"_blank\">China</a> and the Himalayas, to the dynastic art of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/vietnam/\" target=\"_blank\">Vietnam</a>, to the different styles and periods of prints in <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/japan/\" target=\"_blank\">Japan </a>and <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/south-korea/\" target=\"_blank\">Korea</a>, Wei Wang is on a mission to educate Irish collectors about all kinds of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/world/asia-pacific/\" target=\"_blank\">Asian</a> art.","type":"text"},{"_id":"K5YCF74U3BCOBCSNDPZBLASVDE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730829517539},"content":"Dr Wang, the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/paris/\" target=\"_blank\">Paris</a>-based Asian art specialist for Adam’s auctioneers in Dublin, says that in spite of the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/chester-beatty-library/\" target=\"_blank\">Chester Beatty Library</a> at Dublin Castle, which has one of the world’s most famous collections of Asian art, few people in Ireland know a lot about Asian art.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AZ7HK47WUFGL5GIQN4BXHZU3NU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730890562484},"content":"“Many don’t know what they have in their family homes, so I want people to appreciate and collect Asian art,” she says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QD7GC7C5XJARJK7WLSDH2GMO54","additional_properties":{"_id":1730829517541},"content":"To help her with this noble and onerous task, Wang draws on the knowledge of experts to give lectures in the days before each Asian Art Auction. And so, next Saturday – in advance of Adam’s biannual Fine Asian Art auction on Monday, November 18th – there will be a lecture on Japanese Kobudō (martial arts), arms and armour by Alex Meehan.","type":"text"},{"_id":"L23263IKWZEITN3PCX5GVVSNIY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730829517542},"content":"This topic was chosen to coincide with the sale of the Vietnamese 19th century ceremonial imperial sword for €100,000-€200,000 at auction. Owned by Emperor Minh Mang, the second ruler in the Nguyễn Dynasty, Wang says this “supreme royal symbol” has already attracted a lot of interest from Chinese and Vietnamese experts during viewing of the items in Paris, before the Dublin viewing next weekend.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TRRFSNQNBNA2LMUZVBXRAF6B3E","additional_properties":{"_id":"NREELKWX7NBZ3GBZVOAR5T6ZFU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"BT4NGI4KSJBOFDZR7Q2K5SWZWA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730829517543},"content":"The inclusion in the auction of more than 100 Japanese prints in the Ukiyo-e style prompted this writer to research this printmaking technique, which was popular in Japan from the 17th to the 19th century. Ukiyo-e prints, which translate as pictures of the floating world, were produced in a collaborative process in which the artist first drew strong lines, which were then carved into woodblocks and later printed for publication.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RHWW6PS5QFF2TC7KE3SIPU6MZM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730829517544},"content":"“Many of these prints began as advertisements for theatre and then became an art form in itself,” explains Wang. The colourful prints featured sumo wrestlers, geisha girls, samurai warriors, landscapes and scenes from folktales, as well as the kabuki actors Wang refers to.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZIJK4KKO3RDSDM3QUKMA4BPUDA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730829517545},"content":"Ukiyo-e prints became the quintessential form of Japanese art understood by Europeans in the late 19th century. In particular, the landscapes of Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849), and Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) became fashionable in France and England in the 1870s and 1880s. The Hokusai print, <a href=\"https://www.artic.edu/articles/1139/10-things-to-know-about-the-great-wave\" target=\"_blank\">The Great Wave off Kanagawa</a>, remains one of the best known works of a Japanese artist. The Chester Beatty library featured 100 Japanese prints and printed books from its collections in a 2021 exhibition entitled Edo in Colour. Edo was the old name for modern-day Tokyo.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MSJFIIKMIRGWJGZ3TJA2GTCCGM","additional_properties":{"_id":"MFHYHAYWAFC7DMJQLCLW2MVUZU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"F2FILRS4WVCGLJACLYSR32J5ZY","additional_properties":{"_id":"TA3OKDHLMZCJBKWLXUPN4JODHI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"VDKK4QQNUFEL3PI7EN6YLZRYJQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"43KFS2M4WNDHHBQTBKVX2ZAXQ4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"CFKA4QG7XVGCLK3ACDT2VNBCNU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730894185028},"content":"These Ukiyo-e prints influenced many early French impressionists (Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, etc), post-impressionists such as Vincent Van Gogh and Art Nouveau artists such as Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FSYICNMJXBHWFCAMSUFSTKXWMA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730829517547},"content":"Japanese Ukiyo-e prints in the Fine Asian Art auction at Adam’s include Fine Wind, Clear Weather (also known as Red Fuji) from the series of 36 views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai (€120-€150), and a rare complete series of famous places in the provinces of Japan by Utagawa Hiroshige (€4,000-€6,000). The auction includes many prints by other Japanese 19th century artists, with estimates from €150-€400.","type":"text"},{"_id":"K7ZG27I3F5FNXENG2NIQVMLTYA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730894185030},"content":"Moving outside the capital, Christmas gift shoppers and collectors of antiques and other ephemera have a choice of auction in the next few weeks. About 80 dealers are expected to attend the National Antiques Fair at the Limerick Racecourse on November 16th and 17th from 11am-6pm each day. Visitors can browse stalls with everything from small furniture, Irish militaria, coins and banks to silverware, Waterford crystal, china, porcelain, jewellery and clocks. There will also be contemporary Irish art, oriental antiques and vintage clothing.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GJTD4N5UXREWVCXKLRVGWYSBT4","additional_properties":{"_id":"ZJ5Y6HWHPNECVB6BXAFPKD6QQM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"MH42BEPA4NCVBG23XSTRUYITPU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730829517549},"content":"Meanwhile, Hegarty Antiques in Bandon, Co Cork, is hosting Part II of its Stoneview Collection of antique furniture, Irish silver, art, jewellery and other collectables in an online auction at 11am on November 13th.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TQ63N5WJRVD6PI4YTLCNHDMPGQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730829517550},"content":"One interesting piece in this auction is a twin fern-handled mantle vase on a pedestal made by the famous British florist Constance Spry (estimate €400-€800). Born Constance Fletcher in the late 1880s in Derby, she moved to Ireland with her family at the age of 14. She trained as a nurse and educator, becoming secretary of the Dublin Red Cross.","type":"text"},{"_id":"76ZEX57NGRFVTDWJYEFIDZ6RUQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"XNQW74K32NCS3I5FMVAH4QKYRI"},"content":"Constance Spry: Iconic florist with Irish connections inspiring new generation","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"6WBNBJSS7JHYXNZLHUS6AK3DEA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730894185035},"content":"However, at the outbreak of the first World War she left her husband with their young son and moved back to England where she opened her first floral shop. As her success grew, she opened a larger shop in Mayfair, where she employed 60 people.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5IELHJVKWFFS3FBF6LOC2ER5IE","additional_properties":{"_id":"QEV4OHE6ARCY5FIY3KT5N47NE4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"XXZ3DBYS5BDSROPJU3C6QVCREU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730829517551},"content":"Renowned for her dramatic and unusual floral displays, Constance Spry went on to provide the flowers for the Duke of Windsor and Wallis Simpson’s wedding in 1937 and the coronation of Queen Elizabeth in 1953. She co-designed a series of vases with Florence Standfast, taking inspiration from the Roman, Greek and Phoenician vases.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NEFNJ6VNSRGRZALYKYERXSLKPU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730829517552},"content":"<a href=\"http://adams.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">Adams.ie</a>; <a href=\"https://outlook.office.com/owa/redir.aspx?REF=oNXU1MzLKkxzd25cynK3woA9dEjZEU9RRRXRxZq_rIIWd1Yhwf3cCAFodHRwOi8vaGVnYXJ0eWFudGlxdWVzLmNvbQ..\">hegartyantiques.com</a>; <a href=\"https://outlook.office.com/owa/redir.aspx?REF=z89UAFQzRni2bBMx3mB5AYSlzvAjS7fzWZKciwDHTB8Wd1Yhwf3cCAFodHRwOi8vaGliZXJuaWFuYW50aXF1ZXMuaWU.\">hibernianantiques.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"UB27YBGSQJGQHKY5F6U6DO5N4A","additional_properties":{"_id":1730894185039},"content":"What did it sell for?","type":"header"},{"_id":"2BIKDUAZRJDSXPRPF3TGO3IQBU","additional_properties":{"_id":"ADVUKVER2NFMDP26JLPVURVY7M"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"FTK4S2Z7QZB6DCVBCUK6NOKHL4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730894185041},"content":"Eden tapestry, Louis le Brocquy","type":"header"},{"_id":"Y6MVIWW455FNPI5T4CXP4DIJTI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730743805551},"content":"<b>Estimate</b> €25,000-€35,000","type":"text"},{"_id":"UA3GVZSFTJAULFPE4WYAFPHWBY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730743805552},"content":"<b>Hammer price</b> €36,000","type":"text"},{"_id":"CPLRP7VG6BGNHO6M6BBSF23OEA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730743805553},"content":"<b>Auction house</b> deVeres","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZGIWOMXGIZAC7ONXKXITKHGEBY","additional_properties":{"_id":"LUP7VHRITZGDXAD364IUPFYXOY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"TLJQ5HP62VDZ3JCSC32KEBSCA4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730743805554},"content":"Tulip table, Eero Saarinen","type":"header"},{"_id":"Q6J7YDGNQRBI3JZYRVCMKVYZ3A","additional_properties":{"_id":1730743805555},"content":"<b>Estimate</b> €2,000-€3,000","type":"text"},{"_id":"GNKKEVOBB5AIHE6ETVYVSGPTBU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730743805556},"content":"<b>Hammer price</b> €2,000","type":"text"},{"_id":"CMFC5UFJQNCBLG4EZHG3KNNQHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730743805557},"content":"<b>Auction house</b> deVeres","type":"text"},{"_id":"G32GM5BXAJDEFIHHSTXNIDWDLU","additional_properties":{"_id":"BGC3OFBG35DVBPYIETARKAWMNE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"3EFJJ6BT6FAVFKGB24TMOM4L5M","additional_properties":{"_id":1730743805558},"content":"Italian rosewood side cabinet","type":"header"},{"_id":"BSZK6N4ALJHJRERQXANDVUH4G4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730743805559},"content":"<b>Estimate</b> €1,500-€2,500","type":"text"},{"_id":"7M45KEUSKBBRFH7TTBT76NJCCI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730743805560},"content":"<b>Hammer price</b> €1,900","type":"text"},{"_id":"P76MKKZLHBCWLMGGF7N57H4WRA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730743805561},"content":"<b>Auction house</b> deVeres","type":"text"},{"_id":"2G6KZGJSZBAUJOSHI64SV22SVQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"42KICACONZGYBFQNMKKOXGL2II"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"I65V7BZIDRBLTHNPMK5WY2YLDA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730743805562},"content":"Winter Knot, Barrie Cooke","type":"header"},{"_id":"RUSLTYKY5BH3TBUCA6U3YSQCVA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730743805563},"content":"<b>Estimate</b> €8,000-€12,000","type":"text"},{"_id":"SP5VLBEUQNCV3ONTHHKQ3CRERA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730743805564},"content":"<b>Hammer price</b> Not sold","type":"text"},{"_id":"VT4GW2QZRBDMVORJJUX2DC7LFE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730743805565},"content":"<b>Auction house</b> deVeres","type":"text"},{"_id":"YCDY6C2IB5FUNMX3YVDX7FFP3I","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Sylvia Thompson"}},"name":"Sylvia Thompson"}]},"description":{"basic":"With a spotlight on Vietnamese art, the auction also features more than 100 Japanese prints in the Ukiyo-e style"},"display_date":"2024-11-09T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Asian art: Arm yourself with knowledge of Japanese Kobudo before Adam’s sale","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"NDDISQ72FBBSTIDOCVSCNNOFPE","auth":{"1":"771886f28eaf6085800bc7854fc4c0aa7749f7c6df0fee662d5a5ed29b8c93a6"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/NDDISQ72FBBSTIDOCVSCNNOFPE.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Fine Art & Antiques"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/fine-art-antiques/2024/11/09/asian-art-arm-yourself-with-knowledge-of-japanese-kobudo-before-adams-sale/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/fine-art-antiques","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Fine Art & Antiques"}}}}],"count":2277,"_id":"6f4d3e0810f0b788157effde3aa0af8e5e6932f3baa1253372aba2dd6203d20b"},"expires":1733295607172,"lastModified":1733295306955}},"story-feed-sections":{"{\"feedOffset\":0,\"feedSize\":5,\"includeSections\":\"/podcasts/the-womens-podcast\"}":{"data":{"content_elements":[{"_id":"VUM3US5EW5AHVFRY37A7N2HPDQ","additional_properties":{},"canonical_url":"/podcasts/the-womens-podcast/inside-afghanistans-secret-schools-for-girls-we-dont-talk-about-our-students-to-anyone/","content_elements":[{"_id":"GFZZLR2UKVGFVG75ZYSDR7WMAU","additional_properties":{},"content":"When the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021, following the withdrawal of US troops, the lives of women and girls across the country changed almost overnight.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MKLOVNK7VJHA7EYVHE3EHQFD34","additional_properties":{},"content":"Under Taliban rule, women and girls are removed from nearly every aspect of daily life and under the new ‘vice and virtue’ laws, face restrictions going out alone, speaking or even singing in public.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Q2SCTRGZK5H7JNFPGKW6OL7KAI","additional_properties":{},"content":"“Now women are not allowed to go to school after 6th grade. They are not allowed to continue their education,” says Arezo Rahimi, an Irish based freelance journalist who fled Kabul when the Taliban seized power more than three years ago.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7RFLHFTLFZHCBGB3PX3S4XDED4","additional_properties":{},"content":"Speaking to The Irish Times Women’s Podcast, the 21-year-old explains how an underground network of schools has emerged in Afghanistan since the takeover, providing education to the girls who can no longer access it due to political and social barriers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AYGG24OMA5GWZKIFZYTRPR57HY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Daricha School offers online and in person classes to more than 4,500 students and is currently the only option to provide secondary education for girls in Afghanistan. Rahimi works as an editor for the school’s magazine and as their Irish representative.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BKW27RBHWNGFXMIMR3BETPIF24","additional_properties":{},"content":"As the school network goes against the rule of the Taliban, secrecy is key to ensuring the safety of those involved. “We don’t mention the addresses [of the schools]. We don’t mention the teachers, we don’t share their information and we don’t talk about our students to anyone,” Rahimi explains.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z2LVSR2YFBA2FJWGN2INWW2E44","additional_properties":{},"content":"“Even if they want to join our classes, we need to know who they are, where they live… we don’t share the information out and we are trying to be so careful with that.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"JLQK3CCVUVCVVL55KWG3ZTS6V4","additional_properties":{},"content":"Rahimi says her involvement with Daricha helps her stay connected to Afghanistan and lets her provide help to women and girls from afar. “This is the only way that I can sleep because if I don’t work for women in Afghanistan, I would feel guilty that I’m not doing enough or I’m not doing something for them”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z7Z2HOMGFNBPBMY7TZMH45VA3I","additional_properties":{},"content":"You can listen back to the full conversation in the player above or wherever you get your podcasts.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Suzanne Brennan"}},"name":"Suzanne Brennan"}]},"description":{"basic":"The Women’s Podcast with Róisín Ingle"},"display_date":"2024-11-29T13:45:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Inside Afghanistan’s secret schools for girls: ‘We don’t talk about our students to anyone’","native":""},"label":{},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"DSFTFUIBYJHJNPJQNMDB4VW6LE","auth":{"1":"eae232bd9995dbe969920a01daba469f327f25242eee3dc1a272c3a10b7397eb"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/DSFTFUIBYJHJNPJQNMDB4VW6LE.png"},"podcast":{"embed":{"config":{"duration":2976.053333,"episodeTitle":"Arezo Rahimi tells The Women’s Podcast about the underground educators resisting Taliban rule","imageUrl":"https://assets.pippa.io/shows/6155e18746dfcc0014273af1/1721238976940-4bfa41bd67d07b1473861bc4f26d61f9.jpeg","showTitle":"The Women's Podcast","streamUrl":"https://feeds.acast.com/public/streams/6155e18746dfcc0014273af1/episodes/674894eb55a14869b19dd9a0.mp3"}}}},"subtype":"podcast","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"The Women's Podcast"},{"name":"Podcasts"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/podcasts/the-womens-podcast/inside-afghanistans-secret-schools-for-girls-we-dont-talk-about-our-students-to-anyone/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/podcasts/the-womens-podcast","additional_properties":{"original":{"Podcast":{"podcast_logo":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/AY566DWU2EEB4VN2ZD5657GK2M.jpg"}}},"name":"The Women's Podcast"}}}},{"_id":"JNPSNSXTBFFW7LIRECH6ES6UPI","additional_properties":{},"canonical_url":"/podcasts/the-womens-podcast/general-election-weve-had-1345-people-elected-to-the-dail-and-only-131-of-them-have-been-women/","content_elements":[{"_id":"CATQVKF7SBBC3GBAFVTFNW7TUI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Next week, as the public take to the polls for the 2024 General Election, they will have a record number of women candidates to choose from.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MCKL726TTZFINBRK6CJQBFJS4A","additional_properties":{},"content":"246 women are running for seats across 43 constituencies, representing a 52% increase on the last election in 2020.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TIW4OLSCEVAMZE5TTRBKAGGKFA","additional_properties":{},"content":"“It’s great, it means that voters have never had more choice,” says Katie Deegan, Communications Coordinator with Women for Election.","type":"text"},{"_id":"25AZ67NXKVDK7FXIPEKN23UP6U","additional_properties":{},"content":"Speaking to Róisín Ingle on The Irish Times Women’s Podcast, Deegan says that despite the barriers that keep women from entering politics, “what’s really important is that more women than ever want to run”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"O5JWFFLMNRHX7GIY2IV2NF34MI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Although this increase in female participation will come as a win for Women for Election, Deegan maintains that Ireland’s history of “putting women aside” should not be forgotten.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CLTYGVUJ7NEXHPBA7NJNWIJPVM","additional_properties":{},"content":"“We’ve had 1,345 people elected to the Daíl and only 131 of them have been women, in the last 100 or so years”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JP35WINMJFDEVNECTLS6HRU7GI","additional_properties":{},"content":"“21 women have ever been in cabinet, the first being Countess Markievicz, the first in Europe, but it took us almost 60 years to appoint another one. We’re trying to undo 100 years of a democracy that was built by men for men and actively designed women out”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KCFLIOPZD5AZXAXRE2EJNCRRFI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Also in this episode, we’re examining the promises put forward by each party in their manifestos regarding women. What has been said about women’s healthcare, the childcare crisis, or how to address record levels of domestic violence? And why have women’s issues not featured more prominently in the campaign?","type":"text"},{"_id":"3PN7LWJTBZC5HAITLUUABUVPK4","additional_properties":{},"content":"In 2023, Women’s Aid recorded over 40,000 disclosures of domestic abuse, the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/social-affairs/2024/06/18/alarming-increase-in-physical-and-economic-abuse-says-report/\" target=\"_blank\">highest level</a> ever documented in the organisation’s 50-year history. Yet, there was no mention of the issue in the two-hour long party leaders debate on Monday night.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2WKEELKKSBFFLC35RTKGV2K5YU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Orla O’Connor, Director of the National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI) joins Róisín Ingle to discuss the issues and NWCI’s own election manifesto for women.","type":"text"},{"_id":"I2EKYU4HGNAC3IW44CTGV2I6CY","additional_properties":{},"content":"You can listen back to this discussion in the player above or wherever you get your podcasts.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Suzanne Brennan"}},"name":"Suzanne Brennan"}]},"description":{"basic":"The Women’s Podcast with Róisín Ingle"},"display_date":"2024-11-21T15:31:15.587Z","headlines":{"basic":"General Election: ‘We’ve had 1,345 people elected to the Daíl and only 131 of them have been women’","native":""},"label":{},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"E5GVMYO2HFH3XM4TVPH5HCFB6A","auth":{"1":"f2daf229f085c8ea757b3be4d50b0524aa7bdf2aeb074cca299ba7a533167724"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/E5GVMYO2HFH3XM4TVPH5HCFB6A.jpg"},"podcast":{"embed":{"config":{"duration":3164.644,"episodeTitle":"The Women’s Podcast Election Special discusses gender quotas, female representation and what the parties are promising women","imageUrl":"https://assets.pippa.io/shows/6155e18746dfcc0014273af1/1721238976940-4bfa41bd67d07b1473861bc4f26d61f9.jpeg","showTitle":"The Women's Podcast","streamUrl":"https://feeds.acast.com/public/streams/6155e18746dfcc0014273af1/episodes/673f4bf8b911117b4669e0ef.mp3"}}}},"subtype":"podcast","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"The Women's Podcast"},{"name":"Podcasts"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/podcasts/the-womens-podcast/general-election-weve-had-1345-people-elected-to-the-dail-and-only-131-of-them-have-been-women/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/podcasts/the-womens-podcast","additional_properties":{"original":{"Podcast":{"podcast_logo":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/AY566DWU2EEB4VN2ZD5657GK2M.jpg"}}},"name":"The Women's Podcast"}}}},{"_id":"7XHCHMXYFND4FFZ5C6K3BUIHJQ","additional_properties":{},"canonical_url":"/podcasts/the-womens-podcast/what-teenagers-wish-their-parents-knew-adults-presume-that-phones-are-used-for-only-bad-things/","content_elements":[{"_id":"LJKXREZHNNA2JGXYED76M6GYHA","additional_properties":{},"content":"This week on The Women’s podcast, we’re handing over the microphone to Róisín Ingle’s teenage daughters Joya and Priya to talk about what life is like for teen girls in 2024.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NVFVLNHR4RFYNBGITCTKO7XRZY","additional_properties":{},"content":"The 15-year-old twins discuss perfectionism, coping with academic and social pressures and why they believe adults need to stop worrying about phone use and social media.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IB6UOF5NNRHGRNDMQXOEBDIHLU","additional_properties":{},"content":"“A lot of adults presume that phones are used for only bad things and they aren’t really accepting that this is the way the world is going,” says Priya, emphasising that adults “don’t fully realise just how different things are from when they were younger”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TRTVTZOSS5D23HVCEMIMV7CVFY","additional_properties":{},"content":"“I know there are obviously a lot of things on technology that shouldn’t be there, but there are a lot of good things about it too”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6MGL4CCOLJA5DG45DUS3M6ESSA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Also on this episode, we hear from “teenage whisperer” Chelsey Goodan who has spent 16 years working closely with young people from all different backgrounds. She is also the author of ‘Underestimated: The Wisdom and Power of Teenage Girls.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YKB2P7ZC7ZDNHPO2QJBDXXMT2E","additional_properties":{},"content":"“Social media is not going anywhere, phones aren’t going anywhere… it’s about empowering them to make healthy choices themselves,” she says, offering advice to parents struggling to manage this issue.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SPFXDI6FBFDYBMPT34O4UNIWRM","additional_properties":{},"content":"Goodan also discusses how mothers can deepen their relationships with their daughters by listening and giving them the tools to find their own solutions. She also explains how harmful stereotypes like ‘moody’ or ‘dramatic’ can only serve to ‘silence’ or ‘squash’ young girls and what wisdom can be learned from a teenager’s angst.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6A7F7O7BCVAI7LIJISWO5JHITE","additional_properties":{},"content":"You can listen back to this episode in the player above or wherever you get your podcasts.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Suzanne Brennan"}},"name":"Suzanne Brennan"}]},"description":{"basic":"The Women’s Podcast with Róisín Ingle"},"display_date":"2024-11-15T20:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"What teenagers wish their parents knew: ‘Adults presume that phones are used for only bad things’ ","native":""},"label":{},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"RQU6L6KYERCHDKUSCXQJWUTXEM","auth":{"1":"63c2139d0406c3510cf988fffacb321b2670e36fcc342b5375e5245f13cd0803"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/RQU6L6KYERCHDKUSCXQJWUTXEM.jpg"},"podcast":{"embed":{"config":{"duration":3808.276,"episodeTitle":"Two teens share their thoughts on perfectionism, social media and what parents could be doing better","imageUrl":"https://assets.pippa.io/shows/6155e18746dfcc0014273af1/1721238976940-4bfa41bd67d07b1473861bc4f26d61f9.jpeg","showTitle":"The Women's Podcast","streamUrl":"https://feeds.acast.com/public/streams/6155e18746dfcc0014273af1/episodes/6736143749465f45024bb826.mp3"}}}},"subtype":"podcast","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"The Women's Podcast"},{"name":"Podcasts"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/podcasts/the-womens-podcast/what-teenagers-wish-their-parents-knew-adults-presume-that-phones-are-used-for-only-bad-things/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/podcasts/the-womens-podcast","additional_properties":{"original":{"Podcast":{"podcast_logo":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/AY566DWU2EEB4VN2ZD5657GK2M.jpg"}}},"name":"The Women's Podcast"}}}},{"_id":"TUACBHHFEZGLHA4H6EZSXDTTFQ","additional_properties":{},"canonical_url":"/podcasts/the-womens-podcast/trumps-election-win-im-thinking-of-the-dozens-of-women-who-have-accused-him-of-sexual-assault-and-his-deep-friendship-with-jeffrey-epstein/","content_elements":[{"_id":"VXZGR5WIAJDN3GLTUELX2JMZ4I","additional_properties":{"_id":1730998430141},"content":"Yesterday, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/world/us-election/\" target=\"_blank\">the American people voted </a>for <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/donald-trump/\" target=\"_blank\">Donald Trump</a> to become the next President of the United States. It’s an historic turn of events, as he becomes the first-ever convicted felon to be elected to office.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CFAMZYCQCRHJTAZLFPCJI25ZXI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730998430142},"content":"Trump is also the first president-elect to have a civil conviction for sexual assault, and the first to have been impeached twice.","type":"text"},{"_id":"J2MNKYZEXBCNROK32DGYYSL2TA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730998430143},"content":"While he awaits sentencing for charges stemming from hush money payments made to adult film actor Stormy Daniels, several criminal cases against him are still pending.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Q4JTLUGEGVFNTPX2PYLQ56GLTQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730998430144},"content":"The Trump campaign has been rife with misogyny, hatred, and racist rhetoric, yet despite everything there is to know about the former president, he was chosen by the American people above his opponent, Democrat Kamala Harris.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WHRDVSCONVEYBCJ2EHZLOGYUCU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730998430145},"content":"“They knew exactly what he was made of this time. They might not in 2016, but everyone knew this time that he was a felon, an adjudicated rapist, all those things we know about him, but they voted for him,” says Kathy Sheridan on The Irish Times Women’s Podcast.","type":"text"},{"_id":"72COWUIALJASDKJPJXGRCT7WDM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730998430146},"content":"“I’m thinking of all the men and women who ignored the civil case in which a jury found Trump to be a rapist, the dozens of women who have accused him of sexual assault and his deep friendship with Jeffrey Epstein,” she adds.","type":"text"},{"_id":"B75CWBEDIZA2ZGWQ7XVA4S6JWA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730998430147},"content":"Joined by co-presenter Róisín Ingle, Sheridan asks, ”So what could it be that half of America looked at Trump, bigoted, misogynistic, wannabe dictator? All I can think of is that they’d looked at him and liked what they saw”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3QWTVA7LMBBILNDWDSXX6Q7GOE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730998430148},"content":"Later in the podcast, poet Donna Ashworth joins us to talk about her upcoming trip to Dublin. The Scottish poet will be flying over to appear as a special guest at Jan Brierton’s Wild Words, an evening of poetry and spoken word at the Ambassador Theatre on November 28th.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FWULYRR26FHG7H4JRDTLJS7URE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730998430149},"content":"In this conversation, Ashworth also reacts to yesterday’s election result and reads a poem from her latest collection, Growing Brave: Words to Soothe Fear and Let in More Light.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QB3A4FERVNF5DMDINTBIAALUII","additional_properties":{"_id":1730998430150},"content":"You can listen back to this episode in the player above or wherever you get your podcasts.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Suzanne Brennan"}},"name":"Suzanne Brennan"}]},"description":{"basic":"The Women’s Podcast with Róisín Ingle"},"display_date":"2024-11-07T19:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Trump’s election win: ‘I’m thinking of the dozens of women who have accused him of sexual assault’","native":"Trump’s election win: ‘I’m thinking of the dozens of women who have accused him of sexual assault'"},"label":{},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"FP7HV5ZI5DKKRVLPURIWZ35W5Y","auth":{"1":"41cf9ab4725e6c3682f97cf33db95c1b1656e9a4e4fcc4b13888e0af5cac6550"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/FP7HV5ZI5DKKRVLPURIWZ35W5Y.jpg"},"podcast":{"embed":{"config":{"duration":3981.725333,"episodeTitle":"Kathy Sheridan and Róisín Ingle discuss the former president's return to office on The Women's Podcast","imageUrl":"https://assets.pippa.io/shows/6155e18746dfcc0014273af1/1721238976940-4bfa41bd67d07b1473861bc4f26d61f9.jpeg","showTitle":"The Women's Podcast","streamUrl":"https://feeds.acast.com/public/streams/6155e18746dfcc0014273af1/episodes/672cad8e207a426b9fa7f757.mp3"}}}},"subtype":"podcast","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"The Women's Podcast"},{"name":"Podcasts"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/podcasts/the-womens-podcast/trumps-election-win-im-thinking-of-the-dozens-of-women-who-have-accused-him-of-sexual-assault-and-his-deep-friendship-with-jeffrey-epstein/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/podcasts/the-womens-podcast","additional_properties":{"original":{"Podcast":{"podcast_logo":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/AY566DWU2EEB4VN2ZD5657GK2M.jpg"}}},"name":"The Women's Podcast"}}}},{"_id":"SO2AEXIHZBELNCTLZKRL4V6IUU","additional_properties":{},"canonical_url":"/podcasts/the-womens-podcast/jenny-kelly-on-giving-up-alcohol-i-was-scared-of-peoples-reaction/","content_elements":[{"_id":"Z7LZ5BDSJJBHPBUXOUALHAHHT4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730465668002},"content":"Eight years ago, podcaster and writer Jenny Kelly began to reflect on her relationship with alcohol and how it fit into her busy life as a broadcaster and mother of two.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z4GIHEDWLVC7NFPGIU2TQMGV4U","additional_properties":{"_id":1730465668003},"content":"“I just had this voice in my head, it was very bizarre, it just kept saying: alcohol is not your friend,” she explains on the latest episode of The Irish Times Women’s Podcast.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DOMXEQKSVJF27NHPHF6VAO46B4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730465668004},"content":"Speaking to presenter Róisín Ingle, Kelly reveals it was a constant voice she couldn’t ignore any longer. “I kind of wanted to listen to that voice, I wanted to analyse it and see whether it was true.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"AYKHHZA43NGZPKUMETX7UOG5SE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730465668005},"content":"“When I sat back and looked at what I thought alcohol gave me, and the actual truth of it, I went, ‘oh my God, it’s giving me nothing’… All the things I thought alcohol was giving me were, in fact, a big flippin’ lie,” she says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TPSTMS3SHVGM7CEYRDXWQJMSUY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730465668006},"content":"What alcohol was giving Kelly was anxiety. “Like the worst,” she explains. “So this could be from drinking even one or two glasses of wine. I would wake up the next day and feel that awful ‘fear’ feeling.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"T26W3Y7VK5C2ZKDOAUML4VQTC4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730465668007},"content":"“And then the knock-on effect would be how I was with the kids, how I was in my day-to-day life. And I thought, am I actually going to be doing this now for the rest of my life? That does not make any sense to me.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"C6UTZEYF2VCXVAHKXFOXWYFF6E","additional_properties":{"_id":1730465668008},"content":"Since giving up alcohol altogether six years ago, Kelly says her life has become “a lot more sparkly and joyous,” though it took some people in her life a little longer to come to terms with her newfound sobriety.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JUTBAYCJHJAA7CF7AIMUCULQRE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730465668009},"content":"“I remember being at an event. It was probably six months later and just the horror on my friend’s face: I wasn’t going to be having the craic with them, you know?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"VRDB675YVFERNDIDNMK3QCRNHU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730465668010},"content":"“If I’m honest, I was scared of people’s reaction. I thought the worst thing in the world would be to be that boring non-drinker. You know, that person you don’t want hanging out with you.” Friends would ask, “can we have the old Jenny back for one day?… I found that very hard,” she says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4BTI6G7HMBCQRN7QVQXJ7DLOWI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730465668011},"content":"Mairéad Ronan who is Kelly’s best friend and co-presenter on their podcast Jenny and Mairéad Now, says it hasn’t impacted their friendship in any way and she completely understands her friend’s decision.","type":"text"},{"_id":"657N2FH3NVGVXOYR6HZE7TSWQI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730465668012},"content":"“It doesn’t change things. Jenny has never lectured me, and I don’t drink a lot… if we go out for dinner, some nights I might be like Jenny and have sparkling water, and other nights I’ll have a glass of wine,” she says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HLZMGOED65EDBBHUXX5DXXQGJY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730465668013},"content":"The friends first met while working on the Ray D’Arcy show on Today FM more than two decades ago - Kelly is married to D’Arcy. Kelly and Ronan have just published their new book What We Know Now: Lessons on Love, Life, Loss and Friendship. Inspired by their own life experiences, the book explores failures, successes, and mess-ups and offers advice on how to navigate life’s ups and downs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5NW2UFKF6FBDRKMGGKPEIXQAEY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730465668014},"content":"In this conversation, available in the player above or wherever you get your podcasts, the pair share the secrets to their 20-year friendship, the reasons each of them stepped back from their broadcasting careers, and their top ten tips for a happier life.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Suzanne Brennan"}},"name":"Suzanne Brennan"}]},"description":{"basic":"The Women’s Podcast with Róisín Ingle"},"display_date":"2024-11-01T13:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Jenny Kelly on giving up alcohol: ‘I was scared of people’s reaction’","native":""},"label":{},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"TBRJPQCSOFEZHGSINQEV52E4WY","auth":{"1":"2191a450687f48db3689b55aa5232bc395cf26d5b758cb7b3dda28794be4f3b5"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/TBRJPQCSOFEZHGSINQEV52E4WY.png"},"podcast":{"embed":{"config":{"duration":4705.901333,"episodeTitle":"Podcasters and best friends Jenny Kelly and Mairéad Ronan on friendship, sobriety and JOMO (the joy of missing out)","imageUrl":"https://assets.pippa.io/shows/6155e18746dfcc0014273af1/1721238976940-4bfa41bd67d07b1473861bc4f26d61f9.jpeg","showTitle":"The Women's Podcast","streamUrl":"https://feeds.acast.com/public/streams/6155e18746dfcc0014273af1/episodes/6723da27efece44b6ce1cc37.mp3"}}}},"subtype":"podcast","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"The Women's Podcast"},{"name":"Podcasts"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/podcasts/the-womens-podcast/jenny-kelly-on-giving-up-alcohol-i-was-scared-of-peoples-reaction/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/podcasts/the-womens-podcast","additional_properties":{"original":{"Podcast":{"podcast_logo":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/AY566DWU2EEB4VN2ZD5657GK2M.jpg"}}},"name":"The Women's Podcast"}}}}],"count":143,"_id":"d2b56d749a66ac7a23567dc1b9c3a3b96195ef51c180f0d40822c08e7d68ad02"},"expires":1733295607077,"lastModified":1733295306854},"{\"feedOffset\":0,\"feedSize\":5,\"includeSections\":\"/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly\"}":{"data":{"content_elements":[{"_id":"FKS2JZVLOFHF7LLGAYH43K7PLU","additional_properties":{},"canonical_url":"/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly/sorcha-im-wondering-is-climate-justice-maybe-a-bit-above-santas-pay-grade/","content_elements":[{"_id":"R4OO7OVNFZBCPFTTRVARUZRRQQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887837},"content":"So – yeah, no – it’s that magical night of the year again when we all sit down as a family and write our letter to Santa Claus. We’ve the Bublé CD on and we’re all wearing our Christmas jumpers. Mine has a picture of Tadhg Furlong, Dan Sheehan and Andrew Porter wearing Santa hats and the words “O Scrum All Ye Faithful” on it. Sorcha has made hot chocolate for everyone and I’m sitting there with my pen poised.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XPB2U7AK65CMZFBTRC7RXEPGYA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887838},"content":"Johnny’s like, “A focking bike!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"W4EWGFUCPNEPLAYXWHR3MEN5PQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887839},"content":"Leo’s there, “An electric guitor!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"7W4XWYME6RCNLDE3YM6O5SSFD4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887840},"content":"Brian goes, “A mini Ferrari!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"FCRP6LDVKNG2BMNTONFIBZVVOA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887841},"content":"And I’m like, “Whoa, whoa, whoa! Go slower, goys,” because I’m struggling to get it all down on paper.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GEKZTEGAL5GL3HZ5YBPJVKUFF4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887842},"content":"But that’s when Sorcha decides to put an end to the fun.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Y7BQQP7PLZCVVK6VYAHCDAEOOY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887843},"content":"She goes, “We’re not just going to throw everything down on paper as it occurs to us. We’re going to write a more <i>considered</i> letter to Santa this year?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"NISVQJJX4ZDT5IU4ZRMVCDZCEY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887844},"content":"The boys look at me as if to say, “Talk to your wife, will you? It sounds like she’s having another one of her wobbles.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"I4NXX3XH7ZGHHJDYVIRNDCDOFE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887845},"content":"Honor goes, “Oh my God, does this have anything to do with the letter that JP and Chloe wrote last year?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"I4WWEPPHORHDPJN4WSVWQXLLRM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887846},"content":"Yeah, no, long story short, JP and Chloe posted little Isa’s Santa letter on Instagram – it was very cute, in fairness to it – and it ended up going viral. And I remember Sorcha complaining at the time that our Santa letters had all the chorm of a ransom note, containing, as they did, nothing more than a list of demands and instructions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RYMD7Q5VEJFFFB7KHTIDKDYKVY","additional_properties":{"_id":"5VKJRJMLBZHS7CWKE7GOXHVRYQ"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"WFDPZAILQRGLFA6CMDNSUMS7OA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887847},"content":"Sorcha produces a small box, which it turns out contains writing paper – and not just ordinary writing paper either.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6TZPO7TTEZHG7JJT64YRD2R3RI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887848},"content":"“It’s from a fully sustainable source!” Sorcha goes. “Meaning it was produced using virgin fibres from a Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood, adhering to the strictest environmental, social and economic standards! It’s also corbon-neutral in the sense that any CO2 emissions caused by its production were offset by methods to remove it from the atmosphere!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"UDBAHZCIWRGCDLRK4HYLFAWQMM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887849},"content":"You can almost hear the Christmas joy being sucked out of the room.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RXD35RBKZJGNLB3AKTTWFWCSIE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887850},"content":"Honor’s like, “I’m sure you’ll make sure to mention that in your Instagram post.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"TQLVX6HMCBGIDGTTDUDOVZJFL4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887851},"content":"“Also,” Sorcha goes, producing a pen, “we’re going to write it using a soy-based ink, which has a far less hormful environmental impact than petroleum-based inks.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"QWDPSDCPKZAW3E4BRJZJNYD5NI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887852},"content":"“People are just going to think you’re a knob,” Honor goes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XCT66VHFWNC3DCH4HGAW6BHREE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887853},"content":"Sorcha just ignores her. She takes a page from the box and goes, “Okay, we’ll stort with the address. Obviously, it’s different from last year. We won’t go into details about the fire. We’ll just say that we’re living with Grandma and Grandpa Lalor for now. Okay, here we go. I’ll put ‘Dear Santa’. Then I’ll stort off by saying that we hope he and Mrs Claus are keeping well, despite the fact that the North Pole is, like, 20 degrees warmer than it was a century ago. And I’ll say that you’ve been very, very good boys this year.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"YCXYVAIIANFXXG3JYQ7X4MFC44","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887854},"content":"I’m there, “Again, we won’t mention the fire.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"J2KWZYKWZFCZPMDUS2ETZISTDU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887855},"content":"She goes, “Right, what we do want for Christmas – as in, what do we, like, <i>really</i> want?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"PSTGHOL74VDNXAKQGDOT2T7AIY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887856},"content":"I’m there, “Johnny mentioned a bike.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"4C37SUOE4FBW5BQML7ZHPPYJR4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887857},"content":"“A focking bike,” Johnny goes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SBDX6W76PNE5DHAQHJG6LCZB7E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887858},"content":"I’m like, “A <i>focking</i> bike. I stand corrected.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"6SO6FH3XU5ETPDF62V4G2FZYBU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887859},"content":"Sorcha goes, “Why don’t we – just for one year – ask for gifts that are slightly more, I don’t know, <i>ethereal</i>?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZCPLLGR7FJEU7LSTISYA4EKNFA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887860},"content":"The three boys look at me for an explanation.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6EWSMX336NAJLNX3VPUTKDC7TY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887861},"content":"I’m there, “I haven’t a clue, goys. I was on the senior cup team, bear in mind?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"UVAWMDGF3JFWZHPTQ55SJXDT54","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887862},"content":"Honor goes, “It means things that don’t cost any money.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"OPGT7JHWE5DH5LEN5XWXQFPPAY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887863},"content":"Sorcha’s there, “It means spiritual things.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"BVL6JHDBHVGSZMUJ7F5SOG6XCY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887864},"content":"“Oh my God,” Honor goes, “this is totally for Instagram. People will say that your children are going to grow up to hate you.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"YNWVANDE6NAXTDACIDPQQFVLJQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"IEH52E4JYRBNLG7KZVQ5CSEYQI"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"VTHGUIFPLJCTZI473AJ5MG4D3U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887865},"content":"Sorcha’s there, “Why don’t we ask for – just as an example – peace on Earth.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"I3XVS5NWHFCW3O2CWCSE6FEYE4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887866},"content":"I’m like, “Is that not–?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"JB7NMP4XNBE6PNNH6WI3HARGRU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887867},"content":"Sorcha’s there, “What?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"N6VTZYWV7BCFHM63RZV6TZESKE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887868},"content":"“Well, God’s deportment?” I go. “I mean, Santa is just a dude who runs a workshop where he makes <i>toys</i> all year round?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"UYTK6OVPSZHKJNIKFVRGQTQKEI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887869},"content":"“I’m putting down peace on Earth,” Sorcha goes, then she writes the words. “Okay, what else? What about climate justice?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"UYABWATWWBH55FKGKSXEP34HFQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887870},"content":"“The fock is that?” Leo goes – and he’s well within his rights.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4QVFKMZNRBCWPHPVEEJ232YSQE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887871},"content":"I’m there, “Again, Sorcha, I’m wondering is climate justice maybe a bit above<i> </i>Santa’s pay grade?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"PRFTH4X56RGILDKNREC45KOAGY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887872},"content":"She’s there, “I’m going to ask him for a stabilisation in our emission of greenhouse gases in the short term to at least put off the global catastrophe that’s coming our way. And also more windmills and solar panels for the world. Okay, what else?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"BNSRGNPPFNDCXM6G3VQXLORXL4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887873},"content":"“A mini Ferrrari,” Brian goes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H6CJ6ZUA4ZEVBG5A6MJ3PHAWXE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887874},"content":"And Sorcha’s like, “Again, Brian, we’re trying to think of less <i>tangible</i> things?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"H35MRV3MARFGFBBA7EPCOF4XS4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887875},"content":"He looks at me.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z7FG776LIBAQRFXXQ35MXHUROE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887876},"content":"I’m there, “Jesus Christ, Brian, you’d a bigger vocabulary than me when you were five.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"PAB7UY7IJFH3PMEO7QIETC46W4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887877},"content":"“Come on, what else?” Sorcha goes. “What if we just ask Santa to keep us all safe and healthy during the coming year?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"FJG6PZBU5RCW3EI2AIG45TNAKA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887878},"content":"I’m there, “Again, I see Santa as the boss of a humungous Amazon-type warehouse in the snowy wilds of wherever. I think we’re asking a bit much from him. He might think we’re ripping the piss.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"GPRTL67GXJEDNJSZSB7P5IT3CM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887879},"content":"But Sorcha goes, “Ross, he and Mrs Claus live on a sheet of ice that has thinned by almost 50 per cent in the last 50 years. Actually, I’ll mention that in the letter. Then I’ll sign off by saying that this is your wish for Christmas and you don’t want any material gifts this year.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"TC5KHUQPEFCF7E3JLN7GSD23HY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887880},"content":"Johnny’s like, “What the fock?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"LYA653YEZRH3FDANNN6NH7PULE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887881},"content":"“This is going to be the shittest Christmas ever,” Honor goes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"44OWHQJNHBBTHBMGMK7HLMOO4Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887882},"content":"I’m there, “It’s definitely shaping up that way.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"X2577G7KSRGYHGZ57ASQSLN4QM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887883},"content":"Sorcha’s there, “Lots of love, Honor, Brian, Johnny and Leo.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"57ZP5MEUBFAILGHVMHJOEL6FJA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887884},"content":"I’m like, “Sorcha, just to repeat what Johnny said, what the fock?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"AJ5SGVMC4FEEXNMXB7KWK7KYZA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887885},"content":"She goes, “Right, I’m going to go and make some more hot chocolate,” and she takes the letter and heads for the kitchen.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PIHG4YAL2BAD3LRRNXJ3OL7HMQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887886},"content":"Leo’s like, “Are we getting no presents from Santa?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"XLXCCRE5SZFALCDEZ6WHDPAXTU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887887},"content":"Honor’s there, “Don’t worry – it’s just our mother looking for likes from strangers again.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"IYLZI6ZBPZDVBAOYVBFV4OEXJM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887888},"content":"I go, “Has she posted it yet?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"5XVDULP5OVANXB27XGY4K7T6D4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887889},"content":"Honor checks her phone.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BB5T7VMN7BES5NTU5V2EY7FTWI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887890},"content":"She’s there, “Yeah – 30 seconds ago.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"GYQ37XNOH5AJTMHIC6RXBB2RVE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887891},"content":"I’m like, “Any responses yet?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"VUZTIUMOHJAMZB7AQBWKRPSIMI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887892},"content":"“One,” Honor goes. “Someone called her a knob. Oh, and someone else just said that her kids would grow up to hate her.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"H6GGYSSZS5A5FKXHBOB623DLCQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887893},"content":"“Right,” I go, “let’s write your real list before she comes back. Who said they wanted an electric guitor?”","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly"}},"name":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly"}]},"description":{"basic":"Honor goes, ‘Don’t worry – it’s just our mother looking for likes from strangers again’"},"display_date":"2024-11-30T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"‘Sorcha, I’m wondering is climate justice maybe a bit above Santa’s pay grade?’","native":""},"label":{},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"2YYZ6XOJMJBTNNT5U2IPQBC6BU","auth":{"1":"ce9515e92d72b629eb2d343932922ce35f6d8861795c81404197f0ffd8bdf691"},"focal_point":{"x":1302,"y":975},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/2YYZ6XOJMJBTNNT5U2IPQBC6BU.jpg"},"podcast":{"embed":{"config":{"duration":382.684,"episodeTitle":"Honor goes, ‘Don’t worry – it’s just our mother looking for likes from strangers again’","imageUrl":"https://assets.pippa.io/shows/61409402444fd951a7f27e60/1673383397461-8f5dc76da6409974bd352dc3e7b7a299.jpeg","showTitle":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly","streamUrl":"https://feeds.acast.com/public/streams/61409402444fd951a7f27e60/episodes/6749fae61c6967d8146dc23f.mp3"}}}},"subtype":"podcast","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly"},{"name":"People"},{"name":"Life & Style"},{"name":"Podcasts"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly/sorcha-im-wondering-is-climate-justice-maybe-a-bit-above-santas-pay-grade/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly","additional_properties":{"original":{"Podcast":{"podcast_logo":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/MH35IEIN5FGYNH7X3SQF3E4LBQ.jpg"}}},"name":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly"}}}},{"_id":"JZZIM4DFA5DLLEDGGVEAYKYMSQ","additional_properties":{},"canonical_url":"/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly/sorcha-goes-i-make-no-apologies-for-saying-it-honor-you-are-a-danger-to-democracy/","content_elements":[{"_id":"V74LYAD5I5GGHFP5XNDUMKSMTM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772943},"content":"Honor is in an absolute fouler when she gets into the cor.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YW3KQAFMEJHGJDEIMLP6JNU4BQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772944},"content":"I’m there, “Tough day at school?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"N7IR7Y2QW5FOHKVVO7NIGFYO3I","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772945},"content":"“The fock is this?” she goes, waving a sheaf of glossy pages at me and her old dear.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FI72YJTCLJFCTIRZILKKEDNBQA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772946},"content":"And Sorcha – sitting behind the wheel – goes, “It’s a copy of the student magazine, isn’t it? The Mount Anville Gazette?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"PD3XUOUJEJE4VBSQSAFXFYU5VI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772947},"content":"“Exactly,” Honor goes. “And there’s an editorial in it calling me a fascist.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"RMV5SZFKANGYJDXKJLOPD2XVRQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772948},"content":"I’m there, “A fascist? Jesus! Here, what do they do again?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"JTQLNTQTYZFRHDGZYPC3OTLOAA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772949},"content":"“It means an authoritarian,” Sorcha goes. “Someone who’s dictatorial. Autocratic. It means she believes in the suppression of dissent.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"YZJVDLYGGFDBFMURFG6ABWBZOE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772950},"content":"Honor’s there, “Er, does that <i>sound</i> like me?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"6G3MROTL2BDDXB4XLZ6GRUFAYM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772951},"content":"Sorcha doesn’t give her a straight answer. She just goes, “You’ve definitely chosen to be a different <i>kind</i> of Head Girl?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"7IBWLYQ7VVFM7IJZO3UDZKCMEM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772952},"content":"Honor’s there, “Are you saying you’re on Thia Hall’s side?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"KTDZBTNJTNEXTI6EPNWRGGPOKU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772953},"content":"“I’m saying that you’ve spent the last three months dismantling decades-old institutions – like the Student Council.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"6TH4YOPF5NHRTNF3KYL4ASW5UU","additional_properties":{"_id":"RVJX6DU5GRHAXJSXD6RED64MDA"},"content":"‘When they see the copper, the triplets think it’s about them gobbing on the cauliflower and turmeric latte crowd - which I’m not even sure is a crime’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"YTSG4GE2XVG3LEYD4Y22SEOMMY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772954},"content":"“As Head Girl, it’s <i>my</i> job to be the voice of the students of the school? We don’t need some bunch of dweebs claiming they have the right to speak for everyone.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"6FZ7XEH4IZEMJE6FAMFRCBKXDM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772955},"content":"“And I’m making the point that, to some people, that kind of attitude might come across as fascistic. It might appear to some that you’re attempting to subvert democracy.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"JEY246Y2DVDJTHJ72IP5LUSJEU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772956},"content":"Honor’s like, “Excuse me?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"IKCHXYKZVBETJOLAYUXQA27KCI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772957},"content":"“And also attempting to close down free speech,” Sorcha goes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RIPVP2RFNJHYPLJL527B36P2CA","additional_properties":{"_id":"5SLDYCD5V5BAXOHK33SRLUW5RE"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"XKF4LDBTNNFL7AYT2Q3PHYBLKA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772958},"content":"I’m there, “How is that magazine still going, Honor? I thought the old man and Hennessy were going to use their influence to get all the advertisers to pull their money.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"FLU4MCIW2NCBBEDRBXXIFAFVVU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772959},"content":"“That’s a very good point,” Honor goes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CRZGPNCKTJBBNA4TTAZMLIGKJA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772960},"content":"I’m there, “Is it?” delighted with myself. “Fair focks to me so.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"7MVQEJSH4NACPDCCT4PPCS6NCA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772961},"content":"“As in, like, who’s funding Thia?” she goes. “There are literally no ads in this magazine any more. So, like, who’s actually paying to have it printed?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"IDHXDM7UQFAKLED7YEILGPPWJU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772962},"content":"Sorcha goes, “Can we maybe change the subject? Honor, you haven’t told us what you want for Christmas yet.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"T2M2TRNOMJFN5EWDSOF7WLEC24","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772963},"content":"Honor’s there, “Someone is backing her financially – and I’m going to make it my business to find out who it is.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"E2ILVB6GTRD57ATIPGYSRHSWQA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772964},"content":"“Even though I can’t believe we’re talking about Christmas already,” Sorcha goes. “Seems like no time ago that we were in Quinta do Lago. Mind you, it was midterm – so it <i>was</i> no time ago?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"I3I5E2ZU5VGMZEGT7JC6EBDS5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772965},"content":"I’m like, “How are you going to find out who’s bankrolling the girl, Honor?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"QD64OHXILNF2JMD5ZNVVIHPCUM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772966},"content":"And Honor’s there, “I’m going to ask Hennessy to find out. There’s this, like, private <i>investigator</i> he uses?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"UDV5IKOSJBBNDD3FB4GBBSKMOE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772967},"content":"I’m like, “You’re not talking about Flatfoot Frankie, are you?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"NCZSIIVV2RBMTLT5DCVXYZCIOI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772968},"content":"She goes, “Frankie – that’s his name.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"3HQLZAF7F5CSJKTNTPI763L274","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772969},"content":"I’m there, “I can’t believe old Flatfoot is still knocking about. I did port of my transition year work experience with him. He used to get me to name random people and then he’d have their bank account details within, like, half an hour. That’s how I found out that Fionn’s granny left him half-a-million snots in her will. This was back in the day when half-a-million was considered a lot of money.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ERBMOB3YPRA6DNOZ23K32T3PIY","additional_properties":{"_id":"FWXIGZFW7ZFS3MJY62BNODIZTM"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"HPYRG6S3YNFW5MV7WTEKPCIVT4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772970},"content":"That’s when Sorcha suddenly loses it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PZEVJMCYP5DX7MMDQ4T3HI7SFY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772971},"content":"She goes, “Oh my God, <i>why</i> are we still talking about this? I’m trying to talk about Christmas here!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"NEIKSAZP2JHC3HA5HFJFMTX5QE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772972},"content":"I give her a long, sideways look and she’s, like, red in the face.","type":"text"},{"_id":"W4NQQXPMKFAS7IANYQXTQDOKXI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772973},"content":"“Oh! My God!” Honor goes. “It’s you!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"3DOQMWZOMBFJRAHFOFUD3M4ZVY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772974},"content":"Sorcha’s there, “Me? What’s me? Oh my God, what are you talking about?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"NZSSL5ZIWFDABB6KBF7JUS4S6M","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772975},"content":"Honor goes, “You’re the one who’s bankrolling the magazine! Go on – deny it!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"V6EZ33TUL5EIHLEKV5OMBCNGQI","additional_properties":{"_id":"M66ACM26TBC7VEBOCU5BH764DQ"},"content":"‘We’ve no idea what caused the fire. And we’re sticking to that story’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"IW3QDPTZRVATJE2BZN56XVZGAI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772976},"content":"Except Sorcha <i>doesn’t </i>deny it?","type":"text"},{"_id":"C5HSKHTSBFH7NCKGSTYOFXVXME","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772977},"content":"She goes, “I happen to think that a free press is the lifeblood of a healthy body politic.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"XJPVVPUN65CGTMVQ4B7KSR22HM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772978},"content":"I’m there, “Jesus, Sorcha – what kind of talk is that?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"KUBJBKTKJNGRBLG46CVX2JW6MI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772979},"content":"She’s like, “I set up the Mount Anville Gazette for that very reason. And I’m proud to say that it was one of my legacy projects. Because power needs eyes on it at all times.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"3N47553ENVALRN3QH2NI4XI22U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772980},"content":"Honor’s like, “Oh! My! God!” and she storts turning the pages of the magazine madly. “Oh! My focking–”","type":"text"},{"_id":"QJO52OTQCREDXDET4YGNKORUJI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772981},"content":"I’m there, “How much is this actually costing us in terms of shekels, Sorcha?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"4PROFJKQMVC65N4RHV7NK4Z7EE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772982},"content":"Honor goes, “<i>Honor O’Carroll-Kelly’s efforts to close down The MAG are an attempt to subvert democracy and close down free speech</i>,” and she’s, like, reading from it, we’re talking word for word. “<i>A free press is the lifeblood of a health body politic.</i> Oh my God, Thia didn’t write this! You wrote it!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"QK7VS3FIBVHZNKXCMDMMNN5VVE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772983},"content":"Sorcha doesn’t even <i>try</i> to deny it? I would. I’m terrified of Honor.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7UJRKO3EABHDNKHMMHB4V6V4BA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772984},"content":"Sorcha goes, “Thia asked me – as a former Head Girl myself – to write a guest editorial on the age of authoritarianism.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"CTKZ5MABYRAJPC3YUE3M6OCXLA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772985},"content":"Honor’s there, “What, without putting your name to it?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"W5NBD4OL2NAUJA2WWFBYJOLS2I","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772986},"content":"“Yes, such is the climate of fear that <i>you’ve </i>brought about,” Sorcha goes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NG3SBVCZM5HUZLGEN6GAC3HA5I","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772987},"content":"I’m there, “I can’t believe you’ve gone against your own daughter, Sorcha,” loving not being the bad goy for once in my life.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XS3WT7ITSRE2TC43AZODCVEV6Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772988},"content":"Honor’s like, “You compared me to Donald Trump.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"7GT6MDZ6S5DBXOODT7FZJJNRIA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772989},"content":"“I said that a lot of your behaviour – yes – comes across as quite Trumpian,” Sorcha goes. “Refusing to accept the outcome of democratic votes when they don’t go your way. Using the sixth-year ski trip to line your own pockets. Treating anyone who questions the way you use your power as an enemy to be destroyed.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"CWJ7OGABOJCGFIB6CO66M4M6I4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732111184228},"content":"I’m there, “You’re bang out of order, Sorcha – in fairness.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"DU3CIEQDBZGR5DGYL2AVUK7LFI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772991},"content":"Honor goes, “Stop the cor!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"P7PCV5BY7ZEKFKNL24O354H7JM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772992},"content":"Except Sorcha doesn’t. She goes, “I am not stopping the cor. We’re on the Stillorgan Dual Carriageway.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"XTBU6EBULBG4LB4IPFE4G2LEYI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772993},"content":"But Honor throws open the back door while we’re still moving and suddenly the thing is flapping around back there like a fish’s gill.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FXAYV2ZOLBDQFC5SSDDEQAWDRM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772994},"content":"“Stop the focking cor!” she screams.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DYCJFJWERRFOXN23H2TOULNMNU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772995},"content":"Which Sorcha then has no choice <i>but</i> to do?","type":"text"},{"_id":"KV6KNYSIGVHHRIFNUEEN52ICIQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772996},"content":"Sorcha’s like, “What are you going to do? Get the bus the rest of the way?” and she’s really putting it up to her.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A4HFIMMRAFG6VNXPVO5LDKNOGE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772997},"content":"“No,” Honor goes, “I’m going to get an Uber.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"FL2VSB6HKZANXHAJYANKL7YNQI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772998},"content":"Sorcha’s there, “I make no apologies for saying it, Honor, that you are a danger to democracy. Watch the road there as you’re getting out.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"YCVH4EHDPJFG3HVXF3EWDVCFU4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772999},"content":"But Honor goes, “You’ve made an enemy of me now. Bad move ... <i>Mom</i>!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"3ASQ3OVYA5BNBMADOCCPCZWTEI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925773000},"content":"Honor gets out and slams the door shut.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6YDBOKXUXBE2FIXXQUFDVYYQMY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925773001},"content":"Sorcha’s like, “What’s she going to do to me? Seriously, what can she do?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"IQF7OG3G2VEEJMYQZZIORYIIVE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925773002},"content":"But she sounds genuinely scared. And from bitter experience, I would say there’s every reason she <i>should</i> be?","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly"}},"name":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly"}]},"description":{"basic":"Honor’s like, ‘You compared me to Donald Trump’"},"display_date":"2024-11-23T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Sorcha goes, ‘I make no apologies for saying it, Honor. You are a danger to democracy’ ","native":""},"label":{},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"3GAWAJSHXJCJTMLZBVZZPFHE3M","auth":{"1":"939f5f1729cf574b098f7dcf7243dd43d4887394f9f9096955a1b33770d3f2f3"},"focal_point":{"x":1217,"y":633},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/3GAWAJSHXJCJTMLZBVZZPFHE3M.jpg"},"podcast":{"embed":{"config":{"duration":373.372,"episodeTitle":"Honor’s like, ‘You compared me to Donald Trump’","imageUrl":"https://assets.pippa.io/shows/61409402444fd951a7f27e60/1673383397461-8f5dc76da6409974bd352dc3e7b7a299.jpeg","showTitle":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly","streamUrl":"https://feeds.acast.com/public/streams/61409402444fd951a7f27e60/episodes/67408b9566b40d0b00640e36.mp3"}}}},"subtype":"podcast","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly"},{"name":"People"},{"name":"Life & Style"},{"name":"Podcasts"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly/sorcha-goes-i-make-no-apologies-for-saying-it-honor-you-are-a-danger-to-democracy/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly","additional_properties":{"original":{"Podcast":{"podcast_logo":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/MH35IEIN5FGYNH7X3SQF3E4LBQ.jpg"}}},"name":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly"}}}},{"_id":"KWK4PQTVTNAZTAMBP6UODPRXBU","additional_properties":{},"canonical_url":"/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly/when-they-see-the-copper-the-triplets-think-its-about-them-gobbing-on-the-cauliflower-and-turmeric-latte-crowd-which-im-not-even-sure-is-a-crime/","content_elements":[{"_id":"UXBATRHN25B2DHBUENISL7DUSE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387641},"content":"I ask Ronan if he’s sure about this.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KYWFO54T3VDUNOZLIVTUG73GXI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387642},"content":"He goes, “Will you relax, Rosser? Barney does this all the toyum.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ISXNG7AUD5DNHAAU4NSCEQCEIE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387643},"content":"Borney being his mate in the Gords who I’m paying five hundred yoyos to – yeah, no – scare my children straight.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IVZAPHWMMFBO5AL4HCCWC2INKY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387644},"content":"I’m there, “I’m just wondering is it a bit –”","type":"text"},{"_id":"MTPFCTTCDBAV7F6JOEWBYMYZKU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387645},"content":"He goes, “A bit what?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"4BSMZGUFHFBQVIVCHNIRTONS34","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387646},"content":"“A bit <i>extreme</i>?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ONLLGIIETNFRZKQZ3KH2LZU45M","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387647},"content":"“<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly/weve-no-idea-what-caused-the-fire-and-were-sticking-to-that-story/\" target=\"_blank\">Rosser, thee burdened down yisser house</a>.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"RHLG3G7FBNGHXNXZ7CSWQIM4EQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387648},"content":"“They didn’t burn it down. Only their bedroom was actually destroyed. The rest was, like, <i>water</i> damage?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"SOPCO2IGXFC5ZIDXX5LR4O27OE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387649},"content":"“And look where you’ve ended up libbon.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"B27255DCGNAJVDX6RIHDOYUWZQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387650},"content":"Yeah, no, Stoney-focking-basher. In Sorcha’s old pair’s aportment. Until the place has been fixed up, which they’re saying could be, like, Morch of next year.","type":"text"},{"_id":"24EQ7GJYRBFKRDMDCMD32I4WCM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387651},"content":"Sorcha’s old man walks into the kitchen then and – totally out of left field – goes, “We flush the toilet in this home.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"QYWLUUTNN5HFVHPRZADXT326NM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387652},"content":"I’m there, “Excuse me?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"77PHAEFVWNE3PLFF5KFMKOH534","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387653},"content":"He doesn’t even acknowledge Ronan’s <i>presence</i>, by the way?","type":"text"},{"_id":"VPOXWYNFAZER5MWTCL6LXRH4KA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387654},"content":"He goes, “I’m sure you’re used to my daughter doing everything for you. But while you’re living under my roof, you will learn to flush the toilet yourself.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"DV6N6ON5KZANNATRUBBZ7AHUKQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387655},"content":"I’m there, “<i>Your</i> roof. You don’t have a roof. Your roof is somebody else’s floor.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"BLML2EXJLFCPJABJISCVMTLURQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387656},"content":"“Do you think you’d be here if it wasn’t for Sorcha? I’d happily see you out on the street – you and those children of yours.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"6EUQP7TI3VE2JCM2OZNIPUHL3Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387657},"content":"Yeah, no, that’s how he talks about his own grandkids.","type":"text"},{"_id":"N5HHT6G6QFBSLAI6U7NSGCEMH4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387658},"content":"I’m there, “I’m not sure I can put up with five months of this.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"M5YV4REH2VHHNOCEXPDUHTTCOY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387659},"content":"He goes, “I’m sure you could find somewhere else to live – if you really put your mind to it.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"YS4YUCBWCRAX5IIC4R7WIERNH4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387660},"content":"I suddenly hear this loud, smashing sound coming from outside.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VOTFRQT7XVEWRPS76E45TJI67M","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387661},"content":"“The fock was that?” I go.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GMGGPWBMFFBZXF7CSKPR5Q6Y7M","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387662},"content":"The dude is like, “Your children are dropping Sorcha’s mother’s plant pots off the balcony. Do you want me to deal with that as well as flushing the toilet – and wiping the seat for you?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"AQCHO4PQYRFJZER2MZUPACEBYI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387663},"content":"Yeah, no, my aim wouldn’t be great – which is random, I know, coming from a kicker.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AFZPE7UUUBBP3HUBKIDQ6QP6DQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387664},"content":"The dude focks off then and I turn around to Ronan and go, “Okay, let’s do it.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"KUP3MN5QJZBQFL4XBOS4RASC2U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387665},"content":"He’s there, “Are you shewer?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"UJWT4CA2L5GTXDSN7XKH5BQ5CI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387666},"content":"“Ro,” I go, “they’re out of control. I could have died in that fire.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"5PX6K35AX5ALHAZYA4ORDE33MA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387667},"content":"So Ronan whips out his phone and rings his mate, Borney. Half an hour later, the buzzer goes and I let the dude in. He’s a smiley dude but he’s built like a focking Portaloo.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PFONYUYYA5BXXNZUPZRVZCFKPE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387668},"content":"He’s like, “Brian, Johnny and Leo – is that the names?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"MSEWOWS2CVEQ3J7CEEWUXJU74U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387669},"content":"I’m there, “Yeah, no, I’d big hopes at the stort.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"GMVT3RBBQZFMLMRHR5J2BD63AU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387670},"content":"He goes, “Sure, lookish, we all need a steer at some point in our lives. Like this one here.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"C2IBZENKJZFLRFNABXI4Y43V4U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387671},"content":"He nods at Ronan.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DPJYF6SNHVHHFENON5B2FUUDRQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387672},"content":"He’s like, “How many times did your mammy ask me to throw you in the cells?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"UKO4W5QBHNG6NFTP2GMA2EMP5Q","additional_properties":{"_id":"LOAKGFBZ6FGSXD54YCICHORWQE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"DWAEOLTNOBBFTIHVHKRXNGJKMA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387673},"content":"“It was more than a few,” Ronan goes, laughing at the memory.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TQX3JIDWC5D6RKYQH7BMKP4OHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387674},"content":"Borney’s there, “Go and get them,” which is what I end <i>up</i> doing?","type":"text"},{"_id":"ML3SPKENT5CFVGZDMMBNGVONDY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387675},"content":"The triplets are now spitting over the balcony onto the heads of the – in fairness – mostly hipsters below.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NA2WIGKLBRH43EM7GAMOBRKOU4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387676},"content":"I’m like, “Goys, there’s someone here who wants to talk to you,” and they follow me inside. When they see the copper standing there, the three of them turn white. They obviously think it’s about them gobbing on the foraged cauliflower and turmeric latte crowd, which I’m not even sure is a crime.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XO2L4LU4EVG7XOKFS2HC26BMQM","additional_properties":{"_id":"GEQUMVXBXFB3HCVFOLCS6QEWJI"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"XBETB74SGBHAJCGGQZ5DUDKJHE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387677},"content":"Borney gets straight into character.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XY6TKZ6RARBNLHESVDC565XPIM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387678},"content":"He goes, “I’m arresting you for causing criminal damage to a house in Killiney. You do not have to say anything, but anything you do say may be used in evidence against you.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"LE4BBWHEM5CPZIWDDIAFI4YVCQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387679},"content":"The three of them are in, like, genuine shock, but they go quietly, walking out the door ahead of Borney, who gives us a big wink and goes, “I’ll have them back to you in a few hours.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"44ODWEU3XNGJVOZN6OUU2BUVGY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387680},"content":"Ronan can tell that I’m worried. He goes, “Thee’ll be mustard, Rosser. He’ll thrun them in a Peter for a couple of hours and you won’t know yisser selves, the diffordence in them.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"Y6KVZGM4RZH5THFEVVFGQKZKJM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387681},"content":"I’m there, “Yeah, no, you’re right. It has to be done.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"WH3CSUQD7NHAJNWTV6RVCNWC5Y","additional_properties":{"_id":"QNRIOUMLAJDTXPFLFF6AQWD2VQ"},"content":"Ross O’Carroll-Kelly: ‘I wonder sometimes are these kids definitely mine’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"WWVQHPBOHRHTLNCNXVYCY7BC3E","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387682},"content":"“Rosser, the last time Barney locked me up, I was 10 years old and me ma found a map of the Bank of Ireland on the Ballygall Road under me bed. I got it off Showtime Sal and Johnny the Rat. Ten hours I was locked up. I nearly went off me nut. Barney says to me, ‘Could you do ten years of that?’ Let’s just say me career plans changed overnight.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"JRWQ753E5NEJ3OSZZH4DLF6J7Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387683},"content":"It’s shortly afterwards that Ronan’s phone ends up ringing. He answers and goes, “Barney, calm dowun. Take a brett. Where are you?” and then he hangs up and goes, “Mon, Rosser.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"7RW4OT4OQJH7FNLHRJOEO5ZMY4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387684},"content":"I’m like, “What the fock is going on?” as I’m chasing Ronan down the stairs, across the forecourt and then out onto the street. We haven’t gone far before I get my answer.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YYMFAKBCNJGADHU537UD5BCRG4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387685},"content":"There’s, like, a Gorda cor and it’s, like, bent around a lamppost and people are standing around, eating their fermented acorn waffles and drinking green juices out of mason jors, looking shocked.","type":"text"},{"_id":"M5725OM25BDJBH7ZZ2KVB5LXO4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387686},"content":"Me and Ro race to the front of the cor. Borney is sitting in the driver’s seat. The airbag has gone off in his face.","type":"text"},{"_id":"S53G4LEE2NDZZO2F7LD5QIQZLE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387687},"content":"Ronan’s like, “What happened, Barney?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"UJ5BP7QGSBHFJNHK7XUV3HD24E","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387688},"content":"“The one with the glasses,” he goes, meaning obviously Leo, “made a grab for me handcuffs.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"AI5JEIH3WRDVHJDKL74URKF6AQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387689},"content":"I notice that – yeah, no – the dude’s left wrist is cuffed to the steering wheel.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CQYT5RIJ2VGTFNCLNWFXVFLXWI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387690},"content":"The back door is open and there’s, like, no sign of Brian, Johnny and Leo.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TIJNULQ275CT3IUGY4CYEEAS3U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387691},"content":"I’m like, “Dude, where are my children?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"PZRIIMOCM5B4VNRZLJH2DJSLNQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387692},"content":"“Over there,” he goes, nodding in the direction of three boys, who are holding up the traffic by fighting in the middle of the road. Brian is wearing a Gorda hat – presumably Borney’s – and Johnny is trying to hit him over the head with an extendable truncheon, while Leo is screaming obscenities about the Gordai into Borney’s walkie-talkie.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QMAG6NRAAZFDVCT2737B6Y2KOM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387693},"content":"“I’ve seen some mad kids in my time,” the poor dude goes, “but I’ve never seen anything like them.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"REWQB5Q7K5AGZEI5NISXWEG3WA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387694},"content":"I’m there, “Can you maybe call for back-up? Get them to send another car?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"GBOOYPT7TBCYTJLD6VSR232WYQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387695},"content":"Ronan goes, “The fook do you think this is, Rosser, Uber?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"VP325Q45D5BQ5DRCHMULPYWRXI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387696},"content":"Borney’s like, “I could lose my job for this.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"DZAKQ23XPBHSNK3IIW3HA3MHPQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731326387697},"content":"And I’m there, “Right, well, thanks for trying, Borney. Okay, Brian, give the nice man back his pepper spray.”","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly"}},"name":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly"}]},"description":{"basic":"There’s a Gorda cor bent around a lamppost and people are standing around looking shocked. Who could be responsible for this cornage?"},"display_date":"2024-11-16T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"‘When they see the copper, the triplets think it’s about them gobbing on the cauliflower and turmeric latte crowd - which I’m not even sure is a crime’","native":""},"label":{},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"2YYZ6XOJMJBTNNT5U2IPQBC6BU","auth":{"1":"ce9515e92d72b629eb2d343932922ce35f6d8861795c81404197f0ffd8bdf691"},"focal_point":{"x":1302,"y":975},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/2YYZ6XOJMJBTNNT5U2IPQBC6BU.jpg"},"podcast":{"embed":{"config":{"duration":353.00025,"episodeTitle":"There’s a Gorda cor bent around a lamppost and people are standing around looking shocked","imageUrl":"https://assets.pippa.io/shows/61409402444fd951a7f27e60/1673383397461-8f5dc76da6409974bd352dc3e7b7a299.jpeg","showTitle":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly","streamUrl":"https://feeds.acast.com/public/streams/61409402444fd951a7f27e60/episodes/67375ea8cb2eb55da678d89d.mp3"}}}},"subtype":"podcast","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly"},{"name":"People"},{"name":"Life & Style"},{"name":"Podcasts"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly/when-they-see-the-copper-the-triplets-think-its-about-them-gobbing-on-the-cauliflower-and-turmeric-latte-crowd-which-im-not-even-sure-is-a-crime/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly","additional_properties":{"original":{"Podcast":{"podcast_logo":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/MH35IEIN5FGYNH7X3SQF3E4LBQ.jpg"}}},"name":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly"}}}},{"_id":"G75QH6N7OBCZHEAULBQEUYGQT4","additional_properties":{},"canonical_url":"/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly/weve-no-idea-what-caused-the-fire-and-were-sticking-to-that-story/","content_elements":[{"_id":"DM72QEZQUZBWNLGKROVT2F3EPQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579006},"content":"Sorcha rings me to tell me that she’s just taken the turn on to Vico Road. “I’m just giving you a heads-up,” she goes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SGQ3VIRILNA5BNIYE2LJZLJV6I","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579007},"content":"Yeah, no, she’s been away for a spa weekend with her mates.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YVP3ZWRNA5F3NIZBLJIAGS2OVQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579008},"content":"I’m like, “So how was it?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"OT4A4PWEGBCQ5AY7JLLSZ56WNA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579009},"content":"And she’s there, “It was, like, a total reset for my body and mind. I bought patchouli oil for the diffuser. I want the whole house to smell of it.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"LCJSI5L6L5A7XBAJPLZBK64XUI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579010},"content":"“Lucky us.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"TNMVSSPRTREZREM5TX3W5S77KM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579011},"content":"“What are you doing?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"Y2JE3K5NVBF67CEION26HPSKPU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579012},"content":"“You don’t want to know. It’s boring.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"YJXHOFQV7VDLTCVJXZWHF7QIMM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579013},"content":"Full disclosure, I’ve written out the alphabet in the back of my famous Rugby Tactics Book and I’m trying to think of the name of a woman I’ve been with for each letter. I’m up to 21 of however many there are – 26, 27?","type":"text"},{"_id":"GQX72E2J4VDPLAC4JEDUFLIXIY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579014},"content":"I’m there, “Why are you giving me a heads-up, by the way?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"PQEX6QNA4JCRRKNFGT7B76SZI4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579015},"content":"She goes, “Just in case something happened while I was away that you don’t want me to know about and you have to hide the evidence.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"3FC7BMNPRFHH3L2RLX7A5TZILI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579016},"content":"I laugh. I’m like, “Yeah, no, those days are hopefully long gone, Sorcha.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"JEHADKKPKJEILBMJYQP4ITSNK4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579017},"content":"Suddenly, straight out of left field, she goes, “Oh my God, Ross, the house is on fire!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"XLYKPW56GJH65LJY7XGAKF7KEU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579018},"content":"And I end up having to ask her to repeat herself.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UJRQCB3M2JDJDBQB4YJJPY4AEM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579019},"content":"She’s like, “The focking house! Is on fire!” this time at the top of her voice. “I’m halfway down Vico Road and I can see it from here! Oh my God! Ross, the children!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"LCTEK3DJRBG7XM57AT7KZ7WOXI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579020},"content":"I hang up, jump up out of the chair and race out into the hallway. The upstairs landing is filled with smoke. I chorge up the stairs, shouting, “Honor! Brian! Johnny! Leo! The house is on fire! Get out!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"VBPO4IM255AXNM4CBCS75LD42I","additional_properties":{"_id":"GXOCFMCSMVFFRKGJGDUAUXKQIQ"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"XESU2ZVVHBGPXLD2APH5TUHSJI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579021},"content":"That’s when I hear a voice – Honor’s voice – go, “We’re fine, Dad!” and I realise that it’s coming from outside.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V2VGFZF7SRACVJBC553NMID3DE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579022},"content":"I tip downstairs and head out to the front gorden. The four of them are standing there in their pyjamas.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FDRR74NZTRCXNKS4Y5SEZCUL24","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579023},"content":"I’m there, “Er, you wouldn’t have thought of telling me, no?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZTR7T5AIGREGVOFQJ7UWTNGLXA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579024},"content":"Honor goes, “I shouted your name and you didn’t answer.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"RECZ7T4DSBFR3MTF7ZEQLIA3PE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579025},"content":"“I was having a nap. I was doing some of my famous inside-my-head thinking and my brain, as usual, shorted out.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"E3PYY37DKZEWPBWFSNMHLG2ZDQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579026},"content":"“We just presumed you went to Finnegan’s for a sneaky pint like you did every night while Mom was away.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"HJ4LWZTGARFPPJUIRWILSMMR7Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579027},"content":"“Maybe don’t tell her that.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"3H4KZUTH6FHVLNZEGW4LUCSX74","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579028},"content":"“Anyway,” she goes, “the fire brigade is on its way.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"6YFZV42ZBVHHFETQ6SCVAERUZ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579029},"content":"I’m there, “What happened?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"R3OWBF7PXZDUNPKKUVTKWJXBTQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579030},"content":"“Leo let off a firework.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"HR65LDKFKZDYRIFPEVBLBGO7II","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579031},"content":"I turn around to him and I’m like, “Where the fock did you get fireworks?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"7LW35HU2GVBERL4FVMS7OSKXOI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579032},"content":"He goes, “I bought them. Off a boy.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"S2HIVDURTBB25OHFKXRX5HUGEA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579033},"content":"“What boy?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"JXKODAU2VBGELBOCPEBFZIHCLM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579034},"content":"“A boy in school. I told you and you said you didn’t care.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"A4KUDRAJLFD25GHCDNIN2PISYE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579035},"content":"“Well, it’s possible I wasn’t listening. But why the fock did you let it off in the house?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"3XJWPTO3CZCSJJ27DYC7UQ5COY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579036},"content":"He shrugs his little shoulders.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XLKZZC7WWVH6VP3EFUH6EFGHH4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579037},"content":"I’m there, “Are you stupid?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"3KVSQAQHLVFBTL5764QKP43KG4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579038},"content":"He is stupid. He takes after me.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4UMTZI3O75CXVOC6VWWJDDUELM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579039},"content":"Sorcha’s cor pulls into the driveway. She gets out, giving it, “Oh my God! My babies! Thank God you’re safe!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"UGQYNTVUDFE7JPH4BURQAEVHPY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579040},"content":"Out of the corner of my mouth, I go, “Don’t tell her about the fireworks, okay? There’ll be focking war.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"UOU2RYNPTNFGVMAAWVNUOZIYNA","additional_properties":{"_id":"G2UXCBL7QBHPDARTUEM6FG32RQ"},"content":"‘People in the crowd are staring at Honor like she’s a cold sore on debs night’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"C5RAA76TRNE55NWGXMGFX7ET7Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579041},"content":"Sorcha storts hugging the four of them, going, “I don’t care what happens to the house as long as you kids are safe!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"V2SS7FQ7JBGGLKXSHMAA6NLZWY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579042},"content":"I’m there, “Would I have time to run in there and grab a few bits?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZXR7N2AT3VBV3PRWXINDOSDOTU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579043},"content":"She’s like, “Excuse me?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"6KAU5X4UGFAMFCSIEFTRKKXGBA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579044},"content":"“I’m thinking in terms of my tactics book obviously. And the Caelan Doris jersey I bought at that auction ... ”","type":"text"},{"_id":"MIRFHUTW4ZEDBFAZ7LJJ64JVTU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579045},"content":"“You are not going back in the house.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"7BRYIBD5QBGSPIUGXCQRNHSBZM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579046},"content":"“But only a tiny bit of it is on actual fire.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"2MY6K2ZTUREAJL2SAWZBHKYHAM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579047},"content":"“Fire spreads, Ross. By the way, do we even know how it storted?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"G6LGCLVMJBFCPJJS5XDK5QVTUQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579048},"content":"I’m like, “No, it’s a total mystery – isn’t it, goys?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"UL2YDFBOK5CITBDYQX7JT5XF7I","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579049},"content":"The boys all nod.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RBJZZDWVSRER3IKNHPWK752VQ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579050},"content":"“It’s their bedroom that’s on fire,” Sorcha goes. “Goys, was one of you playing with matches?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"LLCSPYQY55CZBIF2WJAAAQ52A4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579051},"content":"They’re all like, “No.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"QQ2TJFFKRJHK5F65X6BEYRFFDM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579052},"content":"I love their ability to lie without conscience. They get that from me as well.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UA7YSQCXMFEGLK6YCGRHZUSXOA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579053},"content":"Sorcha goes, “Ross, you didn’t let them have fireworks, did you?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"CLWPUKCE6JBJBGZHW3SD4LJ3MA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579054},"content":"I’m there, “Fireworks? What do you take me for?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"UHOKMUCGPNAQNFYNBWTHDF55EA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579055},"content":"She’s like, “My apologies, Ross.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"3NAL6KQWLRENZCVJ25QWCBQJME","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579056},"content":"Ten seconds later, a fire engine – lights flashing and sirens sounding – pulls up in the driveway. Six dudes get out. Four of them stort getting the hose ready, while one walks around the house to see how much of it is on fire and another tips over to talk to us.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OEZZLLYLCBEMHFLRWSL7L2CVUU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579057},"content":"He’s like, “Is everyone out of the house?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"HBK5RKLBWFCN5EXGSWT6LI2KUA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579058},"content":"He’s a looker. And Sorcha definitely notices.","type":"text"},{"_id":"G3DQ3ADCDJDITNURDJT6SMTDUY","additional_properties":{"_id":"WU427SSSKVBDVE6MCOELRBCKFE"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"7T44ZLZR5ZHLJJI3HS7B6NN75M","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579059},"content":"She’s there, “Yes – thank God, officer. I don’t care about the house as long as my precious, precious family are safe.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"WPMRCJT4AFDN3FSNS4Q3DZSGWQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579060},"content":"Her voice always gets about three postcodes posher when she’s flirting with someone.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AXAH3EEUNRHM5K27LGPGL4UUCE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579061},"content":"The dude who was checking out the house comes back and says the fire is contained to the bedroom. They should be able to put it out quite quickly but there will be a lot of water damage.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LDYCIYUMYJDLJPY7DXDMJE6TPI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579062},"content":"I’m like, “Given that, could I quickly nip in and grab my Rugby Tactics Book?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"WYPQNJCWLZGCRNVSKVTBJZ32O4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579063},"content":"He’s there, “We can’t let you into the house, Sir, until the fire is out. It would be helpful to know what caused it.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"PDTZUCJSE5CMNATJHZZTZAHIQ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579064},"content":"“We were just mentioning that we’ve no idea,” I go. “And we’re sticking to that story.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"7FVGJ32Q2VEANJPY7WUXMCCF7U","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579065},"content":"He goes, “Did someone let off a firework in the house?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"U4VPDOP6OJFY5JRH4O6BX66TXM","additional_properties":{"_id":"WR5VXWJCNFAHFAFLEEUIHBLF4A"},"content":"‘The thought of booking a table for one at Shanahan’s on the Green got me through my prison sentence’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"LUA7LXNMOZCZBJ3GABSGSEP3YY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579066},"content":"I’m like, “Now <i>you’re</i> saying fireworks. Why does everyone keep saying fireworks?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"4M7TNCN2MBEAJEI6NQVNDYEMOQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579067},"content":"“It’s just that around this time of year,” he goes, “a lot of house fires are caused by fireworks.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"XFCJUPVVMZEKPES64TY5G64IZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579068},"content":"I’m like, “Take my word for it. There are no fireworks in the house.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"OCHDCHR6G5EUJM6DG75OJLH5LE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579069},"content":"No sooner have I got the words out than there is a loud, whizzing sound coming from inside the house, followed by a bang, then a series of pops, then a louder bang, then an even louder bang and within seconds the night sky over Killiney is lit up with a full-on fireworks display.","type":"text"},{"_id":"M7TLV26OQZGFPL7JCO4KMYFJ54","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579070},"content":"Leo goes, “I bought them from a boy in school. Dad said I could have them.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"QQ4ISXHELFF57FOT75NRU5JAFY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579071},"content":"I’m like, “Excuse me for a moment.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"5VO6IRRTZFFA3C3IX3FPGJGX6I","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579072},"content":"I make sure to get out of earshot from them, then I ring Ronan.","type":"text"},{"_id":"COJ6GUYMUFDHFEOZ6EGIDWMQHQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579073},"content":"He answers. He goes, “How’s she cutting, Rosser?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"YTERZN5G3NAC5GCNHYC3DMJHP4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579074},"content":"I’m like, “Not great. The house is on fire.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"PJMRYLKULZFTLFXSZKGQXLLX74","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579075},"content":"“Insurdance job, is it?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"G2MBWZNMCRADJKQRRPELER4FUI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730721579076},"content":"“No, it’s not an insurance job. Ro, do you remember you said you’d a mate in the Gords who could scare my children straight by throwing them into the cells for an hour or two? Can you ring him for me?”","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly"}},"name":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly"}]},"description":{"basic":"Sorcha is flirting with the fireman while the focking house is on fire, but there’ll be focking war if she finds out about the fireworks"},"display_date":"2024-11-09T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"‘We’ve no idea what caused the fire. And we’re sticking to that story’","native":""},"label":{},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"2YYZ6XOJMJBTNNT5U2IPQBC6BU","auth":{"1":"ce9515e92d72b629eb2d343932922ce35f6d8861795c81404197f0ffd8bdf691"},"focal_point":{"x":1302,"y":975},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/2YYZ6XOJMJBTNNT5U2IPQBC6BU.jpg"},"podcast":{"embed":{"config":{"duration":362.654938,"episodeTitle":"Sorcha is flirting with the fireman while the focking house is on fire, but there’ll be focking war if she finds out about the fireworks","imageUrl":"https://assets.pippa.io/shows/61409402444fd951a7f27e60/1673383397461-8f5dc76da6409974bd352dc3e7b7a299.jpeg","showTitle":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly","streamUrl":"https://feeds.acast.com/public/streams/61409402444fd951a7f27e60/episodes/672deb193534701770f61d2f.mp3"}}}},"subtype":"podcast","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly"},{"name":"People"},{"name":"Life & Style"},{"name":"Podcasts"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly/weve-no-idea-what-caused-the-fire-and-were-sticking-to-that-story/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly","additional_properties":{"original":{"Podcast":{"podcast_logo":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/MH35IEIN5FGYNH7X3SQF3E4LBQ.jpg"}}},"name":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly"}}}},{"_id":"72GEMWB5AFB7RAOML464NYVADQ","additional_properties":{},"canonical_url":"/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly/people-in-the-crowd-are-staring-at-honor-like-shes-a-cold-sore-on-debs-night/","content_elements":[{"_id":"4GTRILKXX5HA3MACTF3SIJBAFE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972427},"content":"So I’m standing with Honor at the junction of Foster Avenue and the N11 and we’re watching people pass us by with agony, I don’t know, etched all over their <i>faces</i>? Yeah, no, JP is running the Dublin City Marathon and I’ve turned up to cheer him on, as well as – obviously – the rest of the field.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CLWW75IQ2NDKBMWUQVGV37YJEE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972428},"content":"I’m shouting encouragement at everyone. I’m like, “You’re doing great! You’re smashing it out of the ballpork! You’re all winners, as far as I’m concerned!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"TX5O2MLCS5E6BFY5N5XOWPEZIU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972429},"content":"Honor – it shames me to say it – is also shouting at people. She’s going, “Are you out of your focking minds? Do you know how much damage you’re doing to your bodies? You know you’re all going to end up with orthritis and osteoporosis?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"BEX4J55KRZFRJALZUOJTBV3QPA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972430},"content":"The two- or three-hundred people who’ve also turned up to cheer on either loved ones or total strangers are giving <i>me</i> daggers – like <i>I’ve </i>any control over my daughter and the things she does.","type":"text"},{"_id":"T3LGPDVBMRG5BGEKIRIJZJD5EU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972431},"content":"I’m there, “Honor, maybe <i>stop</i> hurling abuse at the runners?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"7VFASRNPN5GHRH7RKFVN2NTL4Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972432},"content":"But she goes, “I’m giving them sound medical advice, Dad. I don’t understand why anyone would put their body through that.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"6XI7AWEXDFCCVAVC6BQBH7S3RE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972433},"content":"“Because it’s an achievement, Honor.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"IDWDQV7NYFGRLK7CKE7HNGLSWA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972434},"content":"“What, having the knees of a 90-year-old at the age of 37?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"K76I4LLCH5AWJITNP4WWP3QSKY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972435},"content":"“No, I mean being able to say that you finished a marathon. There’s only, like, a select group of us who can say that.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"6IW63KWWYBBIFL67PS3IFSJRVE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972436},"content":"She gets straight on to her phone, of course.","type":"text"},{"_id":"B7SVCTYDHVDM7G4LUBVKCYGOLU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972437},"content":"“One million people per year,” she goes. “That’s according to Google.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"2ESKK3DKGVBNDFYGWY7KUCPFHY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972438},"content":"I’m there, “Well, one million people per year then. That’s a pretty select group. And JP is going to hopefully be one of them.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"XKHUEWCEERFXPFFOTW3HIXYY5A","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972439},"content":"She goes, “Will I look up the number of people who are suffering with debilitating joint pain?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"SIHVFRQKJVATVP6QJMN44TSOPI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972440},"content":"I’m like, “Er, no, Honor,” because a lot of people in the crowd are already staring at the girl like she’s a cold sore on debs night. Instead, I go back to shouting encouragement at the runners. I’m going, “Remember, pain is temporary – quitting is forever!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"QOO2CLXAWBAF7FABERZBS2UQ4I","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972441},"content":"I look at my phone and I check where JP is on the tracker. He’s just turned off Roebuck Road on to Foster Avenue.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JJGJTS7G75EZZL4S3PCQTYZ7OM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972442},"content":"“Pain is your body’s way of telling you to stop!” Honor is telling every bunch of runners that passes us. “Give up now! It’ll feel amazing!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"SX5JYXCUCVA2XFJDCPURD5KYCM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972443},"content":"I turn around to her and I make the mistake of going, “You’re only saying that because you don’t know what it feels like to actually <i>achieve</i> something in sport?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"5BIAKICYQVEKDCSG2IE4GOICZI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972444},"content":"She’s there, “Nor do you.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"OBUN6SGFFBBWVD4BXYIBXP2YEE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972445},"content":"I’m like, “Er, I won a Leinster Schools Senior Cup, Honor. And I can tell you for a fact that they don’t give out a million of those every year. And I finished this marathon.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZXWOWCLH2NBYHJW2Q2KBFHEFAU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972446},"content":"She goes, “When was this anyway?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"FOFMGQX2YRDZTIR4BNVYBYIMZM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972447},"content":"I’m there, “It was back in the day. There’s a photograph of me crossing the line on the bookcase in the livingroom.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"QPUSYU6YLNBEPAIZDJ7I5HFQVU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972448},"content":"“The one of you finishing just behind a man dressed as a toothbrush?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"VNDJ33F7IJAZXMXCSQF2KLEMQI","additional_properties":{"_id":"HHH3FKEIXRHDJJ5NKFP3ANPTBU"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"GRFHQGNKRZFV5KSAFGGXAVTVZI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972449},"content":"“Look, don’t get me wrong, Honor. I’m very proud of you and everything you’ve achieved in life. You won the election to become Head Girl of Mount Anville. And you’ve – how did you put it? – consolidated your power base by limiting the number of places available on the school ski trip then wait-listing anyone who didn’t make it to keep them in line. And – again, your words – you’ve suppressed dissent by closing down the school magazine. But I’ll always have my Leinster Schools Senior Cup winner’s medal – obviously, not literally, because they took it off me for doping – and I’ll always have my medal for finishing the Dublin City Marathon.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"E4ZXFMAOFZDHVHYKZP2BCC2C4M","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972450},"content":"She goes quiet then. It’s, like, a major burn for the girl. Then, suddenly out of left field, she goes, “I’m going to run it next year.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"73XHAYVUZFGMBAMJGZE7HNUSPA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972451},"content":"I’m there, “Don’t be ridiculous.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"U2GZQGMYGVHSFM4ZRG3YEBX4TU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972452},"content":"“I’m not being ridiculous. I’m going to run it just to prove you wrong.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"KL472EEKDJEB7MGMNLUFXH37QU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972453},"content":"“Er, I just said I was <i>proud </i>of you?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"GEVP2DJ5RRCXLLNEJW4KJHQYYY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972454},"content":"She goes, “What time did you finish in?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"7CO7NDPKNBCRJKYWR6Z3BX7SR4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972455},"content":"I’m suddenly there, “Er, I’m racking my brains here to try to remember. It was definitely in the top percentage.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"JHPE3EIIQJE3VFHYFYYJJKWJHU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972456},"content":"She’s like, “But what <i>time </i>did you finish in?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"VUGGOVYFX5AETF7BQCZTSBJBC4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972457},"content":"I straight away know what her game is here. She’s going to try to run it faster than me, thereby undermining my achievement.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TQ42NYANSNCK3NO3RW3KUFSVHQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972458},"content":"I’m there, “I’m pretty sure it was, like, three hours and 20 minutes – somewhere in and around that ballpork.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"D4AEUFJWBFACXOJP7QSLJCACYI","additional_properties":{"_id":"6VAIDEKLFVCTXAKO3YJNLPMJCE"},"content":"‘The thought of booking a table for one at Shanahan’s on the Green got me through my prison sentence’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"25EYPF2K6JGZRNJOOALN4GIJ34","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972459},"content":"She calls up a number on her phone, then dials it. It turns out that it’s the number for home.","type":"text"},{"_id":"J2TZDMA66RFLFLEVRB65NWFSTA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972460},"content":"She goes, “Mom, can you do me a favour? Can you go into the living room? Okay, you know that photograph of Dad crossing the line in the marathon? The one where the toothbrush beat him in the final sprint – yeah, that one.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"C3VWCHZM3FEH7N5LFWGPYI5KKA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972461},"content":"I’m like, “This is very childish, Honor.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"7RRG4MZAIFCWBHGJPJNQ3JI5WY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972462},"content":"She’s there, “What time does it say on the clock above his head?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"SNCZOZMVMVHIPKFYQJWT2AXC24","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972463},"content":"I’m like, “Why are you so hung up on my time?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"BPHTOY3V3ZD3HHT4OQ4ZWSRJHQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972464},"content":"She goes, “<i>Four</i> hours and 20 minutes! Okay, thanks, Mom,” and then she hangs up. “Oh my God, you’re such a focking liar!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"AQT5GJYC7FDZLMKLDBFCHJXEKY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972465},"content":"I’m there, “Finishing the thing is the real achievement, Honor.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"2LYDYDQV25BIRIPY7URMOTVYF4","additional_properties":{"_id":"AZDT54JBUNCJBOP62L6XKD3VOA"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"PMY64LUC6RHSHE4DXF35FYHQ6U","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972466},"content":"“Yeah, you’re only saying that because you know if I can run it faster than you, it will totally undermine what you did.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"SYCRYRUVJVHTHIT4OZ3VGMTMEE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972467},"content":"“The thought never entered my head.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"NSTATT4DV5CHDKHO4DWPTENQQE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972468},"content":"“I’m actually going to stort training tomorrow.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ETG2553H4BB6PBRHGUXNYDDKUA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972469},"content":"“The one thing I would say about running on the roads, Honor, is that you can end up with, like, serious, serious<i> joint </i>problems?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"I76PVNOSF5FWBFOXWKLKZ4CN7I","additional_properties":{"_id":"M6LMYAEXEBEB7EUY4WXVP7DT4I"},"content":"JP is staring at me like I’ve said I’m really enjoying his old dear’s OnlyFans account","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"YNAXDKM2CRA7FGQVK2YK4AVNLU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972470},"content":"“Oh my God, you’re pathetic.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"XEPZ2R472BDKLPIZMMLGXVCWWA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972471},"content":"“Orthritis, osteoporosis – and that’s only the stort of it. I actually think I damaged my lumbar vertebrae just trying to finish the thing. Was it worth it? Looking back now, I would have to say no.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"BFH675RRU5AORNAEMEDXHNF7EA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972472},"content":"“You’re scared that I’m going to beat your time, aren’t you?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"LUMWTFKXJRFNTAJ6PWUVWWAMPI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972473},"content":"“No, I’d be honestly delighted for you.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"3T2NO3CC3JDU3DNXLKIPOL7E3Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972474},"content":"Even as a highly skilled liar, I can’t look the girl in the eye. I check the tracker and I realise that I’ve somehow managed to miss JP. He’s passing the UCD flyover.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PW4WYARBIRG6BBAVBYFMA7EPNI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972475},"content":"Honor goes, “Oh my God, look at you! You’re absolutely raging!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"T7P5SHRRYZAWVMTYWPGC2GLGA4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972476},"content":"I’m there, “No, I’m not, because when push comes to shove, I don’t think you’ll go through with it.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"3OEPGREILNEJ3LPJNVPBX3L2LY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972477},"content":"She’s like, “We’ll see.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"FFY2G6P2CJFSTEG2IGDIHE5MN4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730116972478},"content":"But if I know my daughter like I think I do, she definitely, definitely will.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly"}},"name":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly"}]},"description":{"basic":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly: JP is running the marathon and I’ve turned up to cheer him on, but Honor’s telling runners they’re out of their focking minds"},"display_date":"2024-11-02T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"‘People in the crowd are staring at Honor like she’s a cold sore on debs night’","native":""},"label":{},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"76PFUHT66JBTND3MVBTHPU5NME","auth":{"1":"4df7010b0f7f8aa6338f41d1d6323edd485ecf67fd88a110b4d407fd86b41547"},"focal_point":{"x":862,"y":616},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/76PFUHT66JBTND3MVBTHPU5NME.jpg"},"podcast":{"embed":{"config":{"duration":350.668,"episodeTitle":"JP is running the marathon and I’ve turned up to cheer him on, but Honor’s telling runners they’re out of their focking minds","imageUrl":"https://assets.pippa.io/shows/61409402444fd951a7f27e60/1673383397461-8f5dc76da6409974bd352dc3e7b7a299.jpeg","showTitle":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly","streamUrl":"https://feeds.acast.com/public/streams/61409402444fd951a7f27e60/episodes/6724dcf188da449c967f7530.mp3"}}}},"subtype":"podcast","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly"},{"name":"People"},{"name":"Life & Style"},{"name":"Podcasts"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly/people-in-the-crowd-are-staring-at-honor-like-shes-a-cold-sore-on-debs-night/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly","additional_properties":{"original":{"Podcast":{"podcast_logo":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/MH35IEIN5FGYNH7X3SQF3E4LBQ.jpg"}}},"name":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly"}}}}],"count":142,"_id":"eadaccde74fca0dbfab8131059ee6e9a477f211f110b2fd7d8dade7b873c5558"},"expires":1733295607149,"lastModified":1733295306850},"{\"feature\":\"results-list\",\"feedOffset\":0,\"feedSize\":40,\"includeSections\":\"/life-style\"}":{"data":{"content_elements":[{"_id":"QOGDBPNTZRCRVOSPH2FYJFITGQ","credits":{"by":[{"name":"Annie Correal","type":"author"}]},"description":{"basic":"Debbie Nelson's rocky relationship with her son Eminem was known widely through his hit song lyrics and two law suits"},"display_date":"2024-12-04T05:42:24.173Z","headlines":{"basic":"Debbie Nelson, mother of rapper Eminem, dies at 69"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"U3VDBUAXPRFCXHD4GNBO2XMK2Y","auth":{"1":"d1a2e7689efc9c8874ccc4e7194b6885b170e00c74bd76705b01b28ad4c11c75"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/U3VDBUAXPRFCXHD4GNBO2XMK2Y.jpg"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/culture/music","name":"Music"},"website_url":"/culture/music/2024/12/04/debbie-nelson-mother-of-rapper-eminem-dies-at-69/"}}},{"_id":"NRH7Q3R3VFGBNDXMZX3DQO7KSU","credits":{"by":[{"_id":"deirdre-falvey","additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Deirdre Falvey"}},"name":"Deirdre Falvey","type":"author","url":"/author/deirdre-falvey/"}]},"description":{"basic":"Morgan Steele from Los Angeles, California, first moved to Ireland in 2017"},"display_date":"2024-12-03T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"A Californian woman in Dublin: ‘Ireland’s not perfect, but I do think as a whole it is moving in the right direction’"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"PWTZLKGV6NDSPJEXBQXCQZKN2M","auth":{"1":"bb1567c2de361eb277c0088196ffac0c9e569390701c1e3567ca46856766607a"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/PWTZLKGV6NDSPJEXBQXCQZKN2M.jpg"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","name":"People"},"website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/12/03/a-californian-woman-in-dublin-irelands-not-perfect-but-i-do-think-as-a-whole-it-is-moving-in-the-right-direction/"}}},{"_id":"MVMGVADWZNCFHMEK2O5QPDFUNY","credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Michael McDermott","type":"author"}]},"description":{"basic":"Christmas activities can be expensive for families so we’ve picked some that are free or won’t break the bank"},"display_date":"2024-12-02T10:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Exciting and fun things to do on a budget over the festive season"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"QEX35PVPR5KJVTGCUJ6U4TRBYI","auth":{"1":"12ce221feca20bc9fc5f2ddc9bfd61296f59ea3705b3a0f1c7afd487dfd53aef"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/QEX35PVPR5KJVTGCUJ6U4TRBYI.jpg"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style","name":"Life & Style"},"website_url":"/life-style/2024/12/02/exciting-and-fun-things-to-do-on-a-budget-over-the-festive-season/"}}},{"_id":"XCS364UJUZFKVE6DCUPF3CFLN4","credits":{"by":[{"_id":"sarah-moss","additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Sarah Moss"}},"name":"Sarah Moss","type":"author","url":"/author/sarah-moss/"}]},"description":{"basic":"Some of the grandmothers I know are a surgeon, a judge and professors, while many others belong to the English literary canon"},"display_date":"2024-12-02T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"How did ‘granny’ become the byword for dimness? That’s so wrong"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"XEWBVL5TRNDRNNKWSQPRTAUKNA","auth":{"1":"201fd114a4c2654dcd6cdc1911c2f78ef91b50a15db7cb6e39644ecd62dd9dd1"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/XEWBVL5TRNDRNNKWSQPRTAUKNA.jpg"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","name":"People"},"website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/12/02/how-did-granny-became-the-byword-for-dimness-thats-so-wrong/"}}},{"_id":"UDF2L5LAMNG3HABKOADEUYPBVI","credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Deirdre Mullins","type":"author"}]},"description":{"basic":"From wild bears to sausage stew and famed historical prisons, Romania is a remarkable place to visit, made all the more special by its unspoilt nature"},"display_date":"2024-12-02T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Hiking across Romania: ‘Several times, I noticed car keys left in the ignition, a nostalgic reminder of Ireland in bygone years’"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"2ZTOPKRPOVBKFD4TWEKPY7OFIU","auth":{"1":"e61466b2c71f0e7c3836217b0869d4dce02d1c92ea474280c902264d7142f87d"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/2ZTOPKRPOVBKFD4TWEKPY7OFIU.jpg"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/travel","name":"Travel"},"website_url":"/life-style/travel/2024/12/02/hiking-across-romania-several-times-i-noticed-car-keys-left-in-the-ignition-a-nostalgic-reminder-of-ireland-in-bygone-years/"}}},{"_id":"BV6MXK6R45EPPGHI2TZZZ53TKA","credits":{"by":[{"_id":"deirdre-mcquillan","additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Deirdre McQuillan"}},"name":"Deirdre McQuillan","type":"author","url":"/author/deirdre-mcquillan/"}]},"description":{"basic":"Aoife Rooney’s path into design was not straightforward, but the designer and entrepreneur has carved out a successful niche"},"display_date":"2024-12-02T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Irish designer Aoife Rooney’s eco approach to fashion: ‘I use anything I can get my hands on’"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"RMHUQRZE45DXHAYD2M4GU2VI74","auth":{"1":"a50825467b68b2430f5f3ec35199ccab9446f72a70733d7d5ab93baf036ae4fe"},"focal_point":{"x":1600,"y":755},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/RMHUQRZE45DXHAYD2M4GU2VI74.jpg"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/fashion","name":"Fashion"},"website_url":"/life-style/fashion/2024/12/02/irish-designer-aoife-rooneys-eco-approach-to-fashion-i-use-anything-i-can-get-my-hands-on/"}}},{"_id":"B4DFLC3L4RGIBGIPA5DZHX2EBI","credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Tommy Greene","type":"author"}]},"description":{"basic":"Acclaimed Indian writer Amitav Ghosh’s new work explores how the climate crisis has its roots in European colonialism"},"display_date":"2024-12-01T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Amitav Ghosh: ‘Ireland is where the British created all their colonial methods, it’s where they tried it out first’"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"BSYMYMRWC5EUJNJDFNAHCSEE5I","auth":{"1":"e70ba5b7bccf8ab728e2be9f546d91cfc2bbedac11d268138c6592dc8ec39b85"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/BSYMYMRWC5EUJNJDFNAHCSEE5I.jpg"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/culture/books","name":"Books"},"website_url":"/culture/books/2024/12/01/amitav-ghosh-ireland-is-where-the-british-created-all-their-colonial-methods-its-where-they-tried-it-out-first/"}}},{"_id":"QET6TGNXCFGBXHHRZQ3RWU546M","credits":{"by":[{"_id":"derek-scally","additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Derek Scally"}},"name":"Derek Scally","type":"author","url":"/author/derek-scally/"}]},"description":{"basic":"Jews whose family members fled the Nazis in the 1930s have reclaimed their German citizenship"},"display_date":"2024-12-01T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"‘It is a right that was violently taken away’: The Jews who want to be German again"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"FI53HNL5VRFYDHYOAOEDIKOEIE","auth":{"1":"32ca12fd9f22f65356c3dfad75fd892ac855bf8e4ff7ea8b0c895d854b229e9a"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/FI53HNL5VRFYDHYOAOEDIKOEIE.jpg"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","name":"People"},"website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/12/01/it-is-a-right-that-was-violently-taken-away-the-jews-who-want-to-be-german-again/"}}},{"_id":"6VURKOR4SNHBPOBQWH2AR2MQNI","credits":{"by":[{"_id":"conor-pope","additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Conor Pope"}},"name":"Conor Pope","type":"author","url":"/author/conor-pope/"}]},"description":{"basic":"The Dublin hotel has for decades been a popular meeting place and watering hole for politicians, lobbyists and journalists"},"display_date":"2024-12-01T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Buswells Hotel manager bids farewell to his ringside seat to history in the ‘third house of the Oireachtas’"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"BQQRYVUXIBCBPARS4DFFP22KME","auth":{"1":"eb99ffba308e03eaae6e6ef3c92acd92e71537d7e138f8d2e815a7a79b2a5f6a"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/BQQRYVUXIBCBPARS4DFFP22KME.JPG"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","name":"People"},"website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/30/buswells-hotel-manager-bids-farewell-to-his-ringside-seat-to-history-in-the-third-house-of-the-oireachtas/"}}},{"_id":"ATI6QIL3K5F6DGJTSEJPKT3NXE","credits":{"by":[{"_id":"joanne-hunt","additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Joanne Hunt"}},"name":"Joanne Hunt","type":"author","url":"/author/joanne-hunt/"}]},"description":{"basic":"Over 34,000 students have joined the Picker Pals programme, becoming environmentalists and removing 22 tonnes of litter"},"display_date":"2024-12-01T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Kids are showing up for the environment this unboxing season, cleaning up what adults have left behind"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"RDRWYIZLU4H2M4IOTT24L572PQ","auth":{"1":"aeda1e7792927d7f10d256cc61808d6c5c5c48fd36206c367a0c0ab8a849527c"},"focal_point":{"x":893,"y":257},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/RDRWYIZLU4H2M4IOTT24L572PQ.jpg"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","name":"People"},"website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/30/kids-are-showing-up-for-the-environment-this-unboxing-season-cleaning-up-what-adults-have-left-behind/"}}},{"_id":"D6ICFTZG2JFS7HAT2YY7FYV2GQ","credits":{"by":[{"_id":"rosita-boland","additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Rosita Boland"}},"name":"Rosita Boland","type":"author","url":"/author/rosita-boland/"}]},"description":{"basic":"Why do shop and restaurant owners seem to think adding to the world’s collection of plastic tat improves the ambience?"},"display_date":"2024-12-01T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Fake flowers make me sad and mad: Plastic, plastic everywhere and I can’t stand it"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"4OSQFH3JIBDNFO7USE2V3AQKBU","auth":{"1":"6cbf51800303d20f7be06cd1c5ae2887f9947ac4ad713b1254f4d6e82374673b"},"focal_point":{"x":1470,"y":1214},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/4OSQFH3JIBDNFO7USE2V3AQKBU.jpg"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","name":"People"},"website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/12/01/fake-flowers-make-me-sad-and-mad-plastic-plastic-everywhere-and-i-cant-stand-it/"}}},{"_id":"6XEQQDIVFZGARH7L5ONF2BVDB4","credits":{"by":[{"_id":"roisin-ingle","additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Róisín Ingle"}},"name":"Róisín Ingle","type":"author","url":"/author/roisin-ingle/"}]},"description":{"basic":"Dermot Whelan made the choice to walk away from radio in order to focus on wellness, his own and other people’s. He doesn’t regret it, he tells Róisín Ingle"},"display_date":"2024-12-01T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Dermot Whelan: ‘Mindfulness isn’t a cult. We don’t have to get naked and cover ourselves in hummus’"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"M325QSHNBNDBDLRBKATWDD6OMU","auth":{"1":"a8e8bcc90980b18b1686b491dee3b2a55be179b8588c1d409c50e6482f891887"},"focal_point":{"x":3110,"y":1560},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/M325QSHNBNDBDLRBKATWDD6OMU.jpg"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","name":"People"},"website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/12/01/dermot-whelan-mindfulness-isnt-a-cult-we-dont-have-to-get-naked-and-cover-ourselves-in-hummus/"}}},{"_id":"QCYQY2JH5NHSNAFR347OHEMYGM","credits":{"by":[{"_id":"sean-moncrieff","additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Seán Moncrieff"}},"name":"Seán Moncrieff","type":"author","url":"/author/sean-moncrieff/"}]},"description":{"basic":"As people – even Stephen King – flee the platform, discussion of where to move to feels underpinned by a sadness that the kind of virtual space they crave may no longer be possible"},"display_date":"2024-12-01T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Social media taps into a dark human need to be mean to other people"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"5I33AVBGUTBNU2XTMVZ3M64OOI","auth":{"1":"ffc9916b5324ab795dea86d65019d7a74a4377e73cf53058f12734943238ff97"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/5I33AVBGUTBNU2XTMVZ3M64OOI.jpg"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","name":"People"},"website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/12/01/sean-moncrieff-under-elon-musk-x-is-tapping-ever-more-into-a-dark-human-need-to-be-mean-to-other-people/"}}},{"_id":"MCMAKU4ELFBVTF7BMYYH74Y4AM","credits":{"by":[{"_id":"rosita-boland","additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Rosita Boland"}},"name":"Rosita Boland","type":"author","url":"/author/rosita-boland/"}]},"description":{"basic":"A day spent in the Vincent de Paul southeast region office reveals the large number of requests from vulnerable seeking help with everything from food and utility bills to rent arrears and broken toilets"},"display_date":"2024-11-30T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"‘There could be two cars, but the fridge is empty’: Hidden poverty in middle-class Ireland"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"3CYMILO3VNAZFPPXZRLZVUR7AQ","auth":{"1":"17410ac65b0c4a472b687d631ff94a06bfd0b5f3b9dc6dd952ea081c90cadd02"},"focal_point":{"x":2743,"y":2403},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/3CYMILO3VNAZFPPXZRLZVUR7AQ.JPG"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","name":"People"},"website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/30/there-could-be-two-cars-but-the-fridge-is-empty-hidden-poverty-in-middle-class-ireland/"}}},{"_id":"3L3LYGK355CQXOYYAQO6VXPS2Q","credits":{"by":[{"_id":"jen-hogan","additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Jen Hogan"}},"name":"Jen Hogan","type":"author","url":"/author/jen-hogan/"}]},"description":{"basic":"Prof Donal O’ Shea is the HSE lead on obesity and a regular commentator on the dangers of marketing ‘junk and fast food’ to children"},"display_date":"2024-11-30T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Prof Donal O’ Shea: ‘The positioning of Ronald McDonald House at the entrance to the new children’s hospital makes me angry’"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"APOKUOEUS56FINWOQIK6RJKS5E","auth":{"1":"28c208fb9038200b8f66022de16967eac40b0654cff8b4c4a15105ce083b07d3"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/APOKUOEUS56FINWOQIK6RJKS5E.jpg"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","name":"People"},"website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/30/prof-donal-o-shea-the-positioning-of-ronald-mcdonald-house-at-the-entrance-to-the-new-childrens-hospital-makes-me-angry/"}}},{"_id":"YQNJAGQXUBCVJG3VF6GW2P436U","credits":{"by":[{"_id":"daniel-mclaughlin","additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Daniel McLaughlin"}},"name":"Daniel McLaughlin","type":"author","url":"/author/daniel-mclaughlin/"}]},"description":{"basic":"In advance of Trump’s inauguration, speculation grows over what territory he could press Ukraine to abandon for a peace agreement with Russia"},"display_date":"2024-11-30T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Ukrainians on the threat of Trump: ‘There should be no concessions because this is our territory’"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"EIL2X5QBDVCT7G66IBYWZX4GJM","auth":{"1":"7782b8627e4589e56a2b960f7c5d568a958f1fcb9f7e22f5d363e8460bec165e"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/EIL2X5QBDVCT7G66IBYWZX4GJM.jpg"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","name":"People"},"website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/30/ukrainians-on-the-threat-of-trump-there-should-be-no-concessions-because-this-is-our-territory/"}}},{"_id":"2F26EE4TAZBBRPNHBDDKO7RZ3M","credits":{"by":[{"_id":"conor-pope","additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Conor Pope"}},"name":"Conor Pope","type":"author","url":"/author/conor-pope/"}]},"description":{"basic":"We’ve compiled a list of 100 Irish websites packed with Christmas present potential, from the handmade to the ridiculous"},"display_date":"2024-11-30T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Christmas gift ideas: 100 Irish websites to get your shopping sorted"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"ITGLEPDXVRDPNJQRNSP5HMNJ6Q","auth":{"1":"59c56abbb280927f9eae1fa290671e7ebef7174527e63993ccfa3a7aecbea445"},"focal_point":{"x":537,"y":426},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/ITGLEPDXVRDPNJQRNSP5HMNJ6Q.jpg"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","name":"People"},"website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/30/christmas-gift-ideas-100-irish-websites-to-get-your-shopping-sorted/"}}},{"_id":"6DV6DLKUJRH6LOKZHRM2SW55WY","credits":{"by":[{"_id":"fionnuala-fallon","additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Fionnuala Fallon"}},"name":"Fionnuala Fallon","type":"author","url":"/author/fionnuala-fallon/"}]},"description":{"basic":"A bad day’s gardening is often the result of shoddy tools, so invest well in your implements"},"display_date":"2024-11-30T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Gardening tools that will last a lifetime if treated right"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"EH74CSCYYA3XKWKTVIILEWQD2U","auth":{"1":"97e2df804a24faaa9458a3c7b8e846f86b6f65e9b6bc28041c7bd3c56f6e4eaf"},"focal_point":{"x":695,"y":263},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/EH74CSCYYA3XKWKTVIILEWQD2U.jpg"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/gardening","name":"Gardening"},"website_url":"/life-style/gardening/2024/11/30/gardening-tools-that-will-last-a-lifetime-if-treated-right/"}}},{"_id":"QKRNCWJZG5BC7MCJ73G25NZRUQ","credits":{"by":[{"_id":"fionnuala-fallon","additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Fionnuala Fallon"}},"name":"Fionnuala Fallon","type":"author","url":"/author/fionnuala-fallon/"}]},"description":{"basic":"Packing pine needles into the crown will protect against temperatures down to minus 4C, but below that you’ll need to secure several layers of horticultural fleece over the crown and fronds"},"display_date":"2024-11-30T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Does a tree fern need extra protection from the elements?"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"MWSDR7SEPNVLMG53FAH4FZ7UOA","auth":{"1":"481136bcbfe3d94af1dc5d1aa69678b59c2f9618f9f3cb5f07eb040a4d69ed9b"},"focal_point":{"x":750,"y":430},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/MWSDR7SEPNVLMG53FAH4FZ7UOA.jpg"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/gardening","name":"Gardening"},"website_url":"/life-style/gardening/2024/11/30/does-a-tree-fern-need-extra-protection-from-the-elements/"}}},{"_id":"EOMKHVGPJNDNRBEF64MKUJXOVI","credits":{"by":[{"_id":"sylvia-thompson","additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Sylvia Thompson"}},"name":"Sylvia Thompson","type":"author","url":"/author/sylvia-thompson/"}]},"description":{"basic":"Irish art collectors are spoiled for choice with upcoming sales in Bonham’s, Whyte’s and Adam’s featuring a wealth of local and international talent across painting and sculpture"},"display_date":"2024-11-30T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Female pioneers of modernism shine in Irish art sale"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"AUS35HOKFJBSNBDK2VKCK3ODAI","auth":{"1":"fd4f7d0c607a3b8e796184a9e39ac31919f57c51de98953927d4b9e98ec0da17"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/AUS35HOKFJBSNBDK2VKCK3ODAI.jpg"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/fine-art-antiques","name":"Fine Art & Antiques"},"website_url":"/life-style/fine-art-antiques/2024/11/30/female-pioneers-of-modernism-shine-in-irish-art-sale/"}}},{"_id":"FKS2JZVLOFHF7LLGAYH43K7PLU","credits":{"by":[{"_id":"ross-ocarroll-kelly","additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly"}},"name":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly","type":"author","url":"/author/ross-ocarroll-kelly/"}]},"description":{"basic":"Honor goes, ‘Don’t worry – it’s just our mother looking for likes from strangers again’"},"display_date":"2024-11-30T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"‘Sorcha, I’m wondering is climate justice maybe a bit above Santa’s pay grade?’"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"2YYZ6XOJMJBTNNT5U2IPQBC6BU","auth":{"1":"ce9515e92d72b629eb2d343932922ce35f6d8861795c81404197f0ffd8bdf691"},"focal_point":{"x":1302,"y":975},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/2YYZ6XOJMJBTNNT5U2IPQBC6BU.jpg"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly","name":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly"},"website_url":"/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly/sorcha-im-wondering-is-climate-justice-maybe-a-bit-above-santas-pay-grade/"}}},{"_id":"HXIUSUJVHBB7JGN52PFKO7X2YI","credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"The focus is on candidates’ candid moments in this selection of pictures from around the country"},"display_date":"2024-11-29T22:05:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Snap election: How Irish Times photographers captured campaign life through a lens "},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"KOG74UPLKBFXVJD6SFXGBJYBUQ","auth":{"1":"5f99ff35acd36e7b1c61132b517451b2d28447fb067299aa1e2ea8eff2348ea5"},"focal_point":{"x":2113,"y":1258},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/KOG74UPLKBFXVJD6SFXGBJYBUQ.jpg"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","name":"People"},"website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/29/snap-election-how-irish-times-photographers-captured-campaign-life-through-a-lens/"}}},{"_id":"SDDF4Y47FBHMZACNDMELPIZYJI","credits":{"by":[{"_id":"brianna-parkins","additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Brianna Parkins"}},"name":"Brianna Parkins","type":"author","url":"/author/brianna-parkins/"}]},"description":{"basic":"I am quietly awed by Nikita Hand and others like her who stand up outside a courthouse to address the media"},"display_date":"2024-11-29T05:48:30.795Z","headlines":{"basic":"Dee Devlin is not Conor McGregor’s moral keeper. That’s his responsibility alone"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"6PLJY4PCXIRAP3EKSITV7XQ5MI","auth":{"1":"80ac2a2c46fcfdaf4e5ed2f8a30d98c5f51eee24332b6b85283c96819f57cbda"},"focal_point":{"x":1460,"y":670},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/6PLJY4PCXIRAP3EKSITV7XQ5MI.jpg"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","name":"People"},"website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/29/brianna-parkins-dee-devlin-is-not-conor-mcgregors-moral-keeper-thats-his-responsibility-alone/"}}},{"_id":"2LCXYXARWNAOZMEJPW4X6RJGKI","credits":{"by":[{"_id":"simone-gannon","additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Simone Gannon"}},"name":"Simone Gannon","type":"author","url":"/author/simone-gannon/"}]},"description":{"basic":"Simone Gannon’s handpicked selection of festive gifts includes something for every beauty lover, from make-up and fragrance to haircare and wellness"},"display_date":"2024-11-29T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Five of the best beauty gifts for Christmas from Irish brands "},"label":{"basic":{"display":true,"text":"Beauty","url":"/tags/beauty/"}},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"KGKI3YFV3JEK5K6XJTU5QPCQLM","auth":{"1":"c98994ca7b1d6728ea8bab4225ea8c2fc40da0cd4e89003604607a2e9ddaa0de"},"focal_point":{"x":780,"y":640},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/KGKI3YFV3JEK5K6XJTU5QPCQLM.png"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/fashion","name":"Fashion"},"website_url":"/life-style/fashion/2024/11/29/five-of-the-best-beauty-gifts-for-christmas-from-irish-brands/"}}},{"_id":"ZO767YYBBVFNTKMKQEVWJEXFJE","credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Helen James","type":"author"}]},"description":{"basic":"Designer Helen James on returning to Dublin from New York, the ‘gentler, lovelier pace’ here, and the traditions of Christmas"},"display_date":"2024-11-29T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Designer Helen James: I was teased at school about being English, a Protestant. There was always something of the ‘other’ about me"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"JWNNTG3XFKAERT73XK2S5TXBJM","auth":{"1":"b0e54b1df4176db49b16f79292325d5dcadeb7cbbeef9374cf5f563315b2275b"},"focal_point":{"x":557,"y":158},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/JWNNTG3XFKAERT73XK2S5TXBJM.jpg"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","name":"People"},"website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/30/designer-helen-james-begrudgery-is-knitted-into-the-fabric-of-our-being/"}}},{"_id":"TEEPN37NTFCP7MBNXWDSNKRGRU","credits":{"by":[{"_id":"michael-harding","additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Michael Harding"}},"name":"Michael Harding","type":"author","url":"/author/michael-harding/"}]},"description":{"basic":"The General admires that Trump can still climb up into the cabin of a truck. But then Trump doesn’t drink"},"display_date":"2024-11-28T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"‘I love this man. I love his golden locks’: my friend’s love for Donald Trump comes at a price"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"MK2HFOBY4EJY2SKBKKB76YM4VY","auth":{"1":"33160e45bcfea51bdcc194472aeff392188cf96c799f9b6fffb0ed1a3f6ce92a"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/MK2HFOBY4EJY2SKBKKB76YM4VY.jpg"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","name":"People"},"website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/28/michael-harding-i-love-this-man-i-love-his-golden-locks-my-friends-love-for-donald-trump-comes-at-a-price/"}}},{"_id":"5XIX2PNXVZBHHBENBMFIBHOXTE","credits":{"by":[{"_id":"danielle-barron","additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Danielle Barron"}},"name":"Danielle Barron","type":"author","url":"/author/danielle-barron/"}]},"description":{"basic":"Millions of letters will be handled every day by An Post during the lead-up to Christmas"},"display_date":"2024-11-28T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"‘Writing a Christmas card list makes you think about who you value. It’s a very mindful exercise’"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"ATXOCWA2KVBSTCZML6RF7KTXVA","auth":{"1":"f23d2290995c628be072168933a7514eb7eb6a90081805594b6876b986b4ff23"},"focal_point":{"x":1475,"y":1465},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/ATXOCWA2KVBSTCZML6RF7KTXVA.jpg"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style","name":"Life & Style"},"website_url":"/life-style/2024/11/28/writing-a-christmas-card-list-makes-you-think-about-who-you-value-and-what-you-value-about-them-its-a-very-mindful-exercise/"}}},{"_id":"LEWO4JSD5RBTLCGKABACHJIULI","credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Niamh O'Reilly","type":"author"}]},"description":{"basic":"At 5ft 11in, I used to squash myself up against the window of public transport, but now I no longer make myself small"},"display_date":"2024-11-27T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"I’m pushing back on manspreading with a bit of womanspreading of my own"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"QJRPTB2NNFG5PGIYVLEANRQUAY","auth":{"1":"a43aee0e331ebdea72cb0ea019a4d0cc23aa98997c2a73d2217fc5b4a854b3e6"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/QJRPTB2NNFG5PGIYVLEANRQUAY.jpg"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","name":"People"},"website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/27/im-pushing-back-on-manspreading-with-a-bit-of-womanspreading-of-my-own/"}}},{"_id":"NHGFYYOY6RE7NF5CQXREAP3HOY","credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Penny McCormick","type":"author"}]},"description":{"basic":"We've selected 25 stylish gifts that will pass muster with even the pickiest people on your shopping list"},"display_date":"2024-11-27T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Christmas gifts for people who are impossible to buy for"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"IJ7LYX7KUZGFBEKIDJMO7PVZVQ","auth":{"1":"d272edf4278f61695fc058affbd150bd181fb997506107705c4552027235d807"},"focal_point":{"x":1720,"y":1545},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/IJ7LYX7KUZGFBEKIDJMO7PVZVQ.jpg"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style","name":"Life & Style"},"website_url":"/life-style/2024/11/27/christmas-gifts-for-people-who-are-impossible-to-buy-for/"}}},{"_id":"6O3MYR7O6JFUJOVVMTJLED5PQQ","credits":{"by":[{"_id":"deirdre-falvey","additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Deirdre Falvey"}},"name":"Deirdre Falvey","type":"author","url":"/author/deirdre-falvey/"}]},"description":{"basic":"Barnaby Sandow recently moved to Ireland from England with his wife, Gwendoline"},"display_date":"2024-11-26T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"An Englishman on Irish life: ‘There is an underlying positivity in Ireland, certainly in comparison to your Anglo-Saxon neighbours’"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"ETLNR2SLEFAMVBFZGMDRVEPJJQ","auth":{"1":"c5e4424a2ace8f8f77dda85d03aa02e5b54e1139c7d6c718a3167b94eebfc6a9"},"focal_point":{"x":4970,"y":2280},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/ETLNR2SLEFAMVBFZGMDRVEPJJQ.JPG"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","name":"People"},"website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/26/an-englishman-on-irish-life-there-is-an-underlying-positivity-in-ireland-certainly-in-comparison-to-your-anglo-saxon-neighbours/"}}},{"_id":"SFL7LUTRPZD7XO7ITBJAZOVIJA","credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Suzie Coen","type":"author"}]},"description":{"basic":"Jewellery, stationery, food and fashion ideas for him and her"},"display_date":"2024-11-26T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Christmas gifts: The best stocking fillers for under €50"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"2LYD5V75JZEFTH7XSIL4ONV6WQ","auth":{"1":"8dad4902cd4ba7387edfb146c61fa7e988d5dea3dd00da4074e5ef584cadc30b"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/2LYD5V75JZEFTH7XSIL4ONV6WQ.jpg"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style","name":"Life & Style"},"website_url":"/life-style/2024/11/26/christmas-gifts-the-best-stocking-fillers-for-under-50/"}}},{"_id":"CGHTCCLNS5GDXL5HELZNVUUNVE","credits":{"by":[{"_id":"ella-sloane","additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ella Sloane"}},"name":"Ella Sloane","type":"author","url":"/author/ella-sloane/"}]},"description":{"basic":"Lyra has become an ambassador for Safe Ireland’s new campaign to highlight gender-based violence and the need for better services"},"display_date":"2024-11-25T13:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Cork singer Lyra on domestic violence: ‘We have all heard the stories, but it’s now about getting the action’"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"MUINFMQ2OVDJROJIHVRLYCUUAY","auth":{"1":"3ac04a27e9794ba706d2a6c0990a7a026d1cf738fb5731779a006447a588d196"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/MUINFMQ2OVDJROJIHVRLYCUUAY.jpg"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","name":"People"},"website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/25/cork-singer-lyra-on-domestic-violence-we-have-all-heard-the-stories-but-its-now-about-getting-the-action/"}}},{"_id":"ZEMEHXBHLBH37OVXUR6YMZ5NVM","credits":{"by":[{"_id":"sarah-moss","additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Sarah Moss"}},"name":"Sarah Moss","type":"author","url":"/author/sarah-moss/"}]},"description":{"basic":"In fact, a locally-made, organic doughnut might well be better than green beans grown with scarce water in Namibia and air-freighted in plastic wrap"},"display_date":"2024-11-25T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Eating disorders in later life: Some of my peers have had teenage weight levels for decades"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"GGHGLFPCE3AYFNGSXZAYZRQA4Y","auth":{"1":"07eae213852360b526bcf653374f4569309e48faee370faed4fb1b9656e72109"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/GGHGLFPCE3AYFNGSXZAYZRQA4Y.jpg"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","name":"People"},"website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/23/eating-disorders-in-later-life-some-of-my-peers-have-had-teenage-weight-levels-for-decades/"}}},{"_id":"LKB3FJUXRFHQXIPI6W5Y3DN5MU","credits":{"by":[{"_id":"tony-clayton-lea","additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Tony Clayton-Lea"}},"name":"Tony Clayton-Lea","type":"author","url":"/author/tony-clayton-lea/"}]},"description":{"basic":"The powerhouse voice behind Soda Blonde tells of her soft spot for The Muppet Christmas Carol"},"display_date":"2024-11-25T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Faye O’Rourke’s Christmas: ‘I have a reputation for overdoing it. I splash out. It’s not in my control’ "},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"DMHD652TPVCXXKWIEUXUE7IH2A","auth":{"1":"1ac52675c2e393de8a16f826b09b9f9f6e687f299ded4be72f06c8cfeb2e2cda"},"focal_point":{"x":827,"y":437},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/DMHD652TPVCXXKWIEUXUE7IH2A.jpeg"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","name":"People"},"website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/25/faye-orourkes-christmas-i-have-a-reputation-for-overdoing-it-i-splash-out-its-not-in-my-control/"}}},{"_id":"OYAO2MDFZNDE3MM4KGOXJUDCZY","credits":{"by":[{"_id":"corina-gaffey","additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Corina Gaffey"}},"name":"Corina Gaffey","type":"author","url":"/author/corina-gaffey/"}]},"description":{"basic":"Identify what features you want to emphasise and ‘put the colour, sparkle and detail there’. Finding the right balance is the key"},"display_date":"2024-11-25T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Festive fashion: what to wear for Christmas party season"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"R35JA2OI2FBDVF3GBYCJFG77E4","auth":{"1":"bf6ef230fe2fed55c998e722fb57b85fee5554076439c17aabecec63c34d5af1"},"focal_point":{"x":797,"y":348},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/R35JA2OI2FBDVF3GBYCJFG77E4.jpg"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/fashion","name":"Fashion"},"website_url":"/life-style/fashion/2024/11/23/festive-fashion-what-to-wear-for-christmas-party-season/"}}},{"_id":"B32PJRO5FZGG3EGH5MMHTPULPQ","credits":{"by":[{"_id":"carl-obrien","additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Carl O'Brien"}},"name":"Carl O'Brien","type":"author","url":"/author/carl-obrien/"}]},"description":{"basic":"As many as one in 20 schoolchildren in Ireland may have autism or similar developmental issues, studies suggest"},"display_date":"2024-11-24T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Autism: Why are so many children being diagnosed these days?"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"UIMK45KN7ZAOBMRH2I7XHBA42E","auth":{"1":"d0486207e9f7573cc8e316a58e94d830d3c032d43f22492abff171fca08a400c"},"focal_point":{"x":4173,"y":1914},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/UIMK45KN7ZAOBMRH2I7XHBA42E.jpg"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/health/your-family","name":"Your Family"},"website_url":"/health/your-family/2024/11/24/autism-why-are-so-many-children-being-diagnosed-these-days/"}}},{"_id":"6OF2AHVXXZGEHKDXEYIWUPZJQY","credits":{"by":[{"_id":"jen-hogan","additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Jen Hogan"}},"name":"Jen Hogan","type":"author","url":"/author/jen-hogan/"}]},"description":{"basic":"Dr Linda Doyle is the first female Provost of Trinity College Dublin. She is a professor of engineering and the arts"},"display_date":"2024-11-24T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Trinity provost Linda Doyle: ‘I met Paul Mescal last week here in Trinity. Very cool’"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"TA3E3XHAMFDEJM44B3HIOZQEO4","auth":{"1":"0e7bb3120b1c164acc1ac74c3d09193b91eb9098009b28229899856a36166f30"},"focal_point":{"x":3941,"y":2485},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/TA3E3XHAMFDEJM44B3HIOZQEO4.jpg"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","name":"People"},"website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/24/i-met-paul-mescal-last-week-here-in-trinity-very-cool/"}}},{"_id":"Z2Q63TDVXFCF3J2IDMVGWNG6YU","credits":{"by":[{"_id":"joanne-hunt","additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Joanne Hunt"}},"name":"Joanne Hunt","type":"author","url":"/author/joanne-hunt/"}]},"description":{"basic":"We might find them funny, but our festive knits are no joke for the environment"},"display_date":"2024-11-24T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"One less geansaí Nollaig isn’t all the planet wants for Christmas, but it’s a start"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"AIUKYWOZWY2QE46PKWZDF2QOFM","auth":{"1":"432f38ee3c335cadfbb8bb7e6160191999be4d877b209a08c9bee093bb3c2a08"},"focal_point":{"x":692,"y":422},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/AIUKYWOZWY2QE46PKWZDF2QOFM.jpg"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","name":"People"},"website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/23/one-less-geansai-nollaig-isnt-all-the-planet-wants-for-christmas-but-its-a-start/"}}},{"_id":"PCBGVBBBO5GYZMDCOSGUFFTAYM","credits":{"by":[{"_id":"patsy-mcgarry","additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Patsy McGarry"}},"name":"Patsy McGarry","type":"author","url":"/author/patsy-mcgarry/"}]},"description":{"basic":"A younger generation of Protestants ‘are flocking away from the church’ yet ‘becoming more spiritual’"},"display_date":"2024-11-24T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Protestants in Ireland: ‘We’ve gone after the young generations. We’ve listened and changed how we do things’"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"USVFQHQISVDVDADVWAYMSEK5KU","auth":{"1":"0a2a18d8c807ce473d6448d765110bfb0cad751183fc6b5f8686f0105b0a97e6"},"focal_point":{"x":3771,"y":1812},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/USVFQHQISVDVDADVWAYMSEK5KU.JPG"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","name":"People"},"website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/24/protestants-in-ireland-weve-gone-after-the-young-generations-weve-listened-and-changed-how-we-do-things/"}}},{"_id":"EDMXZD33KNHCFDS6YBDM7ET6AU","credits":{"by":[{"_id":"deirdre-falvey","additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Deirdre Falvey"}},"name":"Deirdre Falvey","type":"author","url":"/author/deirdre-falvey/"}]},"description":{"basic":"The bus memorialised by Bagatelle, which runs from Phoenix Park to Dún Laoghaire, is a cross-section of the city, geographically and socially. It will soon be replaced by a 24-hour service"},"display_date":"2024-11-24T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Goodbye to the 46A: End of legendary Dublin bus route made famous in song"},"label":{},"owner":{"sponsored":false},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"D7UNGXJQURF4ZFWOP5QTYE623A","auth":{"1":"438756f291ce480e1a9349feef7c5050f3a000d96d7c19fe2c18298333a9c5ce"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/D7UNGXJQURF4ZFWOP5QTYE623A.JPG"}},"type":"story","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/travel","name":"Travel"},"website_url":"/life-style/travel/2024/11/24/goodbye-to-the-46a-end-of-legendary-dublin-bus-route-made-famous-in-song/"}}}],"count":10000,"next":40,"_id":"11b70aa0034b0be39b9e787e4e9277db69d081fe49d5fc87d81fabf390ba0d3e"},"expires":1733295461490,"lastModified":1733295160858},"{\"feedOffset\":0,\"feedSize\":50,\"includeSections\":\"/life-style\"}":{"data":{"content_elements":[{"_id":"QOGDBPNTZRCRVOSPH2FYJFITGQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":320,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-h0e8gjgjaqe0egb7.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/1f2d2c4c-1f3e-4ae7-8d84-985ba2990ea7/versions/1733290976/media/7b2a788ec8fd63e824c076dbd35614e8_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/culture/music/2024/12/04/debbie-nelson-mother-of-rapper-eminem-dies-at-69/","content_elements":[{"_id":"T6U7RPFFWZCEJEJ5ERVWRIYP5Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1733289937479},"content":"Debbie Nelson, a single mother from Missouri whose tumultuous relationship with her eldest son, rapper <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/eminem/\" target=\"_blank\">Eminem</a>, provided fodder for some of his early hits, died Monday. She was 69.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7CDNQWYJJFDNHIHSAWTCCT7VBE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733289937480},"content":"The death was confirmed by Dennis Dennehy, a long-time representative for Eminem, who did not cite a cause or say where she died.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HLMSGYJX6BF2DE6WGCA56JEVL4","additional_properties":{"_id":1733289937481},"content":"Nelson was known for her fraught relationship with Eminem, who through his talent for hip-hop went from being a bullied little boy named Marshall Mathers to a hugely successful rapper. He wrote about their struggles in several songs, including one of his biggest hits.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZKAXR26SY5GFBNSQRQC7I5QZFM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733289937482},"content":"In his rage-fuelled, freewheeling 2002 single Cleanin’ Out My Closet, Eminem has a reckoning with his mother over his upbringing, accusing her of neglect, abuse and prescription-pill abuse.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7FMUSLASK5EKVCDCUGTH3VNX4M","additional_properties":{"_id":1733289937483},"content":"In the chorus, he sarcastically apologises for making her cry, only to add, “How dare you try to take what you didn’t help me to get?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"7O3WNKK3ZRHCLMRC5VJKQE2RJE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733289937484},"content":"Ms Nelson, who sued her son for defamation in 1999 over another unflattering representation of her in his song “My Name Is,” shared her account of their relationship in a no-holds-barred memoir, My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem, which was published in 2008.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZE4XTDIQYVCIBD7MTQ35YUMQOM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733289937485},"content":"Deborah Rae Nelson was born on January 6th, 1955, to Betty Hixson and Bob Nelson. She and the rapper’s father, Marshall Mathers junior, performed in a band called Daddy Warbucks and married when she was a teenager. At 17, she gave birth to her son Marshall on October. 17th, 1972.","type":"text"},{"_id":"U2GFGEJGUBC75MAOCH5Y36TZSQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1733289937486},"content":"Ms Nelson, who for a time went by Debbie Mathers but resumed using her maiden name after her son’s rise to fame, divorced her husband when Marshall was an infant. What ensued was an itinerant decade, one in which the two bounced from home to home, and for Marshall, from school to school, before they settled in Detroit.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NV6EEHZLKRAKJOFZ3VIQ5H5BSM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733289937487},"content":"By the late 1980s, Marshall was discovering hip-hop and had assumed the name M&M. Around that time, Nelson allowed a teenager who had run away from home to stay with them, Nelson told Salon in 2000. Eminem later developed a relationship with the girl, Kim Scott, and the two eventually married and had a daughter.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R2PXU5ZCNBBLZHVQSKJORNB4FA","additional_properties":{"_id":1733289937488},"content":"Nelson sought $10 million in damages in her 1999 defamation suit, but later said it was her lawyer’s idea and settled out of court for $25,000, most of it legal fees. In a 2000 music video meant to address the lawsuit, Nelson apologises, over music and a photo montage, but says her “unconditional love created a spoiled young man, an angry one, too”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BIAEZGFOOZBZXCZKAZWVWFVYBQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1733289937489},"content":"“Anything Marshall wanted, he got,” Nelson told Salon the same year. “I sheltered him too much and I think there’s a little resentment from that.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"VY5RGCIZZJDLPDPSIBQIVBHPHY","additional_properties":{"_id":1733289937490},"content":"In Lose Yourself, a single from the movie 8 Mile that sold more than 10 million copies and won two Grammy Awards in 2004, Eminem nodded more affectionately to Nelson with a reference to “Mom’s spaghetti”. (Eminem would go on to repurpose the name for a pasta sauce line and a Detroit restaurant).","type":"text"},{"_id":"KVQRTYXWBZEETMCHKGMI2SLX3E","additional_properties":{"_id":1733289937491},"content":"But in the 2009 track My Mom, he drew a direct line between his issues with drug-addiction and hers, claiming she had sprinkled Valium on his food.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BJ6WY4WDBVDUVGUVGEAKC4BYQI","additional_properties":{"_id":1733289937492},"content":"In a 2008 memoir, The Way I Am, Eminem did not go into as much detail about his mother as he did in his songs, though in a section about his family, he wrote, “If you go back and look at the abuse that I took, it’s no surprise I became who I am.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"6VEKT7ABWNBUFMAEEMMP44HVTI","additional_properties":{"_id":1733289937493},"content":"And in 2010, he told The New York Times magazine, “It’d be very hard to repair that relationship.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"OG7TLT2FHZBYDLH6VK5SI3HSRU","additional_properties":{"_id":1733289937494},"content":"In addition to Eminem, Nelson’s survivors include another son, Nathan Mathers, and several grandchildren. She was married and divorced at least twice. For years, she ran a taxi service in St. Joseph, Missouri, where she lived with her last husband, John Briggs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AQUXQVRE3RBLJJ2TBSVILBP3XU","additional_properties":{"_id":1733289937495},"content":"As often as they clashed, it seemed, Eminem and his mother tried to reconcile. In his 2013 track Headlights, he showed remorse for his harsh lyrics and a greater understanding for her struggles.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H6SIYS7QMBDTPN7VLYUJIXDHU4","additional_properties":{"_id":1733289937496},"content":"“I’m sorry, Mama, for ‘Cleanin’ Out My Closet’,” he raps. “At the time I was angry. Rightfully? Maybe so. Never meant that far to take it, though.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"4MSKFSMRXVHRFGW4RHFHGY6HHU","additional_properties":{"_id":1733289937497},"content":"According to the song, the two remained estranged. But when Eminem was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022, Nelson publicly congratulated him online.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NLR732BQNBCAJLEMMOR2ZSYLGE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733289937498},"content":"“Marshall, I want to say, I could not let this day go by without congratulating you,” she said in a video that was later deleted. “I love you very much. I knew you’d get there. It’s been a long ride. I’m very, very proud of you.” – This article originally appeared in <a href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/03/arts/debbie-nelson-eminem-mother-dead.html\">The New York Times</a>.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"name":"Annie Correal"}]},"description":{"basic":"Debbie Nelson's rocky relationship with her son Eminem was known widely through his hit song lyrics and two law suits"},"display_date":"2024-12-04T05:42:24.173Z","headlines":{"basic":"Debbie Nelson, mother of rapper Eminem, dies at 69","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"U3VDBUAXPRFCXHD4GNBO2XMK2Y","auth":{"1":"d1a2e7689efc9c8874ccc4e7194b6885b170e00c74bd76705b01b28ad4c11c75"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/U3VDBUAXPRFCXHD4GNBO2XMK2Y.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Music"},{"name":"World"},{"name":"US"},{"name":"Life & Style"},{"name":"People"},{"name":"Culture"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/culture/music/2024/12/04/debbie-nelson-mother-of-rapper-eminem-dies-at-69/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/culture/music","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Music"}}}},{"_id":"NRH7Q3R3VFGBNDXMZX3DQO7KSU","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":501,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/32412529-57c6-4719-9b84-270394aa7e3c/versions/1732722496/media/bf54c90001c66d9cb03b4d9cd7f318e2_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/12/03/a-californian-woman-in-dublin-irelands-not-perfect-but-i-do-think-as-a-whole-it-is-moving-in-the-right-direction/","content_elements":[{"_id":"6254WK2IJND7JCYN5KWQR5Q4JI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357657},"content":"Morgan Steele first came to Ireland from <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/california/\" target=\"_blank\">California </a>in 2013 on a summer study-abroad programme on Irish <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/stage/\" target=\"_blank\">theatre</a>, as part of her degree. “I think it was only about five weeks, and it just kind of sparked something that ended up changing my life, which is kind of crazy,” says the theatre administrator and producer. “When I went into it, I definitely didn’t think that’s what was going to happen. But I fell in love with the place. And I’ve kept coming back.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"RUSDQELBFBBCPK6TREQFDR4GMM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357658},"content":"Aged 19, she was just keen to travel, and knew little of Ireland other than “the classic, American surface-level knowledge” or of Irish theatre beyond <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/oscar-wilde/\" target=\"_blank\">Oscar Wilde</a>. The summer course, part of her bachelor of arts in theatre and performance from UC Berkeley, was “really well curated”, half in <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/dublin/\" target=\"_blank\">Dublin </a>and half in <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/galway/\" target=\"_blank\">Galway</a>, at the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/galway-international-arts-festival/\" target=\"_blank\">Galway International Arts Festival</a>. “I can’t really put quite a finger on it, but there’s just something about the art I saw that spoke to me.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"HKHUV5K7FVE6PKW7TYKVH2TS44","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357659},"content":"Since then she has had “a bit of a circuitous journey with lots of back and forth to Ireland over the years, for various visa/work permit reasons”, along the way training in theatre company management in Berkeley, working internationally on both nonprofit and commercial productions and as an associate producer for Disney Channel. “There’s been a lot of moving!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"TEVEFGFBIZCE7MKPY52IYJCHIM","additional_properties":{"_id":"AFVOBK6T35E6HKJGZ4EX6RXUY4"},"content":"An Irish man in California: what I did first notice was how people talk about themselves. Compared to the typical older Irish man","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"5ROO7IID45GHVOHFSJCEFZCRGM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357660},"content":"She came back to live here for a year in 2017 on a working holiday visa (similar to a J1 for US citizens). Funnily enough given current events, she applied for that visa the day before the 2016 US election, thinking she would “have something good to look forward to if all hell breaks loose. And I had the best of times.” She worked with independent producer Landmark Productions as assistant company manager on its stage musical Once. “My first time working here, I immediately felt part of the team, not just on that specific project, but in the arts community as a whole, which was very surprising. I’m incredibly grateful for the support I’ve got. I never felt like an outsider or a sense of hierarchy.” She felt she had “full authority to do the thing that you know how to do, which is company management”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EGW3CVUUYFAPTEOYYCKK5FKH74","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357661},"content":"Back in the US again, Covid hit and she lost her company manager job at Berkeley Repertory Theater. “Blessings in disguise, I suppose.” Pondering her future, “I kept thinking, I want to go back to Ireland.” She applied for an MSc in business management at <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/trinity-college-dublin-tcd/\" target=\"_blank\">Trinity College Dublin</a>, “and I’ve been back ever since”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OIKCZECZ2JDTFDMWFYZXP35LKY","additional_properties":{"_id":"Y7ZJ22F6OBD3XM6NUUHLI742TU"},"content":"‘The US has become really divisive. I definitely prefer the quality of life here. I like the people and the possibilities’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"RRWFBRQBFBDTNC5ENC5IBOU7BQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357662},"content":"Since finishing her master’s in 2022 she has worked for Once Off Productions, producer Maura O’Keeffe’s independent producing platform. It works on shows nationally and internationally at all scales, which Steele has relished, first as assistant producer, and now as company manager. “Aside from the team members at Once Off, they’re all so fantastic, but the diverse range of live performance makes it a really exciting place to work. Once Off does primarily theatre, but there is opera, there is dance, there’s music as well. I feel very privileged to be working with them.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"Q3PQOWMMXZESFGO7B6YHLOPFXM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733138216156},"content":"Right now Once Off is working with Dublin’s<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/smock-alley-theatre/\" target=\"_blank\"> Smock Alley Theatre</a> on a <a href=\"https://smockalley.com/a-streetcar-named-desire/\" target=\"_blank\">production of Tennessee Williams’s A Streetcar Named Desire</a>, which runs December 5th-21st. Though she studied the Pulitzer Prize-winning play, where genteel fragility meets brutal reality, and had seen the movie starring Vivien Leigh and Marlon Brando many times, Steele hadn’t seen it onstage. “To be doing an American classic here, it feels quite special. Understandably, most of the classics here are Irish, so to have an American is a bit more uncommon.” As it happens, the show’s producer, Cally Shine, is also American, and “to be on the producing helm with another American, completely by chance” feels appropriate, and “like we’re representing!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"LSYBFMR4GBCXLGYOOHIYZYXVME","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357663},"content":"It’s all a far cry from LA, where she grew up. “It’s such a film city, which is great, and I love it for what it is, but it doesn’t have quite the same offering of live theatre, of that quality.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"6SJ63JXA2FC4XKQ2PXD2P6IQSU","additional_properties":{"_id":"4S4ECR2OCJEYZG2TAHPODRWUQU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"XVKJHR7EU5DDRMB2HWEJ3MOSBA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357664},"content":"While LA is “a car-centric culture”, she says, “I love being able to walk here. And a functional public transit system.” For her personally, “a large part of the quality of life is the arts community”, and she’s heartened by “the mere fact that there is an Arts Council”. Such support and development of the arts “is foreign to me, in a way, as an American”. Arts agencies aren’t “as robust by a long shot back home”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CEFBKJOBSBGPHIG6OA6P2AGZEE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357665},"content":"She is “a bit of a workaholic. With that said, I do have a small but mighty group of people I call my friends. We’re a diverse bunch.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"W5W3QY4Y4BERHFUYZ6DEFS2LDE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357666},"content":"She’s in it for the long haul. “I want to make this work long term now. I love the quality of life here. The only comparison I have is to back home. I love California. There’s always going to be a part of me”, but she’s not happy with the direction the US is taking. “Of course, Ireland’s not perfect, but I do think as a whole Ireland is moving in the right direction.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"R3YW4YPERJBKNOA72URMPQAM64","additional_properties":{"_id":"ZWFVBM4MEZAETDPHMWDFFS7ECQ"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"DRSKXY37CNGO7N4GSPZTIPLCVM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357667},"content":"However, “the cost of living is very high” here. Her partner is based in Los Angeles, so renting as a single person is expensive. For the past two years she has rented a room in a family’s home in a south Dublin suburb. “I don’t think it would work for everybody, but I really get on with them. I got quite lucky. Of course, every now and then I’m like, Oh, I just wish I could have my own place.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"64JHUIMX3ZAVVD5DVQWPGDLXGU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357668},"content":"She’s currently on a 1G visa, covering her for two years after her master’s, and is “figuring out my visa long term. That’s been a bit challenging to navigate. I’m hopeful and positive.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"HGHDK6T73VADNNOXDUQANW53SE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357669},"content":"While inefficiency and red tape involved in getting things done here can be frustrating, “I think the longer I’ve lived here, the more I understand it. In a way, sometimes the inefficiency has its own charm.” The first example that comes to mind is the<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/dublin-bus/\" target=\"_blank\"> Dublin Bus </a>system: scheduled buses often “just don’t show up. When that happens, it is incredibly frustrating. But there’s something darkly comedic about it.” Mind you, “if I were running for the bus right now, I might say something different!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"6P7EZQ5QUZGRHFLDIHJS2LRVGY","additional_properties":{"_id":"LCPHICRGZBCCHJVG7GLBXJVMUQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"IJTGKLUGJZFJHEIZASPNCTABYQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357670},"content":"Her first time opening a bank account was difficult without a utility bill or rental agreement, which are hard to come by in houseshares. “It became this: I don’t know how to get paid. I have a job, I have a PPS number. But in my specific living situation, I don’t have the documents to open a bank account.” Eventually she managed it using a library card. More positively “the cost of healthcare in comparison to the States is mind-blowingly great”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LZT6DXTRW5DVRLOGOGOGZWIFD4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357671},"content":"“I really do love the people and the culture. That’s essentially what kept me coming back. The sense of warmth, and looking out for each other in a way that I didn’t feel as much from strangers in my experience in the States. As a whole, there’s more of a community feeling. I love California, but I could never see myself there long term. I always felt like I was being pulled somewhere else. When I came here, it was, oh, yeah, this is it. It’s felt like a very natural transition for me. I landed here: I understand the culture. I feel like I fit.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"WNQO2WUORRDAJKIY3S5LLC2DFI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357672},"content":"<i>We would like to hear from people who have moved to Ireland. To get involved, email </i><a href=\"mailto:newtotheparish@irishtimes.com\"><i>newtotheparish@irishtimes.com</i></a>","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Deirdre Falvey"}},"name":"Deirdre Falvey"}]},"description":{"basic":"Morgan Steele from Los Angeles, California, first moved to Ireland in 2017"},"display_date":"2024-12-03T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"A Californian woman in Dublin: ‘Ireland’s not perfect, but I do think as a whole it is moving in the right direction’","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"PWTZLKGV6NDSPJEXBQXCQZKN2M","auth":{"1":"bb1567c2de361eb277c0088196ffac0c9e569390701c1e3567ca46856766607a"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/PWTZLKGV6NDSPJEXBQXCQZKN2M.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/12/03/a-californian-woman-in-dublin-irelands-not-perfect-but-i-do-think-as-a-whole-it-is-moving-in-the-right-direction/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"MVMGVADWZNCFHMEK2O5QPDFUNY","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":506,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/90eaa71c-806e-4f4f-a696-0f3fd9372212/versions/1729099869/media/8e46be5c7b5435961cc88d1132d20602_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/2024/12/02/exciting-and-fun-things-to-do-on-a-budget-over-the-festive-season/","content_elements":[{"_id":"RE5IUOPUE5HYBLHQJ4PJSGTTKQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035118},"content":"It’s the most <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/christmas/\" target=\"_blank\">wonderful time of the year</a> but the most costly too; and yet there are many wonderful things to do for free or on modest budgets. With a little foraging, imagination and a flask of tea, you can have great adventures and fabulous experiences. Here’s a selection to get you on your sleigh.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ARDM6O3BUBEK7BWYMXOETAIGPA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035119},"content":"Newgrange, winter solstice – December 21st","type":"header"},{"_id":"REDPIR7GLVBIRBB254PNSCQQQE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035120},"content":"To celebrate the solstice at <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/newgrange/\" target=\"_blank\">Newgrange</a> you need to be among a lucky handful of <a href=\"https://heritageireland.ie/learn/newgrange-winter-solstice-lottery-2024/\" target=\"_blank\">lottery winners</a> to witness the sun “standing still”. Access to the ancient passage tomb and to that at Knowth at other times is strictly via tickets. However, nearby Dowth is freely accessible as it is a non-excavated site, though there is no public access to the interior chambers. <a href=\"http://heritageireland.ie/places-to-visit/bru-na-boinne-visitor-centre-newgrange-knowth-and-dowth/\">heritageireland.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"EYEN2GAIOJFYFFO2PAXNSI7KDA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035122},"content":"Stargazing","type":"header"},{"_id":"PDOSOAH33ZHYJAEBWANOIUAQBQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035123},"content":"The skies above us are available free of charge too. And with a chill in the air and the right conditions you can observe and ponder the universe. Use a telescope and/or apps such as SkyGuide or Sky Tonight to help decipher what you see and identify planets and constellations. The Geminid Meteor shower (until December 23rd) is expected to peak around December 13th. Under ideal conditions, you could see up to 120 meteors an hour. <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/astronomy-ireland/\" target=\"_blank\">Astronomy Ireland</a> hosts its Christmas lecture on December 9th. <a href=\"http://astronomy.ie/upcoming-events/\">astronomy.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"CM47JKEYYZEUFLG3NDFDJX6T3M","additional_properties":{"_id":"74PBWIMIQNC4PH25HEO6GTBWYM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"CBVEGPJYABARTMQPIO4YIJUV6M","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035125},"content":"Dublin Port Tolka Estuary Greenway","type":"header"},{"_id":"LRE376IFNJBEPEXFGEFWLRE6HE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035126},"content":"Ireland’s newest greenway is a new shared cycling and pedestrian route linking EastPoint Business Park to the ferry terminals at <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/dublin-port/\" target=\"_blank\">Dublin Port</a>. Check out the stunning vistas of Dublin Bay and hear the cries of migratory birds for which the area is a port of call if not a permanent home. Look out for brent geese, bar-tailed godwits and common and Arctic terns.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VW7TVCYZDVH4DOCXG2GXNYDTZ4","additional_properties":{"_id":"K6R3AFHV7BBF3BNODCN7QXJF7M"},"content":"Tolka Estuary Greenway: First look at 2km Dublin Port cycle and walking rout","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"LNSVMFPQPJEMXD73KCXQ2V33TU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035127},"content":"Birdsong","type":"header"},{"_id":"UB5HYSSGZBCIFOQPA675AU5TVY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035128},"content":"It was a lockdown thing to start with, but now we’re all attuned to chirping. It’s been elevated in 2024 by ornithologist Seán Ronayne and his Birdsong project and documentary. Birdwatch Ireland is hosting a series of events around the country where you can listen, watch and note. <a href=\"http://birdwatchireland.ie/events/\">birdwatchireland.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"3VC7H5JTVFHGRNCVEFPFTFITYU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035129},"type":"list"},{"_id":"WFWXD4RARFB6LHVJPUBRWAEKLI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035133},"content":"Wreath making","type":"header"},{"_id":"NVHN3ANC25GV7AT5KASVMES6XE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035134},"content":"This is a craft anyone can do at home with friends or family. The cost-effective secret is to do them in bulk, which also means you can gift them, and draw gasps of appreciation. The Design & Craft Council of Ireland has an online tutorial on its YouTube channel and there’s countless others online too. The results can be stunning.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X3UILKPEIFFX7FTR3ARG557REI","subtype":"youtube","type":"oembed_response"},{"_id":"UMAWIB4SQNFYFGSNVLGCCX2JFY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729086905495},"content":"Create for Christmas workshop takes place in St Catherine’s Church, Thomas Street, Dublin 8, on Saturday November 30, 12pm-2pm, €20 including greenery, freshly baked goods and coffee.","type":"text"},{"_id":"74CWAPQP3ZGYDD7TSI6DMTDVHA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035136},"content":"Christmas Lights Vehicle Parade","type":"header"},{"_id":"742UY3IQEFBQHDUH2CWI5OGMFU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035137},"content":"Every community supports worthy causes at this time of year. As usual, the more novel the idea and the bigger the scale, the better the bucket shake. The Christmas Lights Vehicle Parade in Cavan is one such spectacle. It’s bound to be illuminating; the occasional horn honk may be heard too. <a href=\"http://clvpcavan.com/\">clvpcavan.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"TUGFPZJIZ5DHVKDV3PIH77ELQU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035139},"content":"Carolling","type":"header"},{"_id":"5U2BISEZDVA5VCSSDZU4NJSSW4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035140},"content":"Acclaimed a cappella Dublin choir Cantóirí, perform a selection of Christmas songs in the Chester Beatty on December 18th, at 7pm. Watch out for numerous carol-singing fundraisers on the streets too. <a href=\"http://chesterbeatty.ie/whats-on/carols-singing-with-cantoiri/\">chesterbeatty.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"BIVDLSPWIFAVBOQ7SA663QGSVU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035142},"content":"Skinny Dip","type":"header"},{"_id":"C73CFKCJRNCOZM4YKLLHM3D3E4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035143},"content":"We are blessed with sea-swimming spots all around the country; there is nothing more petrifying and reviving than taking the plunge and shocking your senses before sensing that restorative calm. Embrace your inner Nordic by plumping for a skinny dip. From Marble Hill Strand near Dunfanaghy in Donegal to Rosslare Strand, there’s a place to disrobe and brace/embrace yourself. Check out sites such as <a href=\"http://wildswim.ie/\">wildswim.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"5ZW6AXLBW5BMFJKLZ3FC7QMR2Q","additional_properties":{"_id":"7Q5SX64TGNADDCZW7DCGOZU7TQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"VS43WNCIXVCB3OWXG2EAKSMDGU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035144},"content":"Last post to the North Pole","type":"header"},{"_id":"KVEMEDABTJCSJGZFDHNTDVHX24","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035145},"content":"The most important letter of the year needs to be considered and sent in style. The postal address is Santa Claus, North Pole, The Arctic, The World, The Universe. Make a little occasion of pushing it into the post box and treating yourself and the eager writer to a hot chocolate with a melty marshmallow.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AWAPKKFB5NB7ZN67Q7BD3OZ3UE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035146},"content":"Magical North Pole post boxes return to Dún-Laoghaire-Rathdown at dlr Lexicon in Dún Laoghaire, Marlay Park in Rathfarnham, Deerpark in Mount Merrion, and Cabinteely Park.","type":"text"},{"_id":"354BWKVRE5F6PF5XBG3VAF7GQU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035147},"content":"If you go down in the woods today","type":"header"},{"_id":"6QT63LPOSVFPVAK4VABGRZRCUU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035148},"content":"Walks in the woods bring all the sensations of the season – the crunching of leaves and snapping of twigs, that nip in the air as the sun glints through branches overhead. New, upcoming and upgraded woodland attractions include Belleek Forest in Co Mayo, with its Wood Pond Rejuvenation Project, the Walking Trail Project in Dublin’s Slievethoul Woods, Kilrush Recreation Forest in Co Clare and Dromore New Recreation Trail in Co Kerry. Also worth a mention is Rossmore Forest Park in Monaghan.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZEIO7LAMOJEKHEDGLEVZXRD26Q","additional_properties":{"_id":"SU6NVBEOPJDTXHKGT3OSVK2GFU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"ZNDEXXUCQNC7DP7Q6JCZSUWQPU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035149},"content":"William Tilly’s Christmas Lights Display","type":"header"},{"_id":"BY2KUYB2HFG7FFBMC2ANQPMYWU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729160349295},"content":"19 Bath Avenue Gardens, Dublin 4","type":"header"},{"_id":"S4KZTXUOLJA5DDEZB3A7JZ32RU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035150},"content":"William Tilly has been festively festooning his home and garden for almost 30 years. Following the death of his wife, the 89-year-old started the tradition of fundraising for Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services, raising more than €219,000 to date and bringing cheer to even the most Scrooge-like among us. “[My] kids do be saying to me, ‘Da, will you give it up?’ but the joy this gives me, I can’t describe it,” says Tilly. It takes three weeks to set up and Tilly does most of the wiring and repairs himself as he was a helper to electricians in the ESB for 32 years. “In recent years I’ve concentrated on decorating the garden and directing operations. I let my grandchildren take to the ladder to tackle the house and roof.” Wise man.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3SMZYOPOYZAKFMRTFZJAEIRZMI","additional_properties":{"_id":"SBLZZS37HRFCTFHSCQPYGF7GYM"},"content":"Charitable cheer and festive funds as householders mount Christmas displays for worthy causes","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"O2K2FSQFGJFB5JGZEUISCUMPB4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035151},"content":"On Saturday, December 7th, the lights will be switched on (usually around 5.30pm). There’ll be a visit from Santa on the same day (either by horse or motorbike). Drop by from then until early January, make a donation and consider a toast to the times with a hot toddy in The Bath pub nearby.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YHL76RHUTBAUHEIX74TX2CCUBM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035152},"content":"Guinness Year Change – New Year’s Eve","type":"header"},{"_id":"CTVNOLHWKBE3TNNZIHPDWPIHGM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035153},"content":"Amid the festive hubbub, this rather simple ceremony took on even greater meaning during lockdown. A simple gathering of people observing a tradition – changing the board with the year on it at Guinness’s St James’s Gate Brewery, with the peal of bells from Christ Church in the background heralding the new year.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QZFTYCUPBJFW7FROKMIGO3RUBA","additional_properties":{"_id":"F2LQYUTXLJGA5OWJND3JKEP5JM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"CYGXBLEOTZCMXITHYHEAEN4IHU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035156},"content":"The Wren in Dingle","type":"header"},{"_id":"DQAAARUJ2NAHJL3QQXTL3JAZ7Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035157},"content":"As sure as night follows day, there will be a report on the RTÉ News on St Stephen’s Day about the Wren pageant. An annual tradition akin to the Palio in Siena, it brings together musicians, dancers, strawboys and hobby horses, all colourfully clad. <a href=\"http://dingle-peninsula.ie/wren-s-day\">dingle-peninsula.ie/wren-s-day</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"5YA4LULVFVDRJKX6J45ALEB7G4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035159},"content":"The Snowman","type":"header"},{"_id":"5JKGJ7CWTZF7DJOXL2MBU6VNGY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035160},"content":"<i>We’re walking in the air ... we’re floating in the moonlit sky ... the people far below are sleeping as we fly ...</i>","type":"text"},{"_id":"KW3N5BB7HJHGBEC7SUI5RS4PF4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035165},"type":"list"},{"_id":"FF7WDUTUXFEATEO3TWYDQ4WIRU","additional_properties":{"_id":"TJCG6KBRDRBQDJ7GYDPHFMVIDM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"P6QWHTD2LNAXPMGRWY7FOORFWU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035167},"content":"The Moving Crib – November 28-January 5","type":"header"},{"_id":"6OEWC2GLGVHNPJTFMHW5D3EQ7A","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035168},"content":"The enduring attraction of this beloved Christmas tradition is evidenced by the intergenerational mix of people who make the trip to see it. The Crib remains a symbol of nostalgia and a time-honoured tradition. Of course, there is the live version at the Mansion House too. St Martin Apostolate and Chapel, 42 Parnell Square West, Dublin <a href=\"http://stmartin.ie/crib/\">stmartin.ie/crib/</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"4C3C3RWKYVFUXKXMCWAQHXR5VA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035172},"content":"Kris Kindle","type":"header"},{"_id":"GTUET6NXCNBMNEPG74LZCY4DZI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729074035173},"content":"It’s not just an awkward office thing – Kris Kindle can be enjoyed by all. And, as is often the case, the smaller the budget, the more imaginative the ideas. Get involved.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Michael McDermott"}]},"description":{"basic":"Christmas activities can be expensive for families so we’ve picked some that are free or won’t break the bank"},"display_date":"2024-12-02T10:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Exciting and fun things to do on a budget over the festive season","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"QEX35PVPR5KJVTGCUJ6U4TRBYI","auth":{"1":"12ce221feca20bc9fc5f2ddc9bfd61296f59ea3705b3a0f1c7afd487dfd53aef"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/QEX35PVPR5KJVTGCUJ6U4TRBYI.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/2024/12/02/exciting-and-fun-things-to-do-on-a-budget-over-the-festive-season/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Life & Style"}}}},{"_id":"XCS364UJUZFKVE6DCUPF3CFLN4","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":279,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/6e9df1b8-87cd-4250-93a2-1415969a8009/versions/1732530152/media/1b6f24723a6b30f64d5542be59325548_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/12/02/how-did-granny-became-the-byword-for-dimness-thats-so-wrong/","content_elements":[{"_id":"BLLDPYMCP5CPHDBA2MG5KQGEY4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732292135063},"content":"I was avoiding the real news last week and reading instead an article about “Granny heels” which are, apparently, blocky high-heeled shoes in which it’s relatively easy to walk. (Reading this was an abject waste of time. I do not wear and have never worn shoes in which I couldn’t comfortably run away.) A day or two earlier – while running, inevitably, and wearing shoes designed for the job – I was curbing any nascent tendency to feel okay about myself with a podcast about why pretty much all food is bad for you, which included the instruction not to eat anything whose ingredients your granny wouldn’t recognise.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XEYBIWLK2VGQJNQSPEHUTA646Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1732292135064},"content":"What, I wanted to ask, if your granny had a chemistry degree? What if your granny was a food scientist? And what if she was a stilt-walker or a dancer or just a life-long wearer of high heels? I remembered an older friend’s response to receiving a well-meant offer from a group of young volunteers in lockdown: if she liked, they could teach her how to do her grocery shopping on the internet, it wouldn’t be as tricky as she imagined. Look, love, she said, I wrote the effing internet, I was coding while your parents were in nappies.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GBDZMESF3JEDXLSVM5HQCW7WJQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732292135065},"content":"I don’t know quite when and how granny became the byword for dimness. The grandmothers I know are at least as high-powered as my younger friends. Some of them have quite senior jobs: a surgeon, a judge, several professors. Others, now free from long working hours, are putting decades of experience into freelance projects and voluntary work, much of it involving technical competence far beyond that of most of the undergraduates I encounter. My oldest friend, in her late 80s, just regretfully turned down an invitation to travel to California for the opening of a big art exhibition she’d curated; the difficulty wasn’t that she couldn’t, with support, manage the journey, but that she has people at home who depend on her care. There are several grandmothers in my yoga class who can do headstands – it wouldn’t surprise me if they could do them wearing high heels – and very probably muddle through the word “emulsifier” on the back of a pack of biscuits. There are also plenty of grandmothers with less glamorous professional lives on whose intellectual strength and emotional maturity subsequent generations rely.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Q4N4BARP4NFK3LNEPNFHKFGSCA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732292135066},"content":"My own grandmother gave up heels, and ballroom dancing, in her 60s when a lifetime of dieting overcame a lifetime of hill-walking and kayaking and her bones began to crumble. But she did not give up thinking, or reading – experimental literary fiction and poetry as well as recipes – until her deathbed 30 years later. In some ways she was a conventional granny. She knitted and baked, and taught me both. Her patience, kindness and love were wholly dependable. She also read me fairy tales, in which the grandmothers are not weak or stupid. Dangerous, perhaps. Eccentric. Prone to dabble in the supernatural, not necessarily benevolent.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3LO3DE5Q6VA6FEZMXI6FBX43XU","additional_properties":{"_id":"5AXCTKSDRRGK5O2VZPH6YZRMTM"},"content":"In a Word... Granny","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"LKPBTPCE4FE3TIDMZ6HSPQX6ZE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732292135067},"content":"At first I thought that there weren’t many grandmothers in the English literary canon, but that’s not true, it’s just that they’re rarely identified as “grannies”. Plenty of women in 19th-century fiction have grandchildren, but it’s not a defining role. They have the same agency, strength and interests as other women of their socio-economic status, and often considerable power over large households and dynastic arrangements. Wealthy widows especially are redoubtable, often in control of serious property without the oversight of a father or husband. The existence of grandchildren is incidental, or at least of strategic and dynastic more than personal significance, and retirement is irrelevant. Older women, free of childbearing, are powerful and not always friendly figures.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GSJLS56WJBCY3PND3K64O4NHZQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732292135068},"content":"I suppose these hardened businesswomen are the opposite of the granny who doesn’t dress up any more and can’t understand ultra-processed food. Older women can be witches or sweet doddery old things, or sometimes one masquerading as the other, but not whole humans who are attractive and have passions and capacities and expertise beyond home-baking. No wonder some cling to youth. I want to say, I’m off to see a granny who struts miles in stilettos to conduct cardio-thoracic surgery, but actually that’s two different grandmothers I know. Maybe they’ll meet and throw a party.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Sarah Moss"}},"name":"Sarah Moss"}]},"description":{"basic":"Some of the grandmothers I know are a surgeon, a judge and professors, while many others belong to the English literary canon"},"display_date":"2024-12-02T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"How did ‘granny’ become the byword for dimness? That’s so wrong","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"XEWBVL5TRNDRNNKWSQPRTAUKNA","auth":{"1":"201fd114a4c2654dcd6cdc1911c2f78ef91b50a15db7cb6e39644ecd62dd9dd1"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/XEWBVL5TRNDRNNKWSQPRTAUKNA.jpg"}},"subtype":"columnist","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Opinion"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/12/02/how-did-granny-became-the-byword-for-dimness-thats-so-wrong/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"UDF2L5LAMNG3HABKOADEUYPBVI","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":651,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/a6d21169-d47a-418a-a13a-84a38ccca4c7/versions/1732096869/media/0209fa04b21da2ff1e7144e1f1b91ecd_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/travel/2024/12/02/hiking-across-romania-several-times-i-noticed-car-keys-left-in-the-ignition-a-nostalgic-reminder-of-ireland-in-bygone-years/","content_elements":[{"_id":"HKOIYQZNW5D45K5AMQB6LJPL2U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363336},"content":"Standing on a sun-soaked Transylvanian mountain trail, I paused as my GPS instructed me to veer off the dusty path and into the field ahead. Usually, I’d prefer to stick to a trail, and this detour might have been fine if it weren’t for the electric fence barring my way and a large sign screaming “Atentie! Bivoli Periculosi”. I didn’t need Google Translate to figure it out. The photo of a massive horned buffalo stopped me in my tracks.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XT2BU2RPXVBQFH3OMZY4PLR3QE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363337},"content":"When planning my walking holiday in <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/romania/\" target=\"_blank\">Romania</a>, dangerous buffaloes weren’t exactly on my radar. Bears, yes – perhaps I worried about them more than necessary. But buffaloes? That was a surprise. I booked the trip with a company called The Natural Adventure. They handled accommodation and some meals, organised daily bag transfers, and created a self-guided walking itinerary. The route came with GPS coordinates downloaded on to an app and detailed written instructions in case technology failed.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7R53LAXMS5GG7GYFDEKAIRSHYI","additional_properties":{"_id":"KD5TBAQ475F4ZLHXUEG3HSUAG4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"DODQWF26I5CBPEIODXC7X6RKZA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363338},"content":"After much discussion with my hiking buddies, we entered the field. I unclipped the electric fence and scanned for any sign of menacing buffaloes, half expecting an angry horned creature to appear. We tentatively walked across the field and thankfully got to the other side without an animal charging at us.","type":"text"},{"_id":"75XDQSY73REIDGUIQ22HRNYMKM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363339},"content":"I received mixed reactions from friends when I told them I was going on holiday to Romania. Yes, it’s off the beaten track, but the biggest surprise is why. When it comes to natural beauty, history and culture, it has it in spades, easily rivalling the more popular European destinations. But what sets Romania apart is that it hasn’t fallen victim to over-tourism. And if you’re going on a walking holiday, this is music to your ears as the trails are mostly empty.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F4VRO4PD7RFLJL35XKGDIMHYWM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363340},"content":"The tour is aptly named Medieval Castles and Villages of Transylvania and the itinerary promised 84km of walking in six days. The actual distance was 119km, which is very doable for the average hiker. The trails took us through medieval Saxon towns and villages in the southern part of Transylvania. The Saxons settled in this area in the 12th century, and despite many of them leaving after the second World War, their cultural legacy endures.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HGZFOAEXQJE2LNA4V4TC7Q7W34","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363341},"content":"For the first three nights of the trip, we stayed in Badiu’s Guesthouse in Rășinari, a charming Saxon home with signature “eye” windows. The guest house’s rustic comfort, cosy rooms and vibrant garden were the perfect retreat after a day spent in the hills. Run by the welcoming Mr and Mrs Badiu, the hospitality was top-notch despite my non-existent Romanian and their lack of English. “Deutsch?” Mr. Badiu asked me hopefully. I instantly regretted saying I had “a little” when my bad Leaving Cert German failed me. Out came Google Translate, and soon we arranged dinner prepared by Mrs Badiu. Her cooking was outstanding, and every evening she delivered a hearty three-course meal, including dishes such as sour soups, sausage stew and Hungarian goulash – the perfect reward after a long day of hiking.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F6TOUS7O5BCVJJ2DAMMSYGZHII","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363342},"content":"The following morning we set off from Badiu’s, walking through the stone-cobbled streets of Rășinari. The sleepy village was worlds away from what you might expect from a gateway to such a stunning mountain range. Refreshingly, there were no tourist shops or restaurants, just a quiet, old-world charm. Locals shared the day’s news on street corners while farmers drove by in horses and carts. It’s the kind of place you can feel the curious gaze of the locals. Despite that, everyone was very friendly. Several times, I noticed car keys left in the ignition, a nostalgic reminder of Ireland in bygone years. The streets were lined with neatly stacked walls of chopped wood as the locals prepared for the harsh winter ahead. Yet the weather was still summery in September, reaching the high 20s daily.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BO2WOK6PCVC4JBXKL676MW7P2U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363344},"content":"The air was crisp and fresh, a freshness you only experience in the mountains. We followed the path out of the town, through farmland and into a mature forest, where a stream guided us into Cisnădioara. Perched on a hill overlooking the town is a beautifully preserved forfeited church built in the 12th century. An informative audio tour is available using a QR code, and the panoramic view from the top made the extra climb worth the effort.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YDW2QDM5SNCMFGEHCFQ73YBRVU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363345},"content":"After that, we went through a forest before tackling a steep uphill climb for more than an hour, following what looked like a dry river bed. The terrain was mucky and rocky, making the ascent even more challenging, especially under the relentless heat of the midday sun. We arrived at a clearing just in time for our packed lunch. As I scoffed my sandwich, I took in the view: rolling green hills sprinkled with woolly sheep and the distinctive, triangular-shaped shepherds’ huts. We returned to Rășinari through the Roma village of Prislop, where excited kids greeted us. The ramshackle homes illustrated the social and economic challenges that the Roma community faces.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EIL7R4FMLJD2JMR6S6KP2FD6LM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363346},"content":"The next day, we travelled by transfer to Păltiniș, Romania’s highest ski resort. We began our hike uphill beneath the eerily still chairlift, soon entering a dense spruce plantation that lacked the vibrancy of the native forests we had walked through the day before. After 1½ hours, we reached the summit (1,720m), and that’s when I spotted a sign warning us about the vipers. I hadn’t realised that Romania had snakes, never mind venomous vipers – yet another creature to add to my list of concerns.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2JWMZQEDWRFWBFF7WDMS33OOZ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363347},"content":"The second part of this day was rewarding, with hours of walking against the most spectacular backdrop of the trip. The rugged peaks of the Carpathians layered one behind the other, with deep valleys in between. There were more sheep and triangular huts; the only person we met on the trail was an elderly shepherd and his dog. With a staff in hand, he wore the traditional wide-brimmed felt hat that seemed to balance effortlessly on his head. We attempted to communicate, but the language barrier hit again, and without Google Translate available, we resorted to gestures. He understood my request for a photo, which he graciously agreed to, and we continued on our way.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4D2UOF2ZMFDBDFUYYYGRNCYBGU","additional_properties":{"_id":"BBV3D7EGTZB25A2KHRSHGNEPI4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"AXC2ZFUKCRHM3PKEFVC3KSKG44","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363348},"content":"The walking schedule for the third day was light, allowing us plenty of time and energy to explore the impressive Astra Museum and the beautiful city of Sibiu. Astra is one of the largest open-air museums in Europe, housing more than 400 traditional buildings, including windmills and churches, from various regions of Romania. Each structure has been preserved and carefully relocated from its original site. The museum features workshops and exhibitions, and the few hours I spent felt far too short to appreciate everything it offered.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LCDBEQWLCNC6TJ6LSSB7CIUWUI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363350},"content":"It was a pleasant, flat 6km walk through a forest into the Saxon city of Sibiu. We arrived suitably ravenous and enjoyed some hearty Turkish food in our Old Town hotel. After fuelling, we set about pounding the pavement of Sibiu, known for its well-preserved medieval architecture and charming squares. The old town is divided into two levels; the upper levels feature most historic sights, conveniently located in three interlocking squares. The lower level boasts colourful old houses and cobbled streets. The two levels are connected by stairways, bridges and tunnels, making exploring fun. The city was clean and uncrowded, and the sun-drenched squares were alive with market stalls, street performers and plenty of outdoor diners.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BEI6ZEFYCZH6RBWPZQTV63NDFY","additional_properties":{"_id":"TFTQNCPKNRCWHI77YPX2QPW5XE"},"content":"Romania produces great wine too: Four bottles to taste","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"WJOSSMMBRJGY7MWJSO3PJSHDJE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363351},"content":"The following day, as we walked a dusty path from the village of Richis, I saw my first Beware of the Bears sign. I was slightly comforted that it specified “after sunset” and relieved they might be too sleepy to bother us during the day’s heat. We hiked through lush countryside in a portion of the 1,400km Via Transilvanica trail before seeing the town of Biertan appear in the valley below. With its terracotta roofs and remarkable fortified church towering above, Biertan looked like something out of a fairy-tale. The church dates back to 1468, and its turrets and towers look more like a castle. The “Prison for Quarrelling Couples” was an innovative way of dealing with marital issues; the couple was put in a room for several days with one of each of the necessities, from a single pillow to a lone table setting. Make or break, I suppose.","type":"text"},{"_id":"D7E3IMUFLZCVNHCDQIA3BRC5P4","additional_properties":{"_id":"GCYFGUAMD5GZBGG3D4VKGSS5TY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"W424Q52EHZHGLP2LD3IU2JMUUE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363352},"content":"The following night, we stayed in Mălâncrav, a village with the highest proportion of Saxons in any town in Transylvania. As we descended from the hills, we stopped at the Lutheran fortified church, where a choir practised hymns in German. One of the staff there kindly guided us to our accommodation, a restored Saxon house maintained by a preservation trust. That night, it felt like sleeping in a very comfortable museum. If only those walls could talk.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VKOQ2OCIIFCARO4SASV5HTQCEQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"SO3DEVYNNJAJZGUXNZDF2IRRVA"},"content":"Kill or confine? Italy and Romania wrestle with bear attacks response","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"ZBXHNVGDERHUBOWWVGPFKWDVTE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731946363353},"content":"Thankfully, it was only on the last day that we got close to a bear – sort of. Near Sighisoara, we stumbled across a massive pile of bear poo, still steaming! A few hundred meters later, a fresh paw print greeted us. We instantly picked up the pace, practically speed-walking into the medieval town of Sighisoara, famously the birthplace of Vlad the Impaler, the inspiration for Dracula, adding an eerie allure took the town’s historic charm. Just when I thought we had made it safely, my phone blared an emergency alert: there was a bear in town. Arriving in one piece was sweeter – and luckier- than I’d thought.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XBDMJRGTXBGIVK3XZVSEM5EPXE","additional_properties":{"_id":"B7RNAGXGJBBAFDF5B7KNH7M7C4"},"content":"Vlad Tidings - Frank McNally on the wild side of Transylvania","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"DMIVHYKKGVFB5IMJJNC3Q2BXZI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732016870991},"content":"<i>Deirdre Mullins was a guest of The Natural Adventure on the Medieval Castles and Villages of Transylvania tour. Prices start from €910 and the tour is available from May to October. For more information and to book, please visit </i><a href=\"http://thenaturaladventure.com/\"><i>thenaturaladventure.com</i></a>","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Deirdre Mullins"}]},"description":{"basic":"From wild bears to sausage stew and famed historical prisons, Romania is a remarkable place to visit, made all the more special by its unspoilt nature"},"display_date":"2024-12-02T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Hiking across Romania: ‘Several times, I noticed car keys left in the ignition, a nostalgic reminder of Ireland in bygone years’","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"2ZTOPKRPOVBKFD4TWEKPY7OFIU","auth":{"1":"e61466b2c71f0e7c3836217b0869d4dce02d1c92ea474280c902264d7142f87d"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/2ZTOPKRPOVBKFD4TWEKPY7OFIU.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Travel"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/travel/2024/12/02/hiking-across-romania-several-times-i-noticed-car-keys-left-in-the-ignition-a-nostalgic-reminder-of-ireland-in-bygone-years/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/travel","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Travel"}}}},{"_id":"BV6MXK6R45EPPGHI2TZZZ53TKA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":228,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/ef0d0dfc-25bb-4350-8170-fff2897bdead/versions/1732119505/media/b4982e6a57583bcc6f96a2296919d1f1_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/fashion/2024/12/02/irish-designer-aoife-rooneys-eco-approach-to-fashion-i-use-anything-i-can-get-my-hands-on/","content_elements":[{"_id":"MD5A4BXZ2NGLLDHJYL6ZWLNLGQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732104225523},"content":"Not many Irish designers can claim that their careers started teaching art in a forest in the Dublin mountains. But that’s how Aoife Rooney, a <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/magazine/\" target=\"_blank\">designer </a>who has won awards for sustainability and circularity in fashion, first began her working life.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TLYHHUJNWRF4VHVOC2QNMFIEGA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117460737},"content":"“My forte was fine art and portrait drawing and I spent 11 years at the Pine Forest Arts Centre in Glencullen teaching jewellery making and screen printing — it was a great life outdoors,” she recalls when we meet at Beautiful South in Rathmines, one of the stockists of her latest collection of clothing and accessories.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ADXSMXLM3NFAJE3HTWDA2VT7HM","additional_properties":{"_id":"C5WJHATFFNCC5P4MWUIACNXXQ4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"MI4B2CQTWVHYRLGLW6USWR2AZE","additional_properties":{"_id":"QAJS3KNCY5H4PJKH6WGWMARU3U"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"S2HWAM4WZVENTJZEC6FO6NLO7M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117460739},"content":"That experience led to her founding an events business with a workforce of 10 people. But when serious illness struck her eldest child, she took time off to care for her, for more than eight years. During this time Rooney achieved a master’s in education and later specialised in eco-printing. She also completed a course in fashion and dressmaking at the Grafton Academy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PYDQ34FDLFHV5DK2IIFMS3N4GI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117460740},"content":"“I had been thinking of starting my own brand with a deep grá for biodiversity because eco printing is such a slow process,” she says. “I was testing banana and coco fabrics and came across econyl made from ghost fishing nets — discarded nets that represent 49 per cent of ocean waste. This discovery made me realise that I wanted to work with regenerating the environment and producing an ethical product,” she says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TGUXO4QNYBDXDHCYTG635QL7FI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117460741},"content":"In 2017 she launched Aoife, a line of luxury accessories, featuring nine different bags. “Within three months it got huge publicity in the UK by people mindful of circular design,” she says. “We were chosen by the Crown Estate to do a conscious pop-up and in Italy selected as designers making a positive impact, putting us on the same grid as Prada. And at the Moda Museum in Atlanta’s Full Circle Design exhibition highlighting circularity, I was the only Irish designer.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ANO2STOA3RFMXNICNDMYHOTMGI","additional_properties":{"_id":"RKX6FI47QNC2XHCILHJ6SQYTWQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"OXLWIO73OVHWVNG46C6NIV53IQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"FSIAMEJHLRAQRNA5B7VHJYMA5Y"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"LOJ3ERDQS5EQ7MAJDFDIC46Z24","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117460742},"content":"Expanding from accessories to clothing, making use of deadstock materials from factories and “breathing life into something old” was a natural organic development. Her latest collection, called Marcella after a stylish grandmother, makes use of Irish and Italian tweed, beetled Irish linen from William Clarke, French corduroy and GOTs-certified [global organic textile standard] cotton, all factory leftovers. She is also using Galway Wool for hand-knitted gilets to pre-order. “I use anything I can get my hands on.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"EWY3TUCEUNAXRFPYCBVG4SEJMQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117460743},"content":"These materials are refashioned into everything from tailored skirts and wet-look dresses to her signature sculptural pleated shirts and ruffled-shouldered bomber jackets. Easy-going loose-fitting tops and trousers are designed with menopausal women in mind, cool in every sense. This season she has introduced a line of knee-length starprint socks in brown, beige and white, which would make lovely Christmas gifts.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VDULCYG6XFF6XG3TAWNULMGUBI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117460744},"content":"Her plans now include furthering her business in the United Kingdom and Europe and exhibiting at Scoop in London, Tranoi in Paris, Coterie in New York and CIFF in Copenhagen. Rooney is stocked in Dromoland Castle, Co Clare, McKimmie in New York, Some Fancy Name in Denmark, Wolf & Badger in the UK, Beautiful South, Rathmines in Dublin, Marion Cuddy in Powerscourt and Les Jumelles, Galway, as well as online at <a href=\"http://www.aoifelifestyle.com/\" target=\"_blank\">aoifelifestyle.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"EZJSCXPISRCD5O7HOMA6Q23EUA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117460745},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Deirdre McQuillan"}},"name":"Deirdre McQuillan"}]},"description":{"basic":"Aoife Rooney’s path into design was not straightforward, but the designer and entrepreneur has carved out a successful niche"},"display_date":"2024-12-02T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Irish designer Aoife Rooney’s eco approach to fashion: ‘I use anything I can get my hands on’","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"RMHUQRZE45DXHAYD2M4GU2VI74","auth":{"1":"a50825467b68b2430f5f3ec35199ccab9446f72a70733d7d5ab93baf036ae4fe"},"focal_point":{"x":1600,"y":755},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/RMHUQRZE45DXHAYD2M4GU2VI74.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Fashion"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/fashion/2024/12/02/irish-designer-aoife-rooneys-eco-approach-to-fashion-i-use-anything-i-can-get-my-hands-on/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/fashion","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Fashion"}}}},{"_id":"B4DFLC3L4RGIBGIPA5DZHX2EBI","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":762,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/09979022-4c49-4322-95f7-72f1b7420eb6/versions/1732707167/media/d6a356d2cfcc6aa840d66426ee845458_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/culture/books/2024/12/01/amitav-ghosh-ireland-is-where-the-british-created-all-their-colonial-methods-its-where-they-tried-it-out-first/","content_elements":[{"_id":"SKMSEFFS4BFQHKSIUODE5F3ZSA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732629942884},"content":"The late English novelist and playwright <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/william-golding/\" target=\"_blank\">William Golding</a> may appear an unlikely starting point for understanding the multiple crises convulsing our world today. But, for acclaimed Indian writer Amitav Ghosh, childhood reading in the English-speaking world – including Golding’s Lord of the Flies – has something to answer for here.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZDGCI4M4RVB3VHNXTDLRANIDNU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732702641117},"content":"These treasured texts of English literature are part of a story of belligerent individualism that readers “imbibe” from an early age, the Kolkata-born author argues. In recent years, Ghosh has emerged as one of the foremost anglophone voices writing about the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/environment/climate-crisis/\" target=\"_blank\">climate crisis</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OP7NVGTF4FF3PPYQFUL5XP6YVE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732702641118},"content":"In 2018, he became the first English-language writer to receive the Jnanpith Award, India’s highest literary honour. The following year, Foreign Policy magazine named him one of the most important global thinkers of the preceding decade. On Saturday, Ghosh is to deliver a lecture on one of his recent non-fiction works The Nutmeg’s Curse (2021), coinciding with the launch of a new round of activity being set in motion by the Field Day Theatre Company.","type":"text"},{"_id":"P42735SK6VBS3FERCSNQT7FT7Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732702641119},"content":"The annual lecture is named after the late <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/seamus-deane-a-passion-for-thinking-1.4605899\">Seamus Deane</a>, a driving intellectual force behind the original project. Along with Deane, actor <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/stephen-rea/\">Stephen Rea</a> and the late playwright <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/brian-friel/\">Brian Friel</a> began Field Day in 1980 as an artistic and intellectual response to what seemed like intractable political crisis in the North, then gripped by the 30-year conflict now known as The Troubles.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LJZMM54CTNCWFEZNWLIZVU7TYI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732702641120},"content":"This new round of work will examine more contemporary concerns: namely, accelerating climate breakdown and its roots in European colonialism, an intertwined history that Ghosh has long traced.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7FB4YSNQ7ZFNXBIFMZVZOU7S5M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732702641121},"content":"Rea told The Irish Times that some of the themes explored in his colleague and cofounder’s most celebrated writing hold relevance for dispossessed communities at the front lines of the climate crisis today. “The issues we began to explore in Brian Friel’s Translations – territory, belonging, language and dispossession through renaming – are still current around the world for indigenous peoples,” he said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7NHV22QU7BH73FRWN7QAMPKVAU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732702641122},"content":"“Amitav has made a singular contribution to our understanding of the ways in which issues such as climate justice are closely bound up with our histories of colonialism.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"4M7OFBCSBFBWBPGKMW6R3WFQCM","additional_properties":{"_id":"7WHASLIQTNBKJKXOGM5IZ2RHUY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"HBEME3ZMPJF7HIHSNUICW6M7CU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732792927039},"content":"Ghosh also sees clear crossover between Field Day’s work and his own. “Most of all, [in] questions of place,” he says. “How do we care for a place? How do we inhabit a place? And, equally, issues of humans and non-humans – how they interact with each other.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OUGUA3HMABHYZL47KLXPEV4PC4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732702641123},"content":"“How do we tell stories about this? About human and non-human interactions. That’s something I’ve been very concerned with and, in that sense, there’s an overlap with Field Day, I think.” The power of narrative is evidenced, Ghosh points out, in the developmental arc of man-made climate change itself. But while one dominant story, in particular, has driven the crisis, stories also offer possible ways out.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NKD54SZJWVC2ZNR7WOUNBQ4IZE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732702641124},"content":"“I think it’s very important to tell stories,” he says. “I mean, that’s partly because I’m a storyteller.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2RAC2OHKJNFNBOEPK342JPAMKA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732702641125},"content":"“But, in effect, if we look around us, if we look at the planetary crisis in the broadest possible sense, it is in a sense a crisis that has been brought about by a story: a story of endless profit, endless growth, of individualism.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XTOBWZLPMNEYBJPRBIPIMVQGTM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732702641126},"content":"“And these stories are very deeply planted, especially within the Anglosphere. Children begin to imbibe them from the time they’re in school. They’re made to read Lord of the Flies, for example, which is this whole idea ... that humans are by nature inclined to create a war against all. This isn’t the case at all – it’s just an Anglo view of how the world is.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GZD5OULIDVGZHLX7NUSIWMD5SY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732702641127},"content":"“So I do think it’s very important for us to create new kinds of narratives. And a lot of my work has been pushing in that direction.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"MT2BSLJHCNFRRIFK4E66K7M254","additional_properties":{"_id":1732702641128},"content":"An established set of narratives that Ghosh’s work closely scrutinises are those surrounding European colonialism. Ireland is particularly germane to these concerns, he says, because it is “where the British created all their colonial methods, that’s where they tried it out first”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6AWCBND7BNF5NCVB2H3SXEZ6N4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732702641129},"content":"One way he opens up these points for a contemporary audience is through a reconsideration of plant life, the cultural and economic histories tied up with plants and their figuring in language. In Ghosh’s writing, organic matter is not something inanimate or mute. Plants are revealed to be historical subjects with an astonishing power to influence the events framing our lives.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RYSUE7WL2BC2LEVW3C3SQMDMBE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732702641130},"content":"“I’ve become really interested in the whole question of plant sentience,” he says. “There’s a huge literature on it now. We do know that plants can actually experience certain kinds of emotions. They have certain sorts of responses and reactions.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"6VX4ABAINJH7PEVS3SLKZJAGIM","additional_properties":{"_id":"3XVPXLSQWJE6DD73NRXPFJPLS4"},"content":"How do we cut through the ‘white noise’ of climate change?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"7FX5BG5AIZDGXJKNZCGJWJ2RRY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732702641131},"content":"In Ghosh’s most recent work, Smoke and Ashes: Opium’s Hidden Histories, as in The Nutmeg’s Curse, plants such as the nutmeg and opium poppy – controlled, commodified and appropriated in the interests of empire – become historical subjects in their own right, shaping world events in critical ways. To illustrate his point, Ghosh underscores the historical roots of the British and Dutch imperial projects as “narco-states”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HDCE2MQLXJG23EFONE6VM6KTVY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732702641132},"content":"“They used opium to finance themselves, especially in Asia, where their revenues rested largely on opium. But it’s a very curious thing to see how opium creates these repetitive patterns throughout history. What opium did to China in the 19th century was to create an absolute political, moral and financial catastrophe for the country. And it took them decades and decades to finally recover in the 20th century. It’s very striking to me today that, with the opioid crisis and the drug crisis in America, generally speaking, we see remarkably similar patterns emerging.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"65CZJCU2Z5GL3CXKOKH6ZSQWIA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732702641133},"content":"In 19th-century China as in the US now, Ghosh adds, “the areas that were most affected were areas with mines and the populations that were most affected were working-class people – miners, et cetera – people who did very heavy physical labour. And, so, I think when you see these patterns, you can’t help but feel that this plant, the opium poppy, is actually a historical agent which is creating certain cyclical patterns in history.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"L6OM27LG75AX3OXTLNMVGD2SY4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732702641135},"content":"More recently, the author says, instructive details concerning the development of the climate crisis could be spotted in this decade’s Covid-19 pandemic. The public health emergency not only reshaped domestic and international politics, in Ghosh’s eyes – it was a “forerunner”, or dry run, for the big political battles of the 21st century.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X3PVRJJXKBFRTIORHSVP3HQWSE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732702641136},"content":"It also prompted a degree of undue optimism, he says, as one crisis gave way to other, deeper crises. “I think, on the whole, what we see is that epidemics actually don’t lead to any kind of rethinking. So, for example, the 1918 influenza [Spanish flu] epidemic – immediately after that, you get this huge stock market bubble. People go back to doing whatever they were doing and they do it at triple intensity. And that’s exactly what we see after Covid.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"MMB4W67CJBAMZG22KUVV2FJBXY","additional_properties":{"_id":"XIEBYV2NBBC3XP43MRNPNMOOYQ"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"OSBTVMENKVG5DA7644XLZ3CTUM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732702641137},"content":"There were lessons, however, concerning western vulnerabilities to growing climate instability and a lack of preparedness. In the last number of weeks, this has been underscored by the devastation wreaked by hurricanes in the US and flash floods in Spain. Covid-19 was, to Ghosh, “in many ways a forerunner of what’s going to happen as climate change intensifies. And I think it shows us the patterns of certain outcomes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QHJFABDL3NF5BKCDFBZ2STJDDY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732702641138},"content":"“So, for example, the standard narrative on climate change is that climate change will devastate poor countries, while allowing rich countries to come through and [find themselves] not being that badly affected. There was the same narrative around Covid.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZZQJCLLE2JDOJLNZK5NXG2CEGE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732702641139},"content":"“You’ll remember in 2019, there was a study done on which countries were the best-prepared for the pandemic and the results were published. Naturally, the US was on top, the UK second, and then a whole string of European countries. And, of course, African countries were right at the bottom.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GIZLMIYSSVG4RJVTLUKW636JRU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732702641140},"content":"“But, in fact, the way that it played out was almost the opposite of what this study had found. Many African countries, like Senegal, had very good outcomes, comparatively speaking. Whereas the US and the UK had the worst outcomes – not just in terms of people dying of disease, but [also] the degree of polarisation that it created.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"WEMUXNIXL5DMHNBQZU3B4VMXYQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732702641141},"content":"However, in another important sense, Ghosh believes the world is entering a new chapter – with potentially disastrous outcomes for those most vulnerable to the effects of climate breakdown. “For 400 years, Europe and the West have been dominant across the globe,” he says. “Now, suddenly, we’re finding that it’s no longer dominant – we find especially that Europe has become quite marginal to what’s happening in global politics.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"7IRBSI4DYNDYNELM6OPSPI7XS4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732702641142},"content":"As UN climate talks concluded at the Cop29 summit in Azerbaijan, in the shadow of a <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/world/us/2024/11/07/what-does-trumps-win-mean-for-the-eu-ukraine-china-and-middle-east/\">second Trump presidency</a>, Ghosh sees so-called developing nations increasingly adopting a “western, extractivist model” of economic growth. It is one of a number of consequences of 35 years of US global dominance, he says, adding that its decline may produce yet more damaging fallout.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZRAMVKLGGJCHTLKNQSAJSEHFVM","additional_properties":{"_id":"VMDVPSHDSRDEHGSF2VNJ5RV2H4"},"content":"Disappointing $300bn Cop29 deal could yet become a platform for much greater ambition","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"FCC5PT3DPZA7BKN3L5DLHMGAC4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732702641143},"content":"“I think it’s very important to remember that half the greenhouse gases that are in the atmosphere have been put there since 1990,” he says. “That is, since the end of the Cold War, since the ‘unipolar moment’, since the establishment of American hegemony, and along with that went the Washington Model – extractivism, rampant consumerism and so on.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WYULR2T2JZHONJJUS3OQ4HFOG4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732702641144},"content":"“It was that impetus that has really accelerated the climate crisis. It would have happened at some point, maybe, anyway. But since 1990, since that geopolitical moment, it has hugely accelerated.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"WKXFWPC5QJCTRPA44BJX735EGM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732792927063},"content":"Ghosh even traces the big pollution events choking some of Ireland’s most important freshwater bodies, at <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/environment/2023/09/23/the-lough-isnt-just-dying-its-been-killed-a-curdled-mess-of-pollution-chokes-lough-neagh/\">Lough Neagh</a> and <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/environment/climate-crisis/2023/11/30/lough-corribs-hidden-diversity-in-desperate-need-of-co-ordinated-protection/\">Lough Corrib</a>, back to the growth-driven policy initiatives of this period.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YWD2YHTS75G5BP7T7XGH3BAEIE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732702641145},"content":"“Now, the curious thing, of course, is that it’s in this period that the EU put in place these very market-oriented policies, especially in regards to agriculture, pushing models of industrial agriculture, which now have led to disaster.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RVTQL4OIDNA6ZFVT6MJ6EVFSEU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732702641146},"content":"“In the Netherlands, for example, these huge lakes of nitrogen, which have built up because of industrial farming. So, all of that really goes back to that one geopolitical moment.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"IZ4FKZVUQJCBJMWMUMMPXAZUQU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732702641147},"content":"Diminishing US hegemony and a shift towards a multipolar world, however, will not mitigate climate breakdown, Ghosh reflects. Instead, a new contest for geopolitical supremacy will bring about a “massive intensification” of the crisis.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MCZ63IJZIJA4RBUVGUDNVHQ4GA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732702641148},"content":"“Basically, it’s a disaster for the climate,” he says. “These wars that have broken out [in Ukraine and the Middle East], because, as we all know, the single most environmentally destructive environmental activity is war.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QOLD46SAQVEFZCST3X3U2UNWZQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732792927068},"content":"“These wars are intensifying ... One thing these wars have made clear is where the world’s priorities lie.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"SRLQF67NBRFFDFMUPSZJL55US4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732702641149},"content":"He adds: “Climate as an issue has now become completely marginal, even as we’re seeing more and more climate disasters occurring all around us. We’re living through an absolutely catastrophic conjuncture of events.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"M32AC35KSFBKJLNLHCLKIHS2OU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732702641150},"content":"<i>The Seamus Deane Lecture 2024 is scheduled to take place at the Guildhall, Derry, on Saturday, November 30th. Amitav Ghosh and Stephen Rea will also speak at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Whyte Recital Hall, Dublin, on Sunday, December 1st. That lecture is the flagship </i><a href=\"https://dublin.nd.edu/\"><i>Notre Dame Dublin</i></a><i> event for the 2024 </i><a href=\"https://forum2024.nd.edu/\"><i>Notre Dame Forum</i></a><i>.</i>","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Tommy Greene"}]},"description":{"basic":"Acclaimed Indian writer Amitav Ghosh’s new work explores how the climate crisis has its roots in European colonialism"},"display_date":"2024-12-01T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Amitav Ghosh: ‘Ireland is where the British created all their colonial methods, it’s where they tried it out first’","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"BSYMYMRWC5EUJNJDFNAHCSEE5I","auth":{"1":"e70ba5b7bccf8ab728e2be9f546d91cfc2bbedac11d268138c6592dc8ec39b85"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/BSYMYMRWC5EUJNJDFNAHCSEE5I.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Books"},{"name":"Culture"},{"name":"People"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/culture/books/2024/12/01/amitav-ghosh-ireland-is-where-the-british-created-all-their-colonial-methods-its-where-they-tried-it-out-first/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/culture/books","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Books"}}}},{"_id":"QET6TGNXCFGBXHHRZQ3RWU546M","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":703,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/db41cb75-8da6-46c5-ae75-e71701907a85/versions/1732617821/media/9022bc3986c790442926fc77ab08c0ea_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/12/01/it-is-a-right-that-was-violently-taken-away-the-jews-who-want-to-be-german-again/","content_elements":[{"_id":"VVW4UKCAIBBR5CX7GZBFER4Y4M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298259},"content":"It wasn’t until <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/brexit/\" target=\"_blank\">Brexit</a> happened that <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/united-kingdom/\" target=\"_blank\">Bradford</a>, West Yorkshire-born Rabbi Walter Rothschild reclaimed the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/germany/\" target=\"_blank\">German</a> citizenship taken by the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/adolf-hitler/\" target=\"_blank\">Nazis</a> from his family in 1939. When then British prime minister <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/theresa-may/\" target=\"_blank\">Theresa May</a> sent the final departure letter to <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/european-union/\" target=\"_blank\">Brussels</a>, Rothschild was finally angry enough to get active.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2WK7MONLYRGHLK2UIGN7XMC7MY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298260},"content":"“Brexit gave me a feeling that my homeland had been stolen from me,” says Rothschild, who came to Germany in the late 1990s with his Dutch wife and three children.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F3I6URBALBAVJNARX7OJ2SKNLA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298261},"content":"Rather than stay angry, the 70-year-old dove into the family archive for papers that traced his family lineage back to May 1939, when his grandparents passed a train station on the German border on their way to Basle in Switzerland.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JOG2T63GNNBMJH2VBXDM2SHENE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298262},"content":"Rothschild is named after his grandfather, Walter, a respected county court judge in Hannover. He was dismissed, simply for being Jewish, and in 1938 was imprisoned in the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/an-irishman-s-diary-1.657803\" target=\"_blank\">Dachau concentration camp</a> near Munich. His grandmother, Charlotte, got her husband out and they crossed the border into Basle in May 1939. Through friends they sent their son, Walter’s father, to boarding school in the UK in August 1939 – just before war broke out.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2RK6Z2T3RJAGJBQJ2N26MFZK2A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298264},"content":"The moment they left their homeland, Nazi Germany stripped the Rothschilds of their citizenship and recorded the fact in the Nazi state gazette.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2OWIUC5TABATXJZ6Q4Z4ZMVFPE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298265},"content":"In his Berlin sittingroom, Rothschild produces photocopied pages of the list containing his grandparents’ names. They were among an estimated 90,000 people, including German Jews and political opponents, the Nazi regime named and shamed as stateless.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GW22ZDWCQBCSHP5NKADHQEAE7E","additional_properties":{"_id":"F5IFIQGK2VH7JONJV347C5L4CA"},"content":"Susan Neiman: ‘I wanted to revive Jewish intellectual life in Germany, but now I don’t think they really want it’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"N4YWNA6LRRH55PBCQHMLEZQF5Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298266},"content":"It was postwar (West) Germany’s Basic Law that offered a way back in <a href=\"https://uk.diplo.de/uk-en/02/citizenship/restoration-of-german-citizenship/2463592\" target=\"_blank\">Article 116 (2)</a>: “Former German citizens who, between January 30th, 1933 and May 8th, 1945, were deprived of their citizenship on political, racial or religious grounds and their descendants shall, on application, have their citizenship restored.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"NEGWMTRB75AYVJCRV3PUDO6VF4","additional_properties":{"_id":"3IMFP6T7PFG2PFCRIGTCQTCXLI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"6UBIEKQ4ARHYXL52NIPZTC7OTU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298267},"content":"Rothschild’s grandfather never returned to Germany nor did he reclaim his citizenship. Because of the beatings he received in Dachau his health declined rapidly in Switzerland. In 1950, after battling the German state to receive his pension, he received a letter offering him his old job back in the Hannover court. A short time later he died, still stateless.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CF3TMAVLZNEXPO5FFEF5TBFSHI","additional_properties":{"_id":"3ONBPPXI2VFKHA72FAAPBF6VHE"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"D3M676IH5NBOHAT5JTZK7R3SDE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298268},"content":"Four years later, in 1954, Walter Rothschild was born in Bradford – his father stayed on in the UK after school. Growing up, Rothschild says he always felt “on the fringe”.“There was always a feeling we were a German family in Bradford and with a name like Walter Rothschild you were not a John Smith or Terry Robinson,” he says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WV6JNNB2ABGLXBAA2EQWN7XGGU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298270},"content":"A job offer in Berlin saw him move to the city in 1998. It was an emotional return, he says, but he had never thought of a German passport until Brexit narrowed his work and travel options across the Continent.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6XA5YFKFFVCXHKEMCQV5FPKAFI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298271},"content":"His two younger sisters also applied and the process was completed in 2017 after about nine months. Walter feels ambivalent about living in Germany today as a German citizenship. He is “grateful for this particular window of history and the nice people making the naturalisation laws”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IBGGK65ROZDYTC7G5VZCXH7LJE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298272},"content":"Yet he feels the German response to the October 7th Hamas massacre in Israel was not wholehearted enough – a feeling many of his Jewish friends share, he says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"S5BM7EGSZZCCNNJIGIKQREQTFU","additional_properties":{"_id":"4KS6KDNJMJFNXEO46OQOB4OMOQ"},"content":" Analysis Germany struggles with complexities of its relationship with Israel as war and suffering continue","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"TMHDFTUYINH6HDVWGLSKXN54NQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298273},"content":"From his jacket pocket he produces his slightly tatty, well-used German passport. A few months back, he recalls a talk with other rabbis about adding modern symbols to the Seder feast table. Alongside the flat bread, salt water and bitter herbs, Rothschild suggested they should add a passport, a quiet tribute to his grandparents and today’s uncertain times.","type":"text"},{"_id":"W2NPWGGOLBBNPMXHAQQG2DS3FU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298274},"content":"“If you don’t have a passport, you’re nobody, no one will let you anywhere,” he says. “As a Jew you want the ability to be mobile as you never know when the next stupidity is going to come.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"AARNJF37MJB7LGZNZVXTM2UXYM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298275},"content":"Elana","type":"header"},{"_id":"RXS6UA5PSZHBTJF5N3EYYN6HSA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298276},"content":"Elana, a 42-year-old medical doctor from Maryland in the United States, who did not wish to give her full name, grew up hearing about Fritz, her German grandfather, and his pre-war life in Bielefeld, Lower Saxony.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NZWUXXXZONA43GA5HSXWPINJ4I","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298277},"content":"“When my mom spoke of him she would imitate him with German accent speaking to her in Yiddish and using German words,” says Elana. “He stayed as long as he could but left rather late, right after <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/europe/disgraceful-irish-report-on-kristallnacht-goes-on-display-1.1589059\" target=\"_blank\">Kristallnacht</a>.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ET3DUADQS5DG7B7ZUHVCAJ73LI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298278},"content":"Fritz, his sister Annaliese and brother Ernest were among the tens of thousands of people who fled Germany after the 1938 pogrom against Jewish homes, business and places of worship. Millions more were unable or unwilling to get out – until it was too late.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VJGNAISFHJB5JP5N56LW32M5FY","additional_properties":{"_id":"GRZBDAE7BVF55KMESUSVMPSDJQ"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"7NVNTW7KEZE2NO6BLSEFIHLG44","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298280},"content":"Growing up, Elana says she was always aware of the injustice done to her family, in particular how their citizenship was taken away. It was Elana’s mother who had the idea of applying for restoration of citizenship around 16 years ago.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OXTFFMZ6RZB6HNINA52ZL3F7LQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298281},"content":"“She was interested in having German citizenship, as was my grand-uncle Ernest, who felt it had been stolen from him,” Elana says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZFSQRQBQ5FC5LO7DNHSDDHQ4ZY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298282},"content":"Both her mother and Ernest died before their wish was realised. But two years ago Elana applied, submitted considerable paperwork, and on a rainy day last June drove to the German embassy in Washington DC. There, two young men presented her with her naturalisation certificate and spoke some words about the injustice inflicted on her grandfather and his siblings.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R6YEXTZ37FEK5C6R35QVFOLQ6I","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298283},"content":"“They were lovely, saying they can’t right the wrongs of the past and that this is a horrible history, but this is one of the things we can do,” she recalls.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Q5BNP56EAZBCBGPUQFNHAUXG4U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298284},"content":"In the unremarkable Washington embassy room, Elana found her mind drifting back to her family and their escape. Though they were lucky to survive, unlike millions of others, but the violent break with Germany thwarted their life plans forever.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R7MAGQYM7BHZLJK6RS5I3VS5OI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298285},"content":"Fritz, who died in the 1970s, ran a linoleum store. Ernest, who she knew better, never completed his medical training and ran a watch business instead.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NZOFSE2USNH5ZON7CTRLXDSUMU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298286},"content":"Among Elana’s three siblings, one other sister has also secured citizenship. Others in her family feel Germany can never right past wrongs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DY4YPW42LNFYJB7RCOZ5YU2CYU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298287},"content":"“I don’t feel this way,” says Elana. “It is a right that was violently taken away and deserves to be re-established in these next generations.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"QTTSKXZCVFDLNDTWBGSJ6GTEFA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298288},"content":"After the re-election of US president Donald Trump, and in a world of rising authoritarian leaders, does she view her German citizenship any differently now? Elana, who was already a dual US-Israel citizen, still puts her German citizenship in the “nice to have” category. It allows her children to live, work or study on this side of the Atlantic should they so wish in the future.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4P6XQZPLVBDMVC2TABWKC722I4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298289},"content":"“My husband is very fond of being American and his family is all here, so it would take something of huge magnitude to extract him,” she says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7MVFJAFNFNE7FD4CL43ZYZBE7M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298290},"content":"She says the aftershocks of the October 7th, 2023 attacks, in particular anti-Israel demonstrations on US college campuses, make her happy to have another option.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AVKMCR5FQFH4LOJ3TKSVEFLM7A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298291},"content":"“With a recent family history of the Holocaust and the growing anti-Semitism,” she says, “I feel it is never a bad idea to have another passport for a Jewish person these days.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"SUMGHCJNXNH2VAYMSTRMCTUMKE","additional_properties":{"_id":"YNTDZS5HKJAAND5EXTDEDVI74Y"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"VPFBDUZAC5CMZJFVTOQDCBQTUI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298292},"content":"Adam Berry","type":"header"},{"_id":"AGYFBPHSQZFVROZM3UFEQ45EVY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298293},"content":"Adam Berry, a photographer and television producer from South Carolina, has lived in Berlin for 20 years and secured his citizenship on the basis of residency rather than the constitutional provision in Article 116.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZHPHPZLQSFG6JIEJCQ2UJSE2T4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298294},"content":"His family is of Lithuanian/Polish/Bessarabian descent and his great-grandfather was a subject of Tsar Nicolas II before he left for America some time before 1918.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A2DVMQFL4NH4VERNGY2BSDPM4U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298295},"content":"“His brother, a local religious leader in Alytus, stayed behind,” says, “and was either shot in a forest or burned alive in a locked synagogue with his family and others.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"GELNBLXXVRFT3O6MKZ46IACCYM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298296},"content":"Berry says he didn’t have a single motivation for applying for German citizenship. In September he secured his “Certification of Krautdom”, as he jokingly calls it, mostly for pragmatic and practical reasons: ease of travel and the right to work in 26 other European countries.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EXB6BDU7KFA5ZOWYTLIZ74IKGE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298297},"content":"What sealed the deal for him was a German citizenship law change earlier this year allowing him retain, rather than relinquish, his US citizenship. Another motivation was a wish for political representation to match his German taxation.","type":"text"},{"_id":"I4XIWWNQFRCODGF6PJN2JVS5JM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298298},"content":"Berry doesn’t remember talk of the Holocaust or the Nazis when he grew up. After 20 years away from the US, he feels too far away for Trump’s second term to have been a motivating factor.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NIH62LEYQRFKZMFIS6XMXYCBWQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298299},"content":"Like Rothschild, being a Jewish German citizen has been chastening experience since October 7th last year – but for very different reasons. What preoccupies Berry is what he sees as a problematic and emotional debate in Germany over Israel’s military response in Gaza.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RKXGPC352NEGDLCO2O2QRVGKOA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298300},"content":"Historic feelings of obligation to Germany’s murdered Jewish population, he says, has left many of his fellow Germans less sensitive now to diverse views on Israel among “its living Jewish population”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JZV5X25WYZE6JBXH762NRXAGSU","additional_properties":{"_id":"22ZAKMM2QJASHIMOZUOSZALFNA"},"content":"Who speaks for Jews in Germany?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"JIS3WA2RNVD73JC46SH75FJQ3A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298301},"content":"“There has been a sweeping generalisation and monolithisation here of how ‘we’ [Jews] are supposed to feel about Israel,” he says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NRDXE33N3BHZ3N2FG7NNKWG2II","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298302},"content":"For him, Germans criticising him and other Jewish friends’ critical stance on Israeli policies in Gaza and Lebanon constitutes “its own form of anti-Semitism”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"T5HNRBII4BABNF6NUPTCQFS7ZY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298303},"content":"“The pendulum has swung so far that it’s slammed the clock in the face and knocked all sense out of it,” he says. “That said, like any country, Germany is imperfect.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"4HRVLEB5GNAU3CCXFOREMOAZ5A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298305},"content":"Applications for German citizenship on the rise","type":"header"},{"_id":"N6VNZZKDWFEYNK3YCXY7JKS5VI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298306},"content":"German authorities point out that Article 116(2) is open to all whose ancestors were stripped of their German citizenship, not just Jewish people. Others targeted include communists, union and religious leaders. Since 2014, the interior ministry says some 41,449 people living abroad have been awarded citizenship under Article 116 (2) - and it does not collate how many involved Jewish people. Recent shocks - from Brexit to October 7th - have triggered an apparent spike among people seeking naturalisation under the special provisions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LD6A4CYC6NCZBKX477TQL5IKXI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Last year the number of applications from Israeli citizens under article 116 nearly doubled to 9,100, while the 14,000 applications from the rest of the world marked a rise of 23 per cent. Another rise in applications came three years ago when German updated its provisions to allow such article 116 applications via the maternal line.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LGVCCVI6FNFHDAMVUPWF643XX4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298308},"content":"Before German ambassador David Gill moved to Dublin, he was consul general in New York. One of the privileges of his job, he says, was to meet people attending naturalisation ceremonies three times a year. The high Jewish population of New York, he suggests, was a factor in enough applications for ceremonies up to three times a year. At his last ceremony in June around 80 people were naturalised, a step he said was never transactional or bureaucratic act for them.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OOG6TX6J2FDR3KL4NMVAKP2JPM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298310},"content":"“Behind every person is a family story and in previous years we often had three generations of people being naturalised,” he says. “The oldest person I had was a woman aged 94 who came from Hamburg, via the UK, to the US. She told me that, despite everything, she had always remained German.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"U4U7QWM2LFCG3IHRLCO6YMEOUE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298311},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"KYPE6V2HQREUTDBBOQABE6XWD4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732612298312},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"YCDY6C2IB5FUNMX3YVDX7FFP3I","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Derek Scally"}},"name":"Derek Scally"}]},"description":{"basic":"Jews whose family members fled the Nazis in the 1930s have reclaimed their German citizenship"},"display_date":"2024-12-01T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"‘It is a right that was violently taken away’: The Jews who want to be German again","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"FI53HNL5VRFYDHYOAOEDIKOEIE","auth":{"1":"32ca12fd9f22f65356c3dfad75fd892ac855bf8e4ff7ea8b0c895d854b229e9a"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/FI53HNL5VRFYDHYOAOEDIKOEIE.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"World"},{"name":"Europe"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/12/01/it-is-a-right-that-was-violently-taken-away-the-jews-who-want-to-be-german-again/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"6VURKOR4SNHBPOBQWH2AR2MQNI","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":363,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/2e37789f-3531-44c6-96c5-0c35d4c2c971/versions/1732885081/media/44cb48215280e69c28b583e390b4fd3a_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/30/buswells-hotel-manager-bids-farewell-to-his-ringside-seat-to-history-in-the-third-house-of-the-oireachtas/","content_elements":[{"_id":"CLFTRODJXRDUJPYBDFNR4PS5AE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284437},"content":"Paul Gallagher had an unusual ringside seat to some of the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/\" target=\"_blank\">political</a> bouts that were fought out in <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/oireachtas/\" target=\"_blank\">Leinster House</a>, across the road from his <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/dublin/\" target=\"_blank\">Dublin</a> city centre hotel.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KKJGB6AEJFF4HFIAOCTHAL564E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732827276707},"content":"“I probably witnessed a couple of heaves before the taoiseach of the day knew they were happening,” says the general manager of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/buswells/\" target=\"_blank\">Buswells Hotel</a> in a soft, matter-of-fact voice.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5BH2WKATQZB6RDNRQKURD2VSIE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732827276708},"content":"Sipping coffee in an empty bar in the storied hotel that he is preparing to leave for good, he recalls some of the back-room political manoeuvres he caught a glimpse of.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IFZMTJK23JCZXBALORZX45RA54","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284438},"content":"“There were times when I would walk in here and there would be a table with nine TDs sitting around it and I would know something was going on because nine TDs never normally want to sit together,” he says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"355FHHANU5DSNFIGQPE2PBJZ3E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732827276710},"content":"The hotel, at the intersection of Kildare Street and Molesworth Street, has for decades been a popular press-conference venue, meeting point and watering hole for politicians, lobbyists and journalists.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4DBMFB6UZZABPFPHZUZHZR75T4","additional_properties":{"_id":"EZ4APHEYAJH5ROY3OMN7YRO4MM"},"content":"Buswells Hotel: ‘The third house of the Oireachtas’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"BZAPJR55LRF2DBRSMU64XXVBOE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284439},"content":"In his 27 years as manager of the most political hotel in the State, Gallagher has witnessed close-up a chapter in the story of modern Ireland – and sometimes he has had to play a more direct role in it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Q3WKENNHXRGZXOYBTRYYFVZB7Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284441},"content":"Gallagher took over the “Hotel of the Heaves” in 1997, two years after it was bought by the Fermanagh industrialist-turned-speculator <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/sean-quinn/\" target=\"_blank\">Sean Quinn</a>. He walked its carpets as the optimistic boom years of the late 1990s became the pre-crash party time of the Celtic Tiger in the early 2000s.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3Q4FKVFZ6JDGTOHLKB3PAGNNG4","additional_properties":{"_id":"2JAJM4OIIRBZTPOSTYNG3JZGNI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"A5DAHPFXFNALRC65L2N6KR2SKM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284443},"content":"Then came the collapse – of the economy and the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2023/09/18/sean-quinn-trying-to-rewrite-history-with-fairy-tale-says-former-anglo-ceo/\" target=\"_blank\">Sean Quinn empire</a>. The hotel was taken over by the undertaker of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/anglo-irish-bank/\" target=\"_blank\">Anglo Irish Bank</a>, the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/irish-bank-resolution-corporation/\" target=\"_blank\">Irish Banking Resolution Corporation</a>. Gallagher still reports into the State-owned bank liquidation vehicle through a group of independent directors, although <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2024/11/15/london-based-property-firm-nears-deal-for-buswells-hotel/\" target=\"_blank\">a sale of the hotel looks imminent</a> after several false dawns.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DLC4JYN4Q5AYTD5FTONJR2VI5I","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284444},"content":"Gallagher watched the black cloud of austerity fall over Kildare Street and the subsequent slow recovery, before the Covid-19 pandemic brought more upheaval and another slow recovery, only for the subsequent cost-of-living crisis to change the rules again.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QREESF3WANCHZCH56WOTUEXAYI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284445},"content":"Almost as soon as he started, he understood why Buswells was known as the third house of the Oireachtas.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PERGUDAWGJF4LLYVWCKUKXQGYU","additional_properties":{"_id":"UOTRF32IV5FKFHKZKA4TC4BRJY"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"XBT22WML6VE3ZGRBK6BX45P56U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284446},"content":"While the bell that used to ring in the hotel bar to alert TDs of impending votes vanished before he arrived, Gallagher grew accustomed to looking after those in power and those who dreamed of it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2R4X7H5L4BHQBA47FPX3V4UDUM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284447},"content":"“It has been a really colourful experience because not only are you running a hotel full of journalists, TDs, senators and everybody else, in the blink of an eye you might have 5,000 people protesting outside,” he says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6BOX7KGT25B3BNU4EMBPDU6PQM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732827276719},"content":"“During the financial crash, we had pensioners outside giving out about the loss of their pensions and then an hour later, we had students giving out, while their grannies and grandads who had been on the march were in here sipping tea. There’s just that unique energy around this hotel.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"J7MWMV76YVBHVACFFHCOPI7OSE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284448},"content":"Over his time in the hotel, he has served six taoisigh.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4LBNV5VOUZF27CRV4XZ63FSB2E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284449},"content":"Bertie Ahern was “very comfortable in the hotel; he’d have been in a lot. Then we’d John Bruton, although not for long and he wouldn’t have come in as much”, he says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BXJDGDLJSNFATMKRGE4KEKEM4I","additional_properties":{"_id":1732827276722},"content":"“Brian Cowen was in quite a bit. He was a nice guy. And then we had Enda. I remember him coming in as a TD with a broken leg and sitting up at the bar with the cast resting on a table.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"RIR7KR6F4JJWLN6JAMR2GKION4","additional_properties":{"_id":"SU4BTZEHHZG6XKARWYRF6HITRA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"6G4RE3IH3VCJFDMURCHF37X7DY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284450},"content":"Things have changed and the appearance of senior politicians is more infrequent.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V64IAAU2BFHJRCGSYOF3EHBUSU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732827276725},"content":"“We are observers of what happens in Irish politics but from a different point of view. We see the good and the bad side, the stress they are under. Since the financial crash those who work in politics have had a much more difficult time with the public at times, and I have seen a definite change in attitude.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"RBL4ZIMTNRCABKRXZWIFYRCOQM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284451},"content":"The Covid pandemic nearly closed Buswells for good. In the spring of 2020 the hotel had to shut, with only a handful of staff minding it. It was permitted to reopen partially after the first lockdown. For months TDs and senators working in Leinster House who needed a place to sleep were its only customers. They kept the lights on.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MQXNRFWMIJEDRHHFNI6BLTKMSI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284452},"content":"“We had them in 35 rooms, three nights a week. There was me and 10 staff working here. I cooked breakfast every morning and I cleaned the rooms,” says Gallagher.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XDMU334S2BBAJIW2MTXQ2ZWFD4","additional_properties":{"_id":"EQJ7LL3COBG4RG3LGHSNTOFYPU"},"content":"Ireland ‘turning a corner’ on hotel room shortage, says tourist boss","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"E4EOJ2WPCNF7PFK6H54P56SBCI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732827276729},"content":"“There was a real risk the receivers would decide it would be cheaper to lock the hotel up, board up the windows, turn off the heat. And if they did that, this hotel would never have recovered because once you turn off a heat in a hotel, it just disintegrates. I worked hard to make sure we stayed open and had it not been for those 35 rooms, three nights a week, the other option might have come into play.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"EGORHUSEOZFJZGGHSWXFN473O4","additional_properties":{"_id":"UUODUGHEG5DEPFWLZU4NDMTRL4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"ZOLFMCMA3RDOXNLQK3ES6IKD7U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284453},"content":"As he prepares for a role with the Irish Hotels Federation, Buswells, like every hospitality business in the State, is dealing with the cost-of-living crisis.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DKDCUTRASFF55LF3F2ENLGF5B4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284454},"content":"Gallagher bristles when asked about sky-high hotel prices and points to a dramatic spike in the cost of everything from food and energy to linen and laundry.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZZJOHMXWZBDVBJYJIVARPHWPAQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284455},"content":"He doesn’t believe most hotels are overcharging.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GVQ2UICAVBDLBJ3SKCFSX5FDI4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732827276734},"content":"“I’m not saying that, in some cases, there isn’t an insane price for a room but that is just bringing the industry into disrepute and we are all being painted with the same brush. That’s unfair,” he says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DBJHCPMYSJBMHJ7SBI6RV23DUM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732825284456},"content":"He is looking forward to the election result as the votes are counted this weekend and the energy it will bring to the hotel, even though he is leaving at the end of the week.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WXZIAHFNZFB4NFYHTALAV2364I","additional_properties":{"_id":1732827276736},"content":"He has no idea if he will meet another taoiseach on his watch. That depends on what happens this weekend and whether there is yet more political upheaval.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Conor Pope"}},"name":"Conor Pope"}]},"description":{"basic":"The Dublin hotel has for decades been a popular meeting place and watering hole for politicians, lobbyists and journalists"},"display_date":"2024-12-01T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Buswells Hotel manager bids farewell to his ringside seat to history in the ‘third house of the Oireachtas’","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"BQQRYVUXIBCBPARS4DFFP22KME","auth":{"1":"eb99ffba308e03eaae6e6ef3c92acd92e71537d7e138f8d2e815a7a79b2a5f6a"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/BQQRYVUXIBCBPARS4DFFP22KME.JPG"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Ireland"},{"name":"Dublin"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/30/buswells-hotel-manager-bids-farewell-to-his-ringside-seat-to-history-in-the-third-house-of-the-oireachtas/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"ATI6QIL3K5F6DGJTSEJPKT3NXE","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":229,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/3cc03943-db80-4c55-8ac8-772bd18d3daa/versions/1732527523/media/ce853acac126165bb0e348e15c90b271_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/30/kids-are-showing-up-for-the-environment-this-unboxing-season-cleaning-up-what-adults-have-left-behind/","content_elements":[{"_id":"BTWWNH3AJ5BWNM3MA3ZCVYLE54","additional_properties":{"_id":1732297763105},"content":"Have you heard of “unboxing”? It’s the phenomenon of removing a newly purchased product from its packaging and examining its features, while recording yourself and then sharing the content online. Kids toys, mobiles phones, hair straighteners, make-up – you’ll find unboxing videos galore.","type":"text"},{"_id":"J3CCOOWIAJAXDADHG6CZQ5DXMU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732297763106},"content":"Between <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/black-friday/\" target=\"_blank\">Black Friday</a> and <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/christmas/\" target=\"_blank\">Christmas</a>, we enter peak unboxing season as shopping spikes. Expect even more delivery vans zipping up and down your road from now until Christmas Eve.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Q2ASISNXQJAHRKEB5QTGQMW5WA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732297763107},"content":"We’ll unpack the items dispatched, stuff the packaging in the bin and maybe re-wrap some of them again as gifts. These will be unwrapped again by the recipients, and the wrapping – and sometimes even the gift itself – will be binned.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2Q72XEPFKFHKXHD2NMOSMYZ6AY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732297763108},"content":"Thousands of primary school children around Ireland are getting their own deliveries this month. The timing couldn’t be better. It’s not toys, mobile phones, hair straighteners or make-up they are unboxing in class, but litter-picking equipment.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4ASNLNEQAFAQZBELGN7AHX46SI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732297763109},"content":"Picker Pal kits, sent to 1,376 classrooms in Ireland, comprise a litter picking-up tool, gloves and the obligatory high-vis vest of course, along with classroom materials and reward badges. The box turns into a poster for the classroom. Over the next year, their teachers will organise for each child to take the kit home on a rota system.","type":"text"},{"_id":"45X7Z3MDF5CBTI7FCC6Z45H3VA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732297763110},"content":"The programme is delivered by Voice in Ireland and supported by the Department of the Environment and many local authorities.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7LQCLFC5XBHV5LVIKE73ZNVC3M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732297763111},"content":"“The main aim of Picker Pals is to let young children take the lead as <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/environment/\" target=\"_blank\">environmentalists</a> at home and in their communities,” says Picker Pals programme manager Gary Jones. “They do this by leading their family on litter-picking adventures around the local area,” says Jones.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XARZWIXW4ZDWNFC3HJSJ7VHNAQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732297763112},"content":"“Being put in charge of the operation opens the children’s eyes to their own role in caring for the world around them, and builds positive attitudes later in life.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"NADBEDGKA5E6XIUPNXWPFGULUI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732297763113},"content":"The children are excited to use the kit – they don’t get one each, so they have to wait their turn. This rotation keeps it visible in the class throughout the year, says Jones. It’s not a throwaway activity.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RQ7W2TWR4ZDDBJ2WV5SOFC33OA","additional_properties":{"_id":"3XQ57R7PIJAKRBOAIDUPXEM6EI"},"content":"When’s the best time to use the dishwasher and wash clothes? The recommended periods and why wind matters","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"I6PS2TG34BHOHKEPBT7H2JEJU4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732297763114},"content":"The idea is to deliver deep and sustained behavioral change for primary school children around consumption and litter, while also affecting their peers, family and broader community.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PFGOG522Z5EWHECZONKEO5M2HI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732297763115},"content":"There are now about 34,400 students involved in the programme, mostly six- to nine-year-olds. A child is typically accompanied by one to two family members on their litter pick – that’s 86,000 people, the programme estimates.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AUZ67LZMDZBBXPRF6LWWQGHTJE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732297763116},"content":"Picker Pals has removed 22 tonnes of litter from the environment, the scheme estimates. Cans, plastic bottles and lids were among the most frequent litter picked up by children, in a survey of schools that participated in 2022-2023. Organisers anticipate these will have dropped down the ranking thanks to the deposit return scheme and rules around the attachment of caps to bottles.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UFRJJYXZ6RHDTPX6R7KVDG2H2M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732297763117},"content":"Some 234 classrooms will participate for the first time this year. Participating schools aren’t unboxing new kits every year. Aware of sustainability, Picker Pals instead sends replenishing “Booster Boxes” to enable them to remain in the programme without too much new stuff.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VYR6FUEU35G25KW3XBPQ74DCJE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732297763118},"content":"The kids are showing up for the environment this unboxing season, cleaning up what the adults have left behind. Maybe we can cut our consumption this Christmas and show up for the environment and for our children too.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Joanne Hunt"}},"name":"Joanne Hunt"}]},"description":{"basic":"Over 34,000 students have joined the Picker Pals programme, becoming environmentalists and removing 22 tonnes of litter"},"display_date":"2024-12-01T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Kids are showing up for the environment this unboxing season, cleaning up what adults have left behind","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"RDRWYIZLU4H2M4IOTT24L572PQ","auth":{"1":"aeda1e7792927d7f10d256cc61808d6c5c5c48fd36206c367a0c0ab8a849527c"},"focal_point":{"x":893,"y":257},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/RDRWYIZLU4H2M4IOTT24L572PQ.jpg"}},"subtype":"columnist","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Environment"},{"name":"Climate Crisis"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/30/kids-are-showing-up-for-the-environment-this-unboxing-season-cleaning-up-what-adults-have-left-behind/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"D6ICFTZG2JFS7HAT2YY7FYV2GQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":564,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/29c89cef-b036-4cd5-9c05-432f57798656/versions/1732542084/media/97ccec6db66944f799d8f8fb51350d37_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/12/01/fake-flowers-make-me-sad-and-mad-plastic-plastic-everywhere-and-i-cant-stand-it/","content_elements":[{"_id":"2XKOUQ53PRAIXKENWRNZH45OHA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449498},"content":"The trend started small. Small fake plastic flowers in waterless jars on cafe tables. Then it went on to include plastic potted plants, ferns, palm trees, ivy, trees, grass and fake greenery in general. It’s approaching Christmas and I can guarantee you that most of the seasonal-themed holly and mistletoe you see in public places did not come from any verdant and living space. It’s far from Wicklow they were reared. They come from factories in Asia, very probably China.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7FS6VEIHIZER5GJBBERBCS3RNY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449499},"content":"I cannot abide the ever-increasing presence of plastic foliage in our public spaces. I mean, why bother? Is there anything more depressing than looking at lifeless plastic botanicals while you’re contemplating what to eat or drink? Real flowers are expensive, wildflowers take time to gather in the summer. I know that. I didn’t just fall out of an (actual) coconut tree, and <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bSTqokjNEE\" target=\"_blank\">neither did the recent unsuccessful candidate for the US </a><a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bSTqokjNEE\" target=\"_blank\">presidency</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IH5A2VVRBVDA7FRNHLXKVMHOCI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449500},"content":"But I’d prefer a bare table than an aberration of stiff plastic flowers, or some plastic cactus, doomed never to die. The irony is that plastic flowers are the total opposite of what they represent. Real flowers are beautiful and often scented, compositions of nature that live a bright ephemeral life, and then die. It’s part of the fleeting beauty of flowers. Their plastic doppelgängers never die. Their existence on our cafe and restaurant tables is a continuous grim reminder of the omnipresence of plastic in all our lives. Let us not forget, we now live in a world where <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/over-70-of-deep-sea-fish-have-ingested-plastic-study-finds-1.3396891#:~:text=Over%2070%25%20of%20deep%2Dsea,study%20finds%20%E2%80%93%20The%20Irish%20Times\" target=\"_blank\">microplastics have been found in the fish we eat</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WXEEPNWJ3RFRJKUVAOM4DBFRXU","additional_properties":{"_id":"7WOE5GO7JRDQFFEK2LU2H2HEYM"},"content":"Over 70% of deep-sea fish have ingested plastic, study finds","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"QSYEBN2ZTFH6JL5BGZSY7JTZ5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449501},"content":"The trend started small, but it’s now most definitely large-scale, both in spread and size. People have gone mad lately incorporating fake foliage into their shops and restaurants. Why so many of fake arches of flowers over entrances, as if shoppers were attending some pastoral wedding in a rural church, where the flower arches are actually real? Is it because we live in a damp country where bright and brilliant foliage does not routinely drape itself picturesquely around door and window frames? Is there some subversive campaign to make Ireland look more like the hotter regions of Europe?","type":"text"},{"_id":"KIGJIZNBRBCYFCFRBMMQI6Q74Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449502},"content":"I don’t know. Presumably the people who install these arches must think they have some pleasing aesthetic, otherwise why do it? The hard truth is the arches are a load of horrible plastic tat that will progressively fade, and get ever more filthy from passing traffic as the sorry weeks and months pass by. What happens to them then? Even the youngest child of your acquaintance can tell you this plastic tat will go to landfill, where it will not break down in our lifetime.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BDXEFEWJRVWQHCJ7AISXSSVEMU","additional_properties":{"_id":"ME2ZUD2LCJC5HEUCF7XQIWZNLM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"DLZ47Y4MTRCL7JENRUZB7Y6DSE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449503},"content":"A while back, I took a vegetarian friend to <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/food-and-drink/restaurant-reviews/glas-dublin-new-vegan-eatery-makes-some-brave-choices-1.4095693\" target=\"_blank\">Glas</a>, a vegetarian and vegan restaurant in Dublin’s Chatham Street. She was delighted at the prospect of potentially being able to eat everything on the menu, which was creative and delicious. We both enjoyed the excellent food.","type":"text"},{"_id":"N74VKGB2I5CPVGDWBMBBGUZNPU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449504},"content":"However, at some point I got distracted by the amount of plastic foliage in the restaurant. There were plants and trees absolutely everywhere, even in the toilets. I was struck by the contradiction of the restaurant’s ethos, which they state on their website – “we believe in using seasonal vegetables and local produce to create sustainably sourced gourmet food” – and the presence of all this plastic. What is sustainable or sustainably sourced, about one of the world’s greatest scourges, plastic?","type":"text"},{"_id":"RBADZSDSXJF57AZN5KAOEVTICU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449505},"content":"Later, I emailed Glas and asked why they used plastic plants and foliage in their vegetarian and vegan restaurant.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HJ5QRCIDVZE5ZL42FAKZAKEHQE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449506},"content":"Owner Paul Rooney responded: “When we opened Glas in November 2019 we wanted to include plants in our design of the restaurant. We spent €3,500 on plants. They died. I thought I was doing something wrong and not looking after them properly, so I did some more research. We bought some more, spent more money and followed the care instructions to the letter. They also died. There simply is not enough light in the room for the plants to survive.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MJTJEEI4CNF3RGZW53HXTVQTVE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449508},"content":"“We use plastic plants now because the colour and look of them is pleasing to the eye and part of the overall look of the restaurant. They create a nice atmosphere/ambience, whatever you prefer to call it. Most people like the look. Where possible we use fresh flowers that we buy on Grafton Street every week, but they fade fast because of the temperature of the room.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HZBRJTJZ6ZCGLCCRC7VFF2WIWA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449509},"content":"“If I had a different restaurant, serving different food, with a different clientele I might not use plants at all. But for Glas the general feedback is that it works.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"432XQMNKXFEFDJ43RA6UNQKN3A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449510},"content":"The question of aesthetics is personal. Taste is subjective. One person’s view of what makes a “nice atmosphere/ambience” is not the same as another person’s. Neither my friend nor I liked the look of Glas’s plastic foliage. We loathed it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"P2SWY4NVXVC4LJ7IPPRKNZ5YCY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449511},"content":"It was interesting to read in Glas’s response to my questions that the real plants they had installed had failed to thrive. But why, I wondered, was the decision then made to replace them with plastic ones? What’s wrong with no plants at all if real ones keep dying in a particular space, whether for lack of light or any other reason? Is it that as consumers we become so used to being visually overstimulated that restaurant proprietors think we need to have stuff to look at all the time?","type":"text"},{"_id":"47M36YGGJJDAHPWJRT4JGZMSEA","additional_properties":{"_id":"H3C6NKCM5VHM3DLPEQJRCQN3XQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"2XVFIECHPJBKDAA6CIKKSOHDQE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449512},"content":"The space now occupied by <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/food/restaurants/review/2024/07/04/floritz-review-a-glitzy-but-perplexing-new-restaurant-with-an-overwhelming-menu/\" target=\"_blank\">Floritz</a> on St Stephen’s Green is one that holds particularly happy memories for me: I once spent an entire afternoon of celebrations at the former Cliff Townhouse diningroom. There had been <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/seven-awards-for-irish-times-journalists-at-newsbrands-ireland-ceremony-1.3699177\" target=\"_blank\">a career highlight to mark</a>, and myself and the friend I went there with imbibed champagne all afternoon, and ate oysters and seafood pasta, as both our phones throbbed with notifications. We refer to it as our “Day of Days”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3DRD7M4O7RDMTNQOOFL7NGBZWY","additional_properties":{"_id":"FEVRGGIXM5G5ZFZOZYXB6ILMDA"},"content":"Scourge of plastic production now part of a gigantic and unstoppable experiment","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"5DOXOUNPIFEMDAJLB45YIXGST4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449513},"content":"When the space reopened in recent months under new management, the diningroom was renamed Floritz. I went along with the friend with whom I had had that former Day of Days in that very same space a few years previously. The food – baos, sushi, yakitori – was excellent. There are striking wallpaper panels on the walls, which are talking points, along with clever lighting and lots of mirrors. There was also a depressing amount of plastic foliage, mostly of the fake tropical variety.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7ZZ5WPJFVZFCXE2ARJ3UF5YA6E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449514},"content":"Why? I asked my friend, yet again distracted from the food, as I looked around, feeling suffocated by yet more of the world’s unnecessary plastic. The room already made enough of a statement with its decor. Understated it is not. So why add all this plastic to it, representing pretend foliage?","type":"text"},{"_id":"5GRYY44CTRCUVCXXINFI4IISZM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449515},"content":"It made me a bit sad and a bit mad and also a bit depressed, which is not the vibe you want when out with a close friend to have a great night together.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TPFY7OREOBBZZGS2EQ2TXRJY2U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449516},"content":"I emailed Floritz to ask why they used plastic foliage in the restaurant.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RJ5EUAMXCVBFZKLENEG3MWVXMA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449517},"content":"A spokesperson replied:","type":"text"},{"_id":"LC5VK3JSYNARRDQCW7CXCCL5J4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449518},"content":"“The plants used as part of the decor at Floritz are just another tool in the designer’s box of tricks to add to the whole theatre of the restaurant experience. The designers created a deliberately dramatic and theatrical world as a setting for the restaurant’s bold and exotic food.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RFDMX2SL4VDJVMDGNGQ5K4FGQM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449519},"content":"“The planting is used as a decorative element, in the same way the designers used the patterned wallpaper and multiple mirrors – to create an atmosphere and sense of drama.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"QEXKWOVBKJEFXMVXWOUD4GMGSA","additional_properties":{"_id":"S6POZ3YJDBBK7BOUIWZODDQJ2U"},"content":"Floritz review: A glitzy but perplexing new restaurant with an overwhelming menu","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"IMACGMMDMRGLTK3UN4RCFRF2VQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449520},"content":"So in this restaurant, the plastic is a deliberate design choice.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7UM3XM4XHZGXVDUJ3AFROBRZFQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449521},"content":"The restaurant industry seems to be particularly affected by trends when it comes to design – industrial-style bare bulbs and stark wooden tables were everywhere for a time. Now it’s fake foliage, stealthily creeping into these interiors like some kind of 21st-century poison ivy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AQDRNLI3FVDHLI4ZWL4EMJEC3E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449522},"content":"The fact is, customers pay attention to a lot more elements when visiting a restaurant than what’s on the menu, or how much everything costs. They notice things. It’s not always only about the food. I love a good atmosphere in a restaurant; that priceless mercurial quality that makes me want to go back again and again. It doesn’t include being surrounded by plastic versions of nature.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6RVLD7SXAVBSHDO2EFZOQMHCUY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449523},"content":"While writing this, I went into a reverie, wondering if restaurants might ever advertise the fact they use plastic botanicals on their websites, in the same way they list their sample menus and show a gallery of images, because then I would avoid those restaurants and not feel depressingly helpless about the state of the planet on my treasured nights out.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YF5C64SCYZCF3IW76OKKJJA3MY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449524},"content":"What restaurant proprietors think plastic flowers, plants and foliage can positively add to any of their interiors is genuinely a mystery to me. Surely I cannot be the only customer to find this trend so depressing and pointless?","type":"text"},{"_id":"JUYIS3IT7BBBVGLHQYLIWR4BHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449525},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"UGLTFVIYT5DG7BRRNUYJ3DP5OE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732534449526},"content":"","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Rosita Boland"}},"name":"Rosita Boland"}]},"description":{"basic":"Why do shop and restaurant owners seem to think adding to the world’s collection of plastic tat improves the ambience?"},"display_date":"2024-12-01T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Fake flowers make me sad and mad: Plastic, plastic everywhere and I can’t stand it","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"4OSQFH3JIBDNFO7USE2V3AQKBU","auth":{"1":"6cbf51800303d20f7be06cd1c5ae2887f9947ac4ad713b1254f4d6e82374673b"},"focal_point":{"x":1470,"y":1214},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/4OSQFH3JIBDNFO7USE2V3AQKBU.jpg"}},"subtype":"opinion","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Environment"},{"name":"Climate Crisis"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/12/01/fake-flowers-make-me-sad-and-mad-plastic-plastic-everywhere-and-i-cant-stand-it/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"6XEQQDIVFZGARH7L5ONF2BVDB4","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":929,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/3e9c8cd8-c25f-43dc-9f41-4c79589316a7/versions/1732184998/media/27cf3758529a6a0d19000959bc9a2637_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/12/01/dermot-whelan-mindfulness-isnt-a-cult-we-dont-have-to-get-naked-and-cover-ourselves-in-hummus/","content_elements":[{"_id":"6T4557GRMZD5VK4EP6R4L23SKA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451300},"content":"Sometimes the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/tv-radio/\" target=\"_blank\">radio</a> host and comedian turned mindfulness coach and author <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/dermot-whelan/\" target=\"_blank\">Dermot Whelan</a> writes a single word into his phone diary: bench. It’s a prompt, a reminder to take some time out for himself on that day. The actual bench in question is a tatty, two-seater space between a couple of fish shops on the West Pier in <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/howth/\" target=\"_blank\">Howth</a>, Co <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/dublin/\" target=\"_blank\">Dublin</a> where he lives. He’ll go there on his own or with his wife, the artist Corrina Earlie, and sit, sometimes with a coffee or sausage roll bought from a nearby van, to stare at seagulls, the occasional passing seal or boats in the harbour. “I know it sounds like something a pensioner does,” he laughs over spring rolls in The Dog House restaurant in Howth. “But that time is precious, it’s ring-fenced, it’s for me.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"PUXV6QPR4JCRPFXLUFUCLTNEJM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451301},"content":"The former broadcaster – until relatively recently he was one half of the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/dave-moore/\" target=\"_blank\">Dermot and Dave</a> radio double act, which lasted for 21 years on 98FM and <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/today-fm/\" target=\"_blank\">Today FM</a> – tells me about the bench by way of explaining his upcoming series of live shows. The Busy and Wrecked Tour starts in January. The show is a comic exploration of the kind of overwhelm Whelan says many are experiencing and includes some simple mindfulness techniques he hopes will help people who are struggling to find balance in their lives. It’s a show about the importance of making appointments with ourselves. About finding your own bench.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LV4F6WC5XNABRGIPQSSYOYPR2Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451302},"content":"This is mindfulness, Whelan-style. It involves sausage rolls and gags. It does not involve “sitting in the lotus position on a mountain in your underwear”. He thinks the mindfulness world is too worthy. He is all about “serious transformation without being too serious”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"U6RIOSRDC5AEFHGHXACEDUMIJY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732184710916},"content":"The father of three has a podcast called <a href=\"https://dermotwhelan.com/the-mind-full-podcast/\" target=\"_blank\">Mind Full,</a> where he has interviewed people such as his former co-host <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/dave-moore/\" target=\"_blank\">Moore</a> and his good friend actor <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/cillian-murphy/\" target=\"_blank\">Cillian Murphy</a> about issues such as friendship and flow. His <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/dermot-whelan-i-have-a-skill-to-make-people-laugh-lift-people-s-moods-1.4531143\" target=\"_blank\">book of the same name</a> told the story of his own path from broadcasting to wellness. There’s another book, also called Busy and Wrecked, coming out in April, but before that there’s a tour of Ireland with more than 20 shows including “the big one” at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre in Dublin on January 14th.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7BGYU7H6ENDSRCQKMAYLE4MJA4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451303},"content":"Why did he call it Busy and Wrecked? He had been tuning in, he says, to people’s conversations. “When you ask people how they are, it’s all ‘I’m crazy busy, I’m slammed, flat out’ and then there’s usually a gap because they realise it sounds quite unhealthy. So they tend to throw in the classic ‘but you know, good busy’.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"YW3ODLZOGZCPJN6S6GKEL3VW4A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451304},"content":"Whelan has become a bit obsessed by the concept of “good busy”. What does it mean? Is there a healthy amount of busy? Or is it just something we say to make ourselves feel better?","type":"text"},{"_id":"EWAMEIHKMBHRFN5JDEHFSJ3DMI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451305},"content":"He mentions the <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/may/27/gloucestershire-cheese-rolling-race-coopers-hill-international-appeal\" target=\"_blank\">Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling contest</a> held near Gloucester, England every year. Whoever is nearest the cheese at the end wins, apparently, and it can get hectic. Whelan says YouTube videos of the contest provide a decent metaphor for his busyness theory. “At the start of that race people are really excited, they’ve still got balance, they have big smiles on their faces, they are doing what they want to do. That’s good busy, when you feel like you are still in touch with yourself. But there’s a point in that race when it changes. The expressions on the faces change. The momentum is too much to maintain and that’s when things start to feel off balance”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XG7GMTZMKVBVXP22LG3PWO6JG4","additional_properties":{"_id":"CI2PJWAEJZBNZIDFY7PT4Y4GNU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"OW5TWDNPGNFHNLIP7CDVAQLCOA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451306},"content":"The show, in a way, is about the search for “good busy”. “I think it does exist. It’s when we do things because we want to do them, not because we are avoiding the questions we should be asking ourselves. It’s about being busy but still making time for the important stuff.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"X26E62VYLVFZZICFHKZDNYI2X4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732184710922},"content":"Whelan grew up as the youngest of a big family in Limerick, making home videos and sketches, the urge to entertain clearly present from the start. He was a shy and socially anxious child, but only realised this years later while trying to break into media in Dublin, having worked on film sets behind the scenes for years. Early auditions were a nightmare.","type":"text"},{"_id":"O2JAQT753BGWXM45M65S7GG2GQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451308},"content":"“I knew I could do it but once I got into those scenarios, the blush button turned on, I’d go red and sweat like 10 Christy Moores.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"NACH4SMPONE6NBDM3UWCYGQWII","additional_properties":{"_id":1732184710924},"content":"He recalls one audition at RTÉ in particular, sitting in reception of the television centre, already overwhelmed. “I went to take a drink of water, dropped the bottle, spilt it on the floor then picked up the bottle and put my foot over the water to hide it. The woman came out, looked at me, looked down, saw the pool of water on the floor and on my trouser leg. It looked like I’d lost control of everything before I’d even gone in.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"7OXVXIXDJVGHZPQKDPEPZFSXUY","additional_properties":{"_id":"PGNDO2SCJBBGLNUCDZLEHXWWMY"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"JRV5GTFZHVHWRDT5ZXMEISM4RQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451309},"content":"When, in his late 20s, he joined the newsroom in 98FM, the fact that he was required to work on stories that were short, “felt safe”. He began to stay on, long after work hours, producing comedy sketches. He was put together with Dave Moore for the station’s new breakfast show on 98FM. They hit it off over <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/tv-radio-web/steve-coogan-why-i-m-bringing-back-alan-partridge-1.3797645\" target=\"_blank\">Alan Partridge</a> impressions and forged an on-air partnership that transferred to Today FM and only came to an end in 2023, when Whelan stepped away to make wellness his full-time job.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OAXDZQAO7FHG7FQ27ODVK3VMGM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451310},"content":"He’d already been moving in that direction for years. He has written about a panic attack in 2007 which led to him being brought to the Kilkenny Cat Laughs festival in an ambulance – “very showbiz, what an entrance,” he laughs. “I remember talking to other comedians that night, I expected everyone to be shocked but the other comedians were like, ‘Yeah, I have them all the time.’”","type":"text"},{"_id":"QZITVXPBRBDK7EIBXT4XPEKEKU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732184710928},"content":"He was married with one small baby by now, living in Dublin, doing breakfast radio “which is essentially shift work” and doing comedy gigs at night. He also presented RTE’s Republic of Telly for years. “I prided myself at the time on being able to run on vapours, there was that bravado around a certain kind of lifestyle ... a confusion between stamina and resilience. I thought resilience was the ability to tough it out.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"QF7UAQDIWJHKBPLVULB7WSKYAA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451311},"content":"At his busiest, Whelan remembers engaging in a lot of negative self-talk, “ ... giving out to yourself in the third person out loud. ‘Come on, you can do better than this.’ Holding yourself to account”. He likes to talk about “life soup” and says that at that time his “life soup” was “too much work, not enough rest, the pressures of a young family, more alcohol than was healthy – standard media fare.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"OKMCE4EQUVAHHLFNH7LL6R6JZE","additional_properties":{"_id":"ERZUGB4NTZE3LD6K4NTVYLJAQ4"},"content":"Release your stuff: 12 ways to meditate without actually meditating","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"RS4A7IAMBJHWVCRLAYRBUWDEKY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451312},"content":"He went to a psychotherapist, who told him he was exhausted. He wasn’t happy about that. He wanted a label. A phobia. He wanted to blame something from his childhood. Being told he was exhausted meant rest “and I didn’t want to hear that.” Another red flag was the time he fell down a flight of stairs at a karaoke bar, champagne glass in hand, and knocked himself out. “It was after one of those long record company lunches that don’t happen any more. I knew things had to change.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"M4AOGQ5A2BAWVOSZ3I4RQAJOFU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451313},"content":"A key turning point was being asked to MC duties for a friend’s book launch. She was also a meditation teacher and agreed to teach him some techniques in exchange for his hosting her event. Meditation made sense to Whelan immediately. His “grounded and naturally calm” wife was the first to notice that it was having a positive effect, especially around the bedtime routine with his children. “I had been rushing through it, just wanting it to be over, and she said ‘look how much more patient you are’.” Meditation made him “more present, less ratty, more patient. I started enjoying life more.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"722AKTSQFBBVBAKGRVWVMRX2TA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451314},"content":"Whelan doesn’t want to give the impression that he had one of life’s ‘aha moments’ and everything immediately fell into place. Even though he knew meditation was helping, after a time he stopped being as regular with his practice. “I was busy and distracted and the next thing you know I was talking about it a lot, telling myself I was doing it but I wasn’t really.” That’s when he ended up in his GP’s surgery crying. It was 2017. He had just moved from a lunchtime radio slot, taking over the more important midmorning gig with Dave Moore on Today FM. They were also doing their first Dermot and Dave live tour.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4BRIXU6EXNGIDOK4J4OCKRGVTY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732184710934},"content":"“I remember sitting in the doctors’ office and she asked ‘how are you’ and I burst into tears, one of those shoulder-shaking cries. I told her I was burnt out.” Interestingly, the doctor admitted to being burnt out too. He counts her as a friend now.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7Y2L5EJIUNBRHDPAN25HQAVZ4M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451315},"content":"Crying in the GP surgery was another turning point. He began a year-long online meditation teaching course with a teacher called Davidji, in California. “He made it fun, so I was drawn to him.” The final few weeks included an intensive course in the United States. Back home, he started teaching. He remembers doing a sold-out gig for thousands with Moore in the 3Arena and realising he got a bigger buzz from teaching a meditation course a couple of days later to 30 people in an insurance company in Dublin city centre. His gut, or what he calls his “inner potato”, was speaking loud and clear. “It was like a weight in my belly, a little spud; when I listened to it I knew I had to make the change.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"5436SAUCDFCWFMJEK6YNGVVUAY","additional_properties":{"_id":"4LVJHUHLDZF75LO2NWFXBP3MUQ"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"DNTSPVFXKVGL5FFLZQK2TMT5ZI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451316},"content":"“It was always the mission of the show with Dave that we’d leave people happier than when we started. That’s still my goal; I just do it in a different way that’s more aligned with who I am now.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"BVQIBEKXVJFDXMPYFKQRACKENM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451317},"content":"Despite the fact that mindfulness is now as mainstream as gym membership, there’s still a lot of cynicism. All this talk about being in the moment gives some people a pain in the hoop. “I get it,” says Whelan. “That’s where I was. And I am still cynical about a lot of how this stuff is presented. That’s why I try to use comedy and straightforward common sense and science. Because I don’t like the fluffiness that is built into the marketing of all of this.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"VFIYWHMLNBADNOGSIUX3K3BIGE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451318},"content":"“Traditionally mindfulness and meditation and spiritual wellness is marketed at white women with disposable income. From my perspective, when I was struggling I needed more balance, I couldn’t find anything to relate to ... so that’s why I wrote my first book Mind Full.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"NMHDKCMMX5DMFN2SVJDZ7VY7P4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451319},"content":"He says the wellness world can seem “overly well intentioned and worthy ... it’s like ‘by the way, if you are not into mindfulness then you are getting life wrong somehow. Over in this exclusive group of people who charge our crystals at midnight on a full moon, we kind of have life sorted?’”","type":"text"},{"_id":"PJ6TUSSH2ZHGDLEHTV4QGGA36E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451320},"content":"Whelan hates that attitude. He sometimes gets pushback from other meditators who think what he is doing is not deep or spiritual enough, that it’s too flimsy. “And I say, ‘exactly’, because that’s how we get people in the door.” He’s all for people going deeper, attending Buddhist retreat centres in west Cork or Cavan – “I’ve done all of those things,” he says – but he’s more interested in providing a gateway for people who may never go that deep.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IR37PRJIOVBBFNA6CJALZVMO5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732184710942},"content":"He talks about “the guy in the high vis vest in the digger, who is really struggling under the pressures of the cost of living, who is just trying to keep it together so that he doesn’t yell at his loved ones ... that guy in the digger might just need a couple of tools, some breathing exercises, why should he be left out of the conversation just because he doesn’t go around with a yoga mat under his arm?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"7NTDZDB4KZAQJHQENP6JSYQ5K4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451321},"content":"Whelan’s own daily routine is simple enough. He meditates in the morning and at night. He learned the handy acronym RPM, Rise Pee Meditate, from his teacher in California. He sees RPM as “setting your google maps for the day. This is the direction I’d like to move in, I may take a few detours, I may not reach there perfectly but I’ve set my intention.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"7MOHJTUZYRC27F5ICCLZEUIGCM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451322},"content":"He’s deeply interested and well read in neuroscience and positive psychology, and wants to help people understand what happens in their brains when they meditate, the results that can come even for a complete beginner to meditation.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NYCXOAIJB5GTHIRHET5B2OL4KY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732184710945},"content":"What happens to the brain after meditation? He cites a Harvard study from 2012 which showed how the amygdala, a part of the brain associated with fear and stress, shrank in a group of people who practised mindfulness meditation techniques. Whelan calls the amygdala, the “inner smoke alarm”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"P6AK3PWZWRBGNDMDIDVZZDT7HE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451323},"content":"What can people expect from the show? “Well, I’m blending comedy and meditation, which to a lot of people sounds strange. But the one thing I’ve learned is that humour and comedy helps people ... what I love to see at my live shows is a man sitting with a ‘you’re not going to get me’ face.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"IMRGQ2OKLZAAFAUP6GHTXYURD4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732184710947},"content":"At the start of his shows, Whelan always asks his audience whether they are there because they are looking for some kind of transformation or because they were dragged to the gig by a well-meaning friend or partner. Around half of the audience usually confesses to having been dragged there. “But when I start to tell my own story using comedy, their body language relaxes and then, when the defences are down a little bit, I can start saying ‘I know these are the things you are probably feeling; this is what is causing it; here are some things you can do so you feel a little happier, sleep a bit better, be less cranky around the people you love and be able to switch off. And the best thing is you can use these techniques whenever you want.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"4DT7B2DOPVB77IEFI26KA7CGYU","additional_properties":{"_id":"BLY7O5YYMZAIJMWZDZCXV2NBDU"},"content":"Comedian Rachel Galvo: ‘Anyone can tell I have not been through many hardships, I’m a very privileged person’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"XPV2OEC6XBF4LKRZMZF7FY5YCE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451325},"content":"He also reminds the audience that mindfulness “isn’t a cult. We don’t have to get naked and cover ourselves in hummus. I’m not going to lock the doors. It’s an incredible thing to see a thousand people who are laughing their heads off get into stillness and quiet. I feel like I am a bouncer to their own personal space. And they might never have accessed that space before.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"7TXC7L777NFE7AETSPMQEEZVLM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451326},"content":"He doesn’t expect anyone to become a full-time meditator afterwards. “All I hope is that I open the door for them, that they connect to something they haven’t connected with before. That can be super-profound or it can just be them taking a pause from overthinking and overstressing.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"5MW23PT7XFB37HQM67HKAROOCY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451327},"content":"“On our deathbeds we won’t be thinking, ‘I really wish I’d put together a more complex power point’. We will be thinking, ‘how was I at the precious, private simple moments shared with the people I love the most?’ In the end, most of us just want to be nicer, more aware people.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"VMO44YZLABENFAPCN3NSAB5QVY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732118451328},"content":"<i>The Busy and Wrecked Tour runs from 2nd January to March 7th. Tickets from </i><a href=\"http://dermotwhelan.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><i>dermotwhelan.com</i></a><i> or </i><a href=\"http://ticketmaster.ie/\" target=\"_blank\"><i>ticketmaster.ie</i></a><i> Dermot Whelan’s podcast Mind Full is available on Spotify and other platforms</i>","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Róisín Ingle"}},"name":"Róisín Ingle"}]},"description":{"basic":"Dermot Whelan made the choice to walk away from radio in order to focus on wellness, his own and other people’s. He doesn’t regret it, he tells Róisín Ingle"},"display_date":"2024-12-01T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Dermot Whelan: ‘Mindfulness isn’t a cult. We don’t have to get naked and cover ourselves in hummus’","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"M325QSHNBNDBDLRBKATWDD6OMU","auth":{"1":"a8e8bcc90980b18b1686b491dee3b2a55be179b8588c1d409c50e6482f891887"},"focal_point":{"x":3110,"y":1560},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/M325QSHNBNDBDLRBKATWDD6OMU.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/12/01/dermot-whelan-mindfulness-isnt-a-cult-we-dont-have-to-get-naked-and-cover-ourselves-in-hummus/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"QCYQY2JH5NHSNAFR347OHEMYGM","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":220,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/5469/podcasts/4e90fbea-8efc-4dad-83c1-e2d791d6e5ed/versions/1732035197/media/e7bc653cd87ca7d392b785501e463b6f_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/12/01/sean-moncrieff-under-elon-musk-x-is-tapping-ever-more-into-a-dark-human-need-to-be-mean-to-other-people/","content_elements":[{"_id":"PSGMRTTSIVHO3C5EWGF2Z3IV7Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1732032161282},"content":"I only just noticed that I missed an anniversary. Last September marked my 15th year on <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/x/\" target=\"_blank\">Twitter/X</a>. Not that I would have had a party or posted one of those “a little personal news” tweets. From the first day I’ve been on it (and someone else set up the account for me), I’ve never been sure how I felt about it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X2OB2D67URBMHBCOKGZDQHBJ5E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732032161283},"content":"At times it’s been fun, at times enraging (I’ve been in some pointless rows there) and at times baffling. Yet I’ve never quite got what it is for; or at least what the heavy users were getting from it. Some obviously used it for self-promotion, some seem to have found a community, usually through a shared interest, but even in the pre-Musk era, there was a large cohort who seemed to be there just to give out.","type":"text"},{"_id":"777YKYVBWVFCJBP4TCWOA3DVQE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732032161284},"content":"Social media in general but Twitter/X in particular seems to tap into a dark human need to be mean to other people: and not just on political subjects. Twitter users would insult others over their appearance or if a tweet had a spelling mistake or if they didn’t agree about a Marvel film. In the real world, it would be exceptional if a stranger crossed the street to tell you that your shoes are ugly. On Twitter, that could happen every day.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EP6OWKVBGZBUPJIOZXQBZKG2WU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732032161285},"content":"Since <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/elon-musk/\" target=\"_blank\">Elon Musk</a> took over that has increased exponentially. All the previously banished loons have been let back on, populating the feed with largely US “content” with breathless titles such as REVEALED and EXPOSED: revealing and exposing how the Deep State is controlling the weather and operating mind-control machines. Musk himself is a prodigious tweeter on how Libs and Dems are destroying America. You’d wonder how he finds the time to run his businesses. You’d think <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/donald-trump/\" target=\"_blank\">Donald Trump</a> hadn’t won the election at all.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NMWPQ7UDXRFUPP26557APV5UNE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732032161286},"content":"And more than ever, there are people on Twitter hunting for others to abuse. Yet their opportunities to so do seem to be diminishing. Since Musk bought the platform, there has been a steady decline in users: some of them, no doubt, Libs and Dems, but mostly, I suspect, people who would rather that their social media experience not consist of vitriol and screaming rows. There were reports that the writer <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/stephen-king\" target=\"_blank\">Stephen King</a> was kicked off for calling Elon Musk the “new first lady”. But he simply left.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TKHNMVEKXRFDXDO3UJ76TKSMRM","additional_properties":{"_id":"5GSVXGBJVVFAHL7VNKP6Y76NDU"},"content":"Bluesky, the non-toxic alternative to X, has had a glow-up. But is the app here to stay?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"DIVGOOZWZVG6JOYV3TEYRNVO7Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732032161287},"content":"The problem for these digital refugees is where to go. Some have migrated to Threads, though that can feel like a rather sad place: like a group of people who haven’t been invited to a party and are pretending not to care. Twitter is mentioned more on Threads than it is on Twitter. Before that, Mastodon was a contender and since the US election, there’s been a bit of a buzz about Bluesky.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PBORL23RMRBVXJQTUZ2QR3OVYQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732032161288},"content":"All of them have had technical problems, and on all of them – including X itself – there’s an ongoing discussion as to what is the best social media platform to move to: one that could replicate what Twitter used to be like. None of the alternatives seem to have got that quite right. And it’s a discussion that feels underpinned with sadness; perhaps an as yet-unacknowledged admission that those days are gone for good.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CYEUDHTGVBCLJF27NNUAVLVF7Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1732032161289},"content":"That won’t stop people searching. It’s remarkable that in the past two decades our culture and our brains have been rewired to such a degree that the idea of not having a social media presence has become unthinkable for many people; that not having one would create a profound absence in their lives.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RIMQTZQW3FC7PNK37VZIGSH3PA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732032161290},"content":"Yet what they are searching for – a place that is convivial, where people can respectfully disagree, where mob attacks don’t take place, where you can be reasonably sure that what you are reading is true – may not be possible. There doesn’t seem to be an algorithm for that yet. Or maybe there isn’t any money to be made from developing one.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Seán Moncrieff"}},"name":"Seán Moncrieff"}]},"description":{"basic":"As people – even Stephen King – flee the platform, discussion of where to move to feels underpinned by a sadness that the kind of virtual space they crave may no longer be possible"},"display_date":"2024-12-01T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Social media taps into a dark human need to be mean to other people","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"5469"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"5I33AVBGUTBNU2XTMVZ3M64OOI","auth":{"1":"ffc9916b5324ab795dea86d65019d7a74a4377e73cf53058f12734943238ff97"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/5I33AVBGUTBNU2XTMVZ3M64OOI.jpg"}},"subtype":"columnist","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/12/01/sean-moncrieff-under-elon-musk-x-is-tapping-ever-more-into-a-dark-human-need-to-be-mean-to-other-people/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"MCMAKU4ELFBVTF7BMYYH74Y4AM","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":661,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/2b666f03-27ec-404c-9147-d9f491ba1d92/versions/1732809310/media/a180cd9da5f6cd2eea2dcb89d283d94e_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/30/there-could-be-two-cars-but-the-fridge-is-empty-hidden-poverty-in-middle-class-ireland/","content_elements":[{"_id":"56VDI6X6EZE6VN3VHPXVX7J7YA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064307},"content":"On the desk in front of me in an anonymous unit in a business park on the outskirts of Waterford city is a stack of papers. Most of them are forms for first-time clients of the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/st-vincent-de-paul/\" target=\"_blank\">Society of St Vincent de Paul</a> (SVP), a charitable organisation that has operated in Ireland since 1844, helping vulnerable members of society.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VCECNH4ABNEDJBRIYFXVPAILCE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064308},"content":"These forms have been filled in by employees of the society, who take client details over the phone. Included among the computer-generated forms are several handwritten letters, also from first-time clients, who found it easier to write down the story of their circumstances than to make a phone call.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NJU2ERBZLJCJJATIJ3JVRU4IEQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064309},"content":"One phrase catches my eye: “I don’t know who else to turn to.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"UDDI3U5MPBBBNA3E52KTF5KY7A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064314},"content":"This sentiment is one I hear over and over again during the day I spend in this southeast region office, which covers Waterford, Wexford, Carlow, Kilkenny and Laois. It’s a Monday, their busiest day of the week, when staff pick up voicemails, emails and messages left via website forms over the weekend.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MF4EYX4OGJGYVDR4WGUT2MREDE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732807270993},"content":"The island of Ireland is covered by eight offices. David O’Neill, who has worked with the society for 19 years, is the southeast regional co-ordinator. In 2020 the region received 13,264 calls from the public, seeking help. Last year that number rose to 21,248. Food, fuel and energy bills are the most common areas that people seek help with.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SOD73BJBOFH5VMARH422FOO7WM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064316},"content":"“What is happening in this region is representative of all the other regions,” says O’Neill.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DPTKMMFHFVDBRHOFT5Z4ZGJKEU","additional_properties":{"_id":"P4NWOJFE3JGKDPGF3YSWW5ZYNQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"RIC3N2Q5HRBCVIOM4HYRAWWJCA","additional_properties":{"_id":"VUZYY3M4FFFQPPYMJUY7N74GAU"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"QVVAA7BNM5ECTAE53W5EFY2IUU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732807270997},"content":"There are 10 staff in this office, all of whom are paid. Some work full-time, some part-time, and some are on Community Employment schemes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FUJFMRTJGVEJRFWZIH4W42NUSM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064318},"content":"Ann Walsh is listening to the voicemails left over the weekend, and taking calls from the public. First she logs names, addresses and contact numbers in a hardback notebook, then inputs the details into the computer system. There are a number of options on a drop-down menu to reflect the kind of help a caller is seeking.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XWW67AAAAJBHZDK3VEDYV2CJUE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064319},"content":"Christmas help. Clothing. Communion/Confirmation. Debt/money-lending. Delay in social welfare. Education, primary/secondary. Education bursary. Electricity. Food and food vouchers. Funeral expenses. Gas. Health. Holiday. Household goods. Loneliness/isolation. Mortgage. Multiple issues. Oil. Rent. Solid fuel/coal.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JZUDB2ZFZNDXZK3V3W7RWCIVLE","additional_properties":{"_id":"EYFSNALUKNGIVFFLGCDRTUTXXY"},"content":"St Vincent de Paul prepares for record number of calls over financial hardship in 2024","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"KOJQBMALEBGWDMDXXISBKPDFDQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064320},"content":"Walsh breaks down some of these options for me. “Holiday” is a local day trip for a family who would not otherwise have any day out. “Household goods” can be furniture, in which case the caller is invited to visit their local SVP shop that stocks furniture, and choose a table and chairs, or whatever is needed. In the case of white goods, the society will provide half the cost of a midrange item, and the client pays the other half.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4QAMIA5RWZETLIQFFXQPW243QE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064321},"content":"“Health” used to relate to situations such as someone experiencing bad toothache, who otherwise would have had to wait several months to be seen publicly. In the last three years or so, it has been extended to include a cohort of parents seeking to have their child privately assessed for <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/autism/\" target=\"_blank\">autism</a> or <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/adhd/\" target=\"_blank\">ADHD</a>, which is an expensive process, routinely costing several hundred euro.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OGUD43WFEFB3LLOMNEL4AHJ2IE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064322},"content":"“The public waiting lists for these assessments are up to two years, or longer, depending on the area,” says Walsh. “But without the child getting a diagnosis, they can’t access the extra help they need in school.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"M3DTU3MXRRHF5INM55O7ILNDLI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064325},"content":"I spend some time that day sitting with Walsh as she logs calls. The rule is that people who need help must make contact themselves with the society. Sometimes a call will come in from a concerned neighbour, but no action can be taken unless the person in question makes the contact. In cases where the person needs help making a call, they can give consent to be with the concerned person while the call is made.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2I6Z6MTKQVF2BFINHXPD7KHPLY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732807271007},"content":"Every attempt is made to preserve the needful person’s privacy and dignity, which is why the society never makes a cold call to a house.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZRYS52G5WBBGVCQVGIRJUUIBMU","additional_properties":{"_id":"IB7NAKTPUBE2NLMMXM3WBXHCHE"},"content":"Not ‘pinko do-gooders’ but helpers and supporters - how volunteers power the Society of St Vincent de Paul","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"KAKFWD3H6NAHJNETYFVCDUS7MQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064326},"content":"A call comes in from an older man who lives alone. He is a first-time caller. Walsh tells me that his cooker hob is broken. I ask if someone will be sent out to fix it. The answer is no. The society doesn’t employ technicians. This man will get help to buy a new cooker.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IKUQBUEEJNCVJNEYMEQ5KMURVI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064327},"content":"While I am sitting there, a member of the public calls to inquire about donating toys and electrical items for Christmas. SVP, in common with most other similar organisations, no longer accepts any electrical items for safety reasons. Since Covid, they prefer Christmas toy donations to be in the form of vouchers, so new toys can be bought.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2GWVR5SVAZE65O4HP3U5N7DXBU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064329},"content":"More calls come in. People are looking for food vouchers, coal, logs and help with Christmas needs. “The majority of the calls are around food, and there are a lot of single parents, mostly women,” she says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FO3VL4PHO5BB5I6JP3RSIEB7HU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064330},"content":"SVP buys supermarket vouchers in various denominations from Aldi, Lidl, Centra, Tesco, Dunnes Stores, SuperValu and, sometimes at Christmas, from Penneys. They buy them at a 5 per cent discount, with Dunnes giving a 10 per cent discount.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LFESISADLJBPFBCH4DTTH3EBCQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"PJ5WML3VLNFONFBX2RWHUJRRFY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"Z7G42MQCTFDW3LO6OZLDEX7LCM","additional_properties":{"_id":"GW7RX55XOFB3LFIVWBPGDKEGLE"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"2U5BGWXC3FCPBEQJ3AJAHDVDJU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732807271016},"content":"Last year, the southeast office distributed €800,000 worth of vouchers alone in the region.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CJ4EL35655B63AKNO2GUDEK63Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732807271017},"content":"Sometimes first-time callers have experienced an unexpected financial setback. “There was a call from a couple who had just had their third mortgage increase in a year, and who needed their car to drop children to school, and the car had failed its NCT.” They had asked for food vouchers, so that some money could be allocated from their food budget to get the car fixed.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QUZBSDMYQFD63FGN3IXVQIFS5A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732807271018},"content":"“There could be two cars outside on the drive, but the fridge is empty in the house,” says O’Neill. “This is hidden poverty, and it is much more widespread than you might think, particularly in the middle class.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"NVKEVOF7TZBOHG6GO5LYNNKXGY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064344},"content":"Walsh inputs all the details gathered from calls, voicemails and emails into a central computer system. That’s the end of her involvement with these clients, whom she never meets.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TU32UY5S3VD7VESA5YJN37TE24","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064345},"content":"“I don’t know what happens to them after I log the information,” she says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NGCOIUYUQFDNLBFFIYKLGYSZUE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064346},"content":"What happens next is that all this information is then picked up by one of the relevant area “conferences” in the southeast area. “Conferences” is the society’s legacy name for volunteer committees, which meet either weekly or fortnightly, depending on the needs of that area. There are 16 committees alone in Co Waterford.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WEGED3K3NFHV3OZVJISYXBFWFA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064347},"content":"Frances Flahavan is the SVP area president for Co Waterford, and has attended many committee meetings over the years.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JHRJA6RUYFHBRMWYSZY3W3AO2I","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064348},"content":"“We look at the requests for help, and see what we can do. Sometimes we refer people with money problems on to <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/mabs-money-advice-and-budgeting-service/\" target=\"_blank\">MABS</a> [the Money Advice and Budgeting Service], but you can’t budget if you don’t have any money,” she says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LEZFSOW7WBANZF4AFAZ3AFIGRE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064349},"content":"Flahavan says requests from first-time contacts are followed up with a phone call, and then two volunteers visit the person’s house to better assess their needs. Volunteers visit homes in pairs, even if simply dropping off hampers or vouchers at the door, and do not go inside. “Visiting in pairs is the golden rule.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"WV3GIGKL4JHQTKJFAMRMFQ35IU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064350},"content":"Sitting alongside Walsh during the day, I have noticed some repeat names, with some logging up to more than 200 requests for help. Sometimes it’s on a weekly basis, sometimes monthly. I mention this to Flahavan. Is 200 requests a lot from one person or family? It is society policy to be nonjudgmental about all requests for help.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JCU2JZCF5NCRRMSVSKF3US7EZA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064351},"content":"“That is a lot of requests. Those people have included SVP help in their weekly budget,” is what she says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"E4PDYRSYM5AKTEWTRAEYN6YX34","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064352},"content":"Volunteers such as Flahavan also give their time to make home visits and deliver hampers, in addition to meeting on a regular basis to review the requests for help. They also visit prisoners who do not have anyone else to visit them, and review requests for aid with education, including at third level. In this southeast area, there are 1,126 volunteers. A decade ago, the number was 1,850.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PE766O3BYJB4RALQSMDQCICDXU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064353},"content":"“Vincent de Paul won’t work without volunteers,” says O’Neill. The number of volunteers across the charity sector in Ireland continues to drop steadily. “We are finding it harder and harder to get younger people,” he says. He means people in their 30s and 40s, which apparently qualifies as young for a volunteer. Their core cohort of volunteers consists of people who have retired. “But we have started to lose some of them too; for instance, grandparents are now becoming part of childcare arrangements in families.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"NEWRXEVTQJG7ZHQWUDXTTROOWE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064354},"content":"Last year, SVP ran a national media recruitment campaign for volunteers. It yielded just 11 for the southeast region.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BAPTL6GNJFCAPOL3W7YFACSCXI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636064359},"content":"Sinead Wall is the area’s membership development officer. “Giving your time is so valuable to us,” she says. One year is the shortest period a person can usefully commit to the society, between the time training and Garda vetting takes. Three to five hours a week after training is the usual ask, but the society is grateful for any time people can spare to help. <a href=\"http://svp.ie/\"><i>svp.ie</i></a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"F6RPYZFQ2REIPIHMKUPM7PTTGA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732794286674},"content":"Some reasons new clients contacted the SVP southeast office","type":"header"},{"_id":"ILTPV5LBCBBH3N3XIHFLJCOUS4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732794286677},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Rosita Boland"}},"name":"Rosita Boland"}]},"description":{"basic":"A day spent in the Vincent de Paul southeast region office reveals the large number of requests from vulnerable seeking help with everything from food and utility bills to rent arrears and broken toilets"},"display_date":"2024-11-30T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"‘There could be two cars, but the fridge is empty’: Hidden poverty in middle-class Ireland","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"3CYMILO3VNAZFPPXZRLZVUR7AQ","auth":{"1":"17410ac65b0c4a472b687d631ff94a06bfd0b5f3b9dc6dd952ea081c90cadd02"},"focal_point":{"x":2743,"y":2403},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/3CYMILO3VNAZFPPXZRLZVUR7AQ.JPG"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/30/there-could-be-two-cars-but-the-fridge-is-empty-hidden-poverty-in-middle-class-ireland/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"3L3LYGK355CQXOYYAQO6VXPS2Q","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":258,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/1f183157-2efe-4190-8459-49dfec02b621/versions/1732788165/media/d7ead1e08384b5b103d91539b4dced29_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/30/prof-donal-o-shea-the-positioning-of-ronald-mcdonald-house-at-the-entrance-to-the-new-childrens-hospital-makes-me-angry/","content_elements":[{"_id":"KH6RUN7QARBPZFIHUKQTHZU6FM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732733281872},"content":"How agreeable are you?","type":"header"},{"_id":"QRFSECAKWNH6LK5LY7W6W3IKIQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732799245319},"content":"I think I’m very agreeable. And I score very high in agreeableness whenever those personality scores are done.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FXYZF2WFCBAP3KCSJP2PNKSV2E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732733281874},"content":"What’s your middle name and what do you think of it?","type":"header"},{"_id":"ZTP74K2QBBCCFDG3ZEBPKFCK5Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732799245321},"content":"Brendan. I’ve always liked it. My older brother was Diarmuid Donal. My father’s dad was Donal. The firstborn had to be called Donal, but he wasn’t, he was called Diarmuid. So when I arrived, I had to be called Donal, so that diplomatic relations could open up again in the family. Brendan is a random second name.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5WGRN4KM6NHKHHUU2XXM76MOJE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732733281875},"content":"Where is your favourite place in Ireland?","type":"header"},{"_id":"I5EH76JUMZAK3GYFCSMJTBNR2I","additional_properties":{"_id":1732799245323},"content":"Between Inchydoney and Kenmare. I love them both equally. Kenmare, because we’ve gone there since we were kids and the family roots are Kerry. And Inchydoney because it is rugged and west coast and the waves are amazing.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CBG5NPY6IFFIRCQYT7OXCJLJB4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732733281876},"content":"Describe yourself in three words","type":"header"},{"_id":"NQTY4KYG35CGBJBSGB5L6DZMQM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732799245325},"content":"Dogged. Ambitious. Empathetic.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GTSMMOFJOJHALPK3PJZFCNZQIE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732733281877},"content":"When did you last get angry?","type":"header"},{"_id":"QLV3MV6I5RBKFJPORLYNTO2PSQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732799245327},"content":"Yesterday. I don’t get angry often, but the positioning of Ronald McDonald House at the entrance to the new <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/national-childrens-hospital/\" target=\"_blank\">children’s hospital</a> is something that I have not been able to shake off or get past. To allow branding outside the most expensive hospital ever built remains just incredible to me – that the first thing you would see when you arrive, and the last thing you see when you leave the children’s hospital is brand management for McDonald’s. I saw the Ronald McDonald House going up very quickly and very efficiently, with a different developer to the children’s hospital building it. We have an obesity epidemic that is driven by ultra-processed foods and this is advertising.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OMIPMIITYBFEHIVGNVU7P76UXY","additional_properties":{"_id":"FMBDPWWBANFS7MWR3HR5DWFQHY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"URYFQXD3ZVAKJLSQSS76XYVOEM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732733281878},"content":"What have you lost that you would like to have back?","type":"header"},{"_id":"HRLJNLIOJNCXHJDA3JSYMTMTNA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732799245330},"content":"All our kids’ home movies and plays from when they were aged two to 11.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JA3TSSYBGVFAXILK6DSAVTNTOI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732733281879},"content":"What’s your strongest childhood memory?","type":"header"},{"_id":"GJXFVQBTDBE4TPZIFMNPIGUTMA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732799245332},"content":"I used to get really car sick as a kid. And I used to get my dad to blow smoke into the back seat because that helped me feel better. He’d be up in front of Tusla now. Whereas I thought it was an act of kindness back in the 70s. It just shows what we didn’t know.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6NET5TEY2NAUJG7GCCVWCKJK4U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732733281880},"content":"Where do you come in your family’s birth order, and has this defined you?","type":"header"},{"_id":"KD4YUVDJABAVDCIA5XLC5FJKII","additional_properties":{"_id":1732799245334},"content":"I’m the middle of three. And I’m an absolute middle child. I have three girls now and you can see a middle child is a middle child. You’re definitely not the eldest, and you’re definitely not the youngest in terms of how you’re treated by your parents.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IWGM5ZL5LVHYTLRZO3M2YN6YOY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732733281881},"content":"What do you expect to happen when you die?","type":"header"},{"_id":"JRMH57XUING7PORYX2MLP4MPTU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732799245336},"content":"I think it’s highly unlikely there was nothing before I landed on this planet. And it’s highly unlikely there’s nothing when I leave this planet. I think life continues in a different form, but we’ve no idea what that form is.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GFGSPY6ADJFBJGFVFVCLTY334U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732733281882},"content":"When were you happiest?","type":"header"},{"_id":"FQ4LRRZLGVBO5K4UMSZH6CI6H4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732799245338},"content":"I’m happiest in the now. I’ve been really trying to continuously work on that. To get our patients to work on being in the now, and being happy in the now. It is hard not to look back on your youth and the youth of a thousand summers and think of the line “youth is wasted on the young”. You don’t appreciate it in your teens and 20s. And then you appreciate it later on.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V3O64IMGRVCZRPROQ655YOFUHQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732733281883},"content":"Which actor would play you in a biopic about your life?","type":"header"},{"_id":"YKNYVBNTZFAYXENV2WPNQBFHI4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732799245340},"content":"If it was my choice, it would be Steve Martin. I’m mad about him. If it was my wife’s choice it would be Colin Firth. And then she would play herself opposite him.","type":"text"},{"_id":"77GKAIOTAREVZGTVYSNCCOFTKE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732733281884},"content":"What’s your biggest career/personal regret?","type":"header"},{"_id":"QAR2HB6MPNCZFBNOUJ6BXHXNFA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732799245342},"content":"A lot of people would come to me with suggestions around addressing obesity at population level, and I just haven’t had the opportunity to get back to them. That would be something I regret.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RZ2KAQQ5AJFVDKP4GRE5ODS27E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732733281885},"content":"Have you any psychological quirks?","type":"header"},{"_id":"NIVSV7E3UBEOBD4LCSLNDEE7EI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732799245344},"content":"With balconies or ledges, I feel a compulsion to either throw myself off, or fall off. It’s an irrational psychological thing for sure.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2TOYCOHJGRDZHNC4QUUGYZQSJA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732733281886},"content":"<i>In conversation with Jen Hogan</i>","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Jen Hogan"}},"name":"Jen Hogan"}]},"description":{"basic":"Prof Donal O’ Shea is the HSE lead on obesity and a regular commentator on the dangers of marketing ‘junk and fast food’ to children"},"display_date":"2024-11-30T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Prof Donal O’ Shea: ‘The positioning of Ronald McDonald House at the entrance to the new children’s hospital makes me angry’","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"APOKUOEUS56FINWOQIK6RJKS5E","auth":{"1":"28c208fb9038200b8f66022de16967eac40b0654cff8b4c4a15105ce083b07d3"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/APOKUOEUS56FINWOQIK6RJKS5E.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Health"},{"name":"Your Wellness"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/30/prof-donal-o-shea-the-positioning-of-ronald-mcdonald-house-at-the-entrance-to-the-new-childrens-hospital-makes-me-angry/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"YQNJAGQXUBCVJG3VF6GW2P436U","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":802,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/bd18eb93-6cf4-44bf-80cb-e0be95728b84/versions/1732719134/media/947b523d20c1255ec3cff9797d39aac5_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/30/ukrainians-on-the-threat-of-trump-there-should-be-no-concessions-because-this-is-our-territory/","content_elements":[{"_id":"WJYG3BL6CFDRLJK433OM56ABCI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620869},"content":"After fighting for nearly three years against <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/russia/\" target=\"_blank\">Russia’s </a>all-out invasion, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/world/europe/ukraine-war/\" target=\"_blank\">Ukrainians</a> now fear that their chief ally, the United States, may try to force them to forsake part of their country in a deal with the Kremlin when <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/donald-trump/\" target=\"_blank\">Donald Trump</a> returns to the White House.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AHZONAMWSZGPDKKKEJS577BC44","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620871},"content":"“That would mean the state betraying its own citizens,” says Oksana Zayarina, an accountant who was imprisoned and tortured by Russians when they seized Berdyansk in southeastern Ukraine. “People living under occupation are waiting for Ukraine to come back.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"4JPK2OZ67FCXXNMEU42LYVZIU4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620872},"content":"No one knows how Trump plans to prove his claim that he only needs one day to end Europe’s biggest war since 1945, but the Kremlin says no peace is possible unless Ukraine gives up five provinces forever - Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia and Crimea - and abandons its ambition to join Nato.","type":"text"},{"_id":"W5B6X7GTWBCI5BGWJWHLSMGVTA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732883343744},"content":"Any deal to legalise Moscow’s land grab is unacceptable for Zayarina and millions of other Ukrainians who are now trying to survive occupation or dreaming, like her, of returning to their hometowns when they are liberated.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PLSD3PERLNB53PNKRQ7GLSESAM","additional_properties":{"_id":"TGHZYQ2AFBFWTE4E5PAGKHAYOE"},"content":"<iframe title=\"\" aria-label=\"Locator map\" id=\"datawrapper-chart-qNTWy\" src=\"https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/qNTWy/1/\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;\" height=\"675\" data-external=\"1\"></iframe><script type=\"text/javascript\">!function(){\"use strict\";window.addEventListener(\"message\",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[\"datawrapper-height\"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(\"iframe\");for(var t in a.data[\"datawrapper-height\"])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data[\"datawrapper-height\"][t]+\"px\";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();\n<\/script>","type":"raw_html"},{"_id":"W5B6X7GTWBCI5BGWJWHLSMGVTA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732883343746},"content":"Moscow’s military seized Berdyansk, a small port and resort on the Azov Sea 75km from Mariupol, a few days after launching a full-scale war on Ukraine in February 2022 that displaced some 14 million people.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VIDLS7SPVREYNJEZY7CEEIKAKU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620875},"content":"Zayarina (55) and husband Mykhailo (68) did not hide their loyalty to Ukraine, refused to take a Russian passport or any form of aid from the occupiers and continued to help a local volunteer group until it was shut down in April 2022 and some of its members were arrested along with local officials.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NC4H2IUEB5HJJE4GTU5TFFMHWA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620876},"content":"“We realised then that we were really under occupation and it wouldn’t end quickly. We had been waiting for things to change but more and more people were leaving Berdyansk, including people who had fled there from Mariupol. I just didn’t go quickly enough,” she recalls.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CLZSFKY5TBDB5E2KN42FABCMW4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620877},"content":"Zayarina had packed a suitcase to leave for Kyiv-controlled territory on July 1st. Then she would travel to the safety of western Ukraine and decide whether to stay and work there or go abroad, while sending money home to Mykhailo and visiting him whenever she could. But shortly before midnight on June 25th the Russians came to their house.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AIDAO5AJLVAGVPOQIS35IC24J4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620878},"content":"Soldiers and officers from Russia’s FSB security service searched the house with sniffer dogs, apparently looking for weapons or other evidence of links to pro-Ukrainian resistance in Berdyansk. Then the couple were taken to a former police station and put in separate cells in the basement.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DO5MHSTTRZBFPOKFICWE6K2M6U","additional_properties":{"_id":"ECNQ3IUIUFEDNA2KGZDCXCF2WQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"S2MVCZUOYZG5BAY7EDLYPV6Z2Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620879},"content":"Interrogations began that night and continued the following day, with men in balaclavas demanding information about Zayarina’s friends and acquaintances and her supposed co-operation with Ukraine’s military and security services.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NQJLAK37FZD6RLAGH7F5NRCWUE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620880},"content":"“It was completely terrifying, because I already knew what they did to people they detained,” Zayarina says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"23KBXISMV5GQDD5THWF7SV5RAU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620881},"content":"“They started threatening me, pressuring me, saying they would bring my husband into the room and beat him in front of me, and that if I didn’t confess I would be ... imprisoned for 10 years and no one would know what had happened to me.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YEENDAXNYZGMDGTLOMMVKWP7AA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620882},"content":"“They brought in a black device and asked if I knew what it was ... They said now we’re going to interrogate you and you will admit to everything. Then they attached wires to my legs and began turning on the current.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"UYXTGUYTKVCIXJH5CTBWTRIWNI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620883},"content":"Zayarina remembers screaming in pain but does not know how long the torture lasted. Then she was taken away and put in a cramped solitary confinement cell with three other women.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EWH2D7Y6BRHSJEQLUJSBYKRDAY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620884},"content":"“They warned us that if something happened in the city, they would blame us and kill me. They had found a small axe among my husband’s tools during the search of our home, and said they would stick it in my head,” she says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OBN4FN7GYVF45LZOY5NGWQB76Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620885},"content":"“They took a girl of 19 for interrogation and threatened to rape her. And every day we heard how they tortured men, how they brought them in for questioning, beat them badly using truncheons and wooden hammers, and how they electrocuted them. I was so worried about my husband but they didn’t call him for interrogation.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"6UETGQD7VZHIROOZZMAJDHMBYY","additional_properties":{"_id":"XAF4ADHBDRAWZGH5J7SPRJ6FDA"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"4QUNNQ3WPJCXNKW4JFZM5TD6J4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620886},"content":"During more than 80 days in captivity, Zayarina saw Mykhailo only a handful of times and could exchange just a few words with him.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EEXJG5Z4JNGAXIADIYBP2SCUTE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620887},"content":"“One day the guards told me to get my things because I was being taken to another facility,” she recalls. “As I was being moved, I saw my husband standing facing a wall. I asked for permission to approach him and the guard allowed it. My husband told me: ‘Don’t say anything. We just need to survive this.’”","type":"text"},{"_id":"QMQDG7GQQZAC3C2CCPHOMJP3OU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620888},"content":"They did survive, and after Zayarina was released in September 2022 they left Berdyansk and moved to Kyiv. She describes what she went through as only a “tiny fraction” of what many of her compatriots endure at the hands of the occupiers; last month, it was discovered that award-winning Ukrainian journalist <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/world/europe/2024/10/13/death-of-journalist-victoria-roshchyna-while-in-detention-in-russia-condemned-by-eu-and-us/\" target=\"_blank\">Victoria Roshchyna</a> (27) had died in captivity after being jailed in Berdyansk and then transferred to Russia.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5FZ2QLSNGVD67G5SE5NB5EEVK4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620889},"content":"“A person cannot be Ukrainian in occupied territory,” says Yelyzaveta Sokurenko, head of war crimes documentation at the Zmina centre for human rights in Kyiv.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2GFRY7MDS5HEPJ67CQ5FT7NTOA","additional_properties":{"_id":"UMTHWOWA5JG5ZFVISCQPL2XKJY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"2I2MHQENDRG5ZLAAMX2KN4256Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620890},"content":"For the estimated five million people now living in occupied areas, communicating in Ukrainian is effectively banned and any display of the national language or symbols is crushed; Zayarina recalls how her captors described her in case documents as a “pro-Ukrainian activist/extremist” simply because she opposed the invasion.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HK46D6Z3AJH4VHC5DUP4EVCEZM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620891},"content":"No Russian law enforcement agency or court will protect a Ukrainian in Moscow-held territory, where any refusal to accept Kremlin rule is punished.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EHF5R5BHMZC7PJTYMGJX5YGZDQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620892},"content":"“We see cases of forcible ‘passportisation’, when Russian citizenship is imposed on Ukrainian civilians – without a Russian passport you’ll have no access to social or medical services and the Russians will take it as a sign that you’re not loyal to them,” Sokurenko says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CK55EJHOWZDO5ADARE5P4H7YAA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620893},"content":"“People in occupied areas tell us that they can’t even call an ambulance, because they would need an insurance number that’s only available with a Russian passport,” she explains.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4XI3KKX5OFHM7PXTAIELMTYURQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620894},"content":"“There is no opportunity for kids who want to study in Ukrainian to do so online. One of the main Russian practices when it occupies territory is to take immediate control of the education system. Russia wants to indoctrinate and militarise Ukrainian children.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"L6TF7IY3VJDT7K4EFD744JVTA4","additional_properties":{"_id":"MMSFGF55SVBVLATQ7WKBGJJVQE"},"content":"How Ireland became ‘kind of a small motherland’ for Ukrainian children","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"QWEDFA23IBEV7MFRWTDGRCVPRI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620895},"content":"Kyiv says at least 20,000 Ukrainian children have been forcibly transferred to Russia, in a practice that <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/world/europe/2023/03/17/icc-issues-arrest-warrant-for-vladimir-putin-over-alleged-war-crimes/\" target=\"_blank\">prompted the International Criminal Court to issue an arrest warrant for Russian president Vladimir Putin</a> and one of his officials in 2023.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NVLGGKSPNJAKHLHFAUZBVRYNWU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620896},"content":"Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said this month that it “might be the largest state-run child-kidnapping operation in history.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"FB2GNCQVRBAEXF5BEVAROOFJAQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620897},"content":"“They are subjected to indoctrination, forced Russian citizenship, adoption or foster placement with Russian families and even name changes,” he added. “These actions by Russia violate the Genocide Convention, UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the Fourth Geneva Convention.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"552CHJOO6RBOXGMSODQDIFNLBU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620898},"content":"International organisations such as the Red Cross and United Nations agencies have extremely limited access to occupied areas, which helps Russia hide its treatment of Ukrainian civilians and much of the death and destruction caused by its takeover.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OUVSOGF4AFC6BBLNVRJO62HVS4","additional_properties":{"_id":"VHRYPAUGVFBWDLYTWZIX63KX7I"},"content":"Ukraine’s children of war: A boy blurts out, ‘My dad got killed at Bakhmut!’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"PGXQ6WKY3NCYJPNYV2FWLPHYQU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620899},"content":"The office of Ukraine’s prosecutor general says it has opened investigations into the illegal detention of some 14,000 Ukrainian civilians in occupied areas and has recorded more than 140,000 war crimes during the full-scale invasion.","type":"text"},{"_id":"O5WP4T7F7BEC3IV4R2PJ3FQA5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620900},"content":"“The list of Russian atrocities committed in Ukraine proves that the current international tools are not working. We need new mechanisms to ensure accountability for the crime of aggression and all subsequent crimes. If this requires setting a precedent, let’s set a precedent,” Sybiha said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CB55F6YAGZDOVJC2SHHWEDU3GY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620901},"content":"Yet instead of breaking the mould, Trump is expected to propose a variation on the kind of land-for-peace deal that failed so catastrophically last century – giving an aggressor at least part of what he wants in the hope he will be satisfied and stop there.","type":"text"},{"_id":"P7VYBZMDNBAAXEGPF7FZJKHM3U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620902},"content":"Ukraine’s Crimean Tatar community, most of which strongly opposed the Kremlin’s illegal annexation of the Black Sea peninsula in 2014, has already said it would not accept any agreement that abandoned its homeland to permanent Russian occupation.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7OG2MR3YJ5GFZGHI4F6NZQMEII","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620903},"content":"“No decision regarding the territorial affiliation of the Crimean peninsula ... can be made without the express will of the indigenous Crimean Tatar people and the agreement of the Ukrainian state,” said a statement issued this month by the Mejlis, the Crimean Tatar assembly that Russia has banned as an “extremist” organisation.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QEZK3SNHRZBVPL36E6YKRPLAW4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620904},"content":"“The Mejlis ... is sure that any concessions to the territorial encroachment of the Russian Federation on Crimea and other occupied lands of Ukraine will not only fail to bring the anticipated peace but will also become a factor in the emergence of new military and political conflicts,” the assembly warned.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GFOWHLKFN5HQLBQIYFPU7TA2WI","additional_properties":{"_id":"5B3UHUYPR5EYLD7JZQNVMPW6MI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"SSJ5EJRCSNBRRMA5R272KZ6PTY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620905},"content":"For most of his seven months in Russian captivity, Ukrainian businessman Hryhorii Holovko was held in a detention centre in Kalanchak close to northern Crimea, crammed with 10 or more other prisoners into a cell designed for three.","type":"text"},{"_id":"U45ACF5BDJFWXG5O3TLNLYIVPY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620906},"content":"Prisoners were not allowed to see their families and could only maintain contact with them by smuggling tiny notes into and out of the jail in bags of laundry that relatives would wash and return.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WOHNKWCHANEFVKBFOWYVHOXKUM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620907},"content":"“When someone got a clothes package, everyone in the cell would take everything out and search every piece of clothing for a hidden note. It could be a little strip of paper saying something like: ‘We are alive, the kids are okay, we love you, we are waiting for you,’” says Holovko (41), who received such messages from his wife Iryna and their two young boys.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MV3CX4PTJBH7FJEBBEIUBLT5XA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620908},"content":"He had been detained in October 2022 in the market where he ran a shop in Hola Prystan, a town on the Dnipro river in the southeastern Kherson region, on suspicion of giving information to Ukrainian forces to help them target Russian troops in the area.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JGLKMXUGRJBD7KRPBSD2ULZVCA","additional_properties":{"_id":"JFRO4XU57JE75LPD74VGIIKXIY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"IKWBYCGZQVEXBDKF2XPXNUA7O4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620909},"content":"In the local police station he was punched and kicked and shocked with an electric stun gun, before being loaded into a car and taken to a field where Russian soldiers continued to beat him and burned him with cigarettes. One of them put a gun to his head and threatened to execute him before shooting to the side.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PU4YI45KKBHIPM3LH5N5P4SC6M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620910},"content":"Back at the station, they broke Holovko’s thumb with a blow from a gun and carved RF for “Russian Federation” into one of his buttocks with a knife.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6P6MDEBQOZAKZC6PRPW5FI7E2Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620911},"content":"About two weeks later, Holovko and three other civilian detainees were moved to Kalanchak, where he says the guards forced them to sing the Russian national anthem while telling them “their history of the world” according to Kremlin propaganda.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MZ6LF3KHA5BZ5OPURVAP63KRCU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620912},"content":"“Newcomers were taken out into the corridor at midnight and forced to sing the anthem until four or five in the morning ... Anyone who forgot the words or made mistakes was punched or given an electric shock.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"OD7HQFOAKFFBLJZFR2VS4PCSCM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620913},"content":"Holovko was freed in May 2023 and finally left occupied territory later that year with his family, travelling to the safety of Kyiv-controlled Ukraine via a nerve-racking journey through Crimea and Russia itself.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KM7KMUPAH5FE3O35MMASE2LDKI","additional_properties":{"_id":"H3UVPYA2CBHJBI4XIYHLDSPSNI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"5LI2ABLZSZED5GGLD73VYJP6KM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620914},"content":"Just as Zayarina dreams of going back to Berdyansk, so Holovko is determined to return to Hola Prystan, even though his family home was badly flooded when the Russian-occupied Kakhovka dam on the Dnipro exploded three weeks after his release.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VWWFG44ACZDELCKPWRKC3RR4NY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620915},"content":"“It’s still my land and it’s home – the place I rode my first bike, first scraped my knees, had my first kiss,” he says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BBKXPQLXMBB65CSO2SI6RIMDAQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620916},"content":"“There should be no concessions because this is our territory, our people live there and many of them are hoping and waiting for Ukraine to return. People I talk to there ask me if Ukraine has forgotten about them. I tell them no, of course not, our [military] guys are working and doing what they have to do.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"5JGXACANK5FANE6FO4XZG45CUE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620917},"content":"Trump prides himself on being a dealmaker, and in advance of his inauguration on January 20th, 2025, speculation will surely grow over what territory he could press Ukraine to abandon in exchange for some sort of peace agreement with Russia.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DKSWLBDWXNF6ZLT6TNQGEYI6CQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620918},"content":"“That would be devastating for people living in occupation,” says Sokurenko. “We see that Russia has a policy of persecuting civilians. Basic human rights are violated every day ... You can’t be Ukrainian there – your identity will be blurred and your kids won’t know their identity, and they might be forced to participate in some other Russian war.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"IJZSV5SGFFGDFFHUX4MGIOHPLI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620919},"content":"If occupied territory were bargained away, Zayarina might never again see her 75-year-old father, who still lives in a Russian-held area.","type":"text"},{"_id":"S2ZR6GBDKFFZJJ5YA5AMMDR7R4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620920},"content":"“He is waiting,” Zayarina says, before recalling a friend who stayed in Berdyansk to care for her seriously ill mother, and who was asked by many friends who fled occupation to keep an eye on their homes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HWV6V7XBFBCYPLG3DZUNV367TY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620921},"content":"Zayarina remembers her friend telling her: “I will stay and wait. After all, someone has to be here to greet our soldiers when they arrive.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"VJBGAGPFSBC3PIY4VNOSLJWCII","additional_properties":{"_id":1732716620922},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"YCDY6C2IB5FUNMX3YVDX7FFP3I","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Daniel McLaughlin"}},"name":"Daniel McLaughlin"}]},"description":{"basic":"In advance of Trump’s inauguration, speculation grows over what territory he could press Ukraine to abandon for a peace agreement with Russia"},"display_date":"2024-11-30T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Ukrainians on the threat of Trump: ‘There should be no concessions because this is our territory’","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"EIL2X5QBDVCT7G66IBYWZX4GJM","auth":{"1":"7782b8627e4589e56a2b960f7c5d568a958f1fcb9f7e22f5d363e8460bec165e"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/EIL2X5QBDVCT7G66IBYWZX4GJM.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"World"},{"name":"Europe"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/30/ukrainians-on-the-threat-of-trump-there-should-be-no-concessions-because-this-is-our-territory/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"2F26EE4TAZBBRPNHBDDKO7RZ3M","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":1770,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/d4b60f52-d110-41af-bb54-2f5143e83670/versions/1732018424/media/94a350f09f88e6244190214d4debb594_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/30/christmas-gift-ideas-100-irish-websites-to-get-your-shopping-sorted/","content_elements":[{"_id":"YV6LLN55JFBGRMIAAIN5VSGWSM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175573},"content":"Food and drink","type":"header"},{"_id":"RIW3FREHXBFGTOBJ4745ABUC6Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175574},"content":"<a href=\"http://mezze.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">mezze.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"66A7J7VKCNCFTJEY7F4AX63L44","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981887},"content":"This is a small independent deli and shop based in Tramore, Co <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/waterford/\" target=\"_blank\">Waterford</a>, with a range of unique, food-focused gift options for Christmas. One eye-catching option is inspired by the bustling markets of the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/world/middle-east/\" target=\"_blank\">Middle East</a> and packed with high-quality Middle Eastern foods, house-made Mezze products, and a selection of Irish ingredients from small producers, all presented in a <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/morocco/\" target=\"_blank\">Moroccan</a> straw basket.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6CHE77ASCRFVDJOVAYRV6E2QWQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175575},"content":"<a href=\"http://www.burrenpremiumbeef.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">burrenpremiumbeef.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"CLL6LM5BIZDXJF5TCAGLFMWKSY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981889},"content":"Where’s the beef, you might ask, if you’re of a particular vintage and half-remember 1980s ads for <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/united-states/\" target=\"_blank\">US</a> fast-food restaurants. Well, it turns out it’s in the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/burren/\" target=\"_blank\">Burren</a>. If you’re struggling to buy for the person who has everything or wants nothing, this site delivers fresh Beef Boxes nationwide.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OIR7HLJ5JFF2HN4YXOZPIY75AY","additional_properties":{"_id":"3QMAUYSBVNF5HDMNJL2Q2JCBKM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"O3H7KIO7ZBBVTINVLGEVBKG4BI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175576},"content":"<a href=\"https://indiefude.com/This\" target=\"_blank\">indiefude.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"R676CIMAIBGG7EEWSFC4K2PUM4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981891},"content":"This site stocks some top-notch produce from all over the island of Ireland and has all manner of delicious-looking gift hampers, as well as some great Irish cheeses and charcuterie.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PHZGBJCQ7RDOHNEYBWLZPV42FE","additional_properties":{"_id":"CBI4PPZP4BD6XDKWTWDWF3YPDM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"4UGUE6EOSZDFNBCRQUGGLXO44Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175577},"content":"<a href=\"http://www.kinsalemeadco.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">kinsalemeadco.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"T5QD7MLA45FFTC45RB5WM6CW54","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981894},"content":"Mead isn’t typically the type of drink you might order in your local pub or even find on the shelves of your local supermarket, which is why it might make a nice present for those who like the odd uncommon tipple. There are many different types of mead, some of which marry the distilling traditions of Ireland and the US.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6OD2B3AZ5BHTNO2IZO6NZKKEHY","additional_properties":{"_id":"CKNQU44WDRHDJBLRNNNTWXZZPM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"QOAYE4YNKFFNPGHUQJHMZFQBHE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175578},"content":"<a href=\"http://builinblasta.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">builinblasta.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"ENQSNZGZQZEZNDV3QPHON2P2IQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981896},"content":"This Galway-based cafe, bakery and food-production business specialises in handmade, award-winning condiments (including its “infamous” smoked onion mayo). Its hampers combine its own products with other top Irish products, cheeses and wines.","type":"text"},{"_id":"W35Z2RCKKBBEPL74ORW47CB65I","additional_properties":{"_id":"OAFPCVTL4BE5PIQOT6SFMV66WQ"},"content":"Festive fashion: what to wear for Christmas party season","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"Q2BRQD6BQZEXRPQIISDPV454QU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175579},"content":"<a href=\"http://www.kinnegarbrewing.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">kinnegarbrewing.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"AJ6GRVORGVBQFL2HOQEFPJB6HQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981899},"content":"In search of beer that is, as they put it, “great for gifting or filling up the fridge”? Along with your beverages, you’ll find “a collection of Kinnegar merch and giftpacks that should suit most budgets”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HS7M4LQXSBEEBLBXABWBUICXKM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175580},"content":"<a href=\"http://stillgardendistillery.com/\" target=\"_blank\">stillgardendistillery.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"67UMXSVU6RA7DH2RDAVAUIBEZI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981902},"content":"You will find some gorgeous and unique-looking – and we’re only talking about the bottles here – spirits from this Dublin distillery, including flavoured gins and vodka with “as many fresh, local and sustainably grown botanicals as we can capture”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WLOKGX6FZFHJFEZP7CQH4MDQXY","additional_properties":{"_id":"TYUPMASYHZBSHJ2GA5AE5HGYDM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"HLAUQS2TMNAH5JQKCHTCDYWYCU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175581},"content":"<a href=\"http://www.burrensmokehouse.com/\" target=\"_blank\">burrensmokehouse.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"VE4UFFTYDVAJRFJHIC63Y3RRQI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981905},"content":"Burren Smokehouse hampers are a celebration of culinary excellence from local producers, featuring signature Burren Smoked Irish Organic Salmon in varying flavours, alongside an assortment of artisan cheeses, decadent chocolates and tasty crackers, to name but a few.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UP3R256RFVFIPNVC2FI35T5NNM","additional_properties":{"_id":"U4NOO4UNUFDGDHNQUZOD7ZRLVI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"CTQODR3DRFHMTFU5PAQHBFULOA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175582},"content":"<a href=\"http://frankhederman.com/\" target=\"_blank\">frankhederman.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"JPB2NPUTMJDDTCTYHPERCPHUOM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981907},"content":"The Hedermans of Cork have been smoking salmon for more than 40 years and have really nailed their Christmas offering with some fine-looking sides of salmon and more, all wrapped up in a bow, or at least some nice wrapping.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DEQUS34I45HJFOKQNU6DM6JOKM","additional_properties":{"_id":"OWPOPE56V5AALGILYJ4P535KDE"},"content":"Christmas gifts for the foodie who has everything","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"EDWLX7GY2JAVFGGQWHQFRQGZXI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175583},"content":"<a href=\"http://sheridanscheesemongers.com/\" target=\"_blank\">sheridanscheesemongers.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"ARIO3HLELNCBZG6SBAUMHNYOXA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981910},"content":"The cheese kings of Ireland have some wonderful hampers made up of cheese – obviously – cured meats, crackers, relishes, wines and more, with a fine range of other gifts including cookery books and kitchen accessories as well as class tickets for virtual and in-person events.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2MDAQHXGHFDGNJ3VZB3X23SL3Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175584},"content":"<a href=\"http://hazelmountainchocolate.com/\" target=\"_blank\">hazelmountainchocolate.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"2QXLXTDXBZH5VHDSIAKC5254YE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981912},"content":"Here you will find chocolate “crafted directly from sustainable cacao beans” on the Burren. There are chocolate baubles, chocolate wreaths, truffles, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, cardamom chocolate, vegan chocolate and award-winning hot chocolate. In short, there is a whole lot of chocolate here and it is all delicious.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JLUVJVTEQJCRVIKKHANSAKGLEU","additional_properties":{"_id":"UWOHQNEFCVDVLECIHUHDXRQVSQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"F5XEMCQZ3BBSHINVZJIVIX75JY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175585},"content":"<a href=\"http://www.cashelblue.com/\" target=\"_blank\">cashelblue.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"7D34KDJQARFR7IRD77B5D5JTYY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981915},"content":"Blessed are the cheesemakers, and few deserve blessing more than the company that broadened so many horizons with award-winning cheeses going all the way back to 1984. The site has hampers, individual cheese and merch including tote bags and T-shirts for the real cheese lover in your life.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7J52A7DENJBILAGF7INGR7C3LI","additional_properties":{"_id":"RI6X7M2D7RCMRF4XW4LJUU32OI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"7Y23GW27KFFWHLR322CGRGD56M","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175586},"content":"<a href=\"http://grachocolates.com/\" target=\"_blank\">grachocolates.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"TAX3GS3VD5BYTDWLDQXE5RSKVY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981918},"content":"Ireland is suddenly spoiled for choice when it comes to artisan chocolatiers and Grá, with its home in Galway, is one of the leading lights. The business continues to grow and, along with this site, you should be able to find it in the likes of Brown Thomas.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TFD3ZWWYEFAABOAXIU3KHV6YGI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175587},"content":"<a href=\"http://cheeseandchutney.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">cheeseandchutney.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"YS37QUHMUZCL3AA6MFDV6VFV5Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981920},"content":"You will never guess what this site sells ... “From stunning grazing tables and abundant cheese platters to our festive cheese wreaths and Christmas gifting options, we’ve got you,” the site says, promising “the finest Irish and local flavours, beautifully crafted and ready to impress”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"B5VX5NUMIBEPPALVPLGM2TVET4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175589},"content":"Cosmetics","type":"header"},{"_id":"WHF64PCDV33TPARBY5AYCSVWNU","additional_properties":{"_id":"5WQMJHMYANBETFPRJOEOZETBPU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"G6BBPJVBUJHF7HYHVHKS5DFR6E","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175590},"content":"<a href=\"http://thehandmadesoapcompany.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">thehandmadesoapcompany.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"NBM4LJ2NK5F6NBQNAZWUYW746I","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981925},"content":"If you could smell this website you’d appreciate the quality of the products it sells. It has things to make homes and humans smell lovely.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PKM6WL6KZZCZFHR6Z3VJHNIG6M","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175591},"content":"<a href=\"http://www.oxmantownskincare.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">oxmantownskincare.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"EOBYP35PNBAVBHC7PRDUODBSEA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981927},"content":"A natural skincare business based in Dublin’s Stoneybatter, it is certified vegan and cruelty free and makes all its products locally by hand using natural, organic and botanical ingredients. This Christmas it has curated three gift boxes to “share the gift of self-care”, with everything sustainably packaged, obvs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WCH5V5JABRFFVCYHHLV2YBYA74","additional_properties":{"_id":"AWELBGXTNNEW5GL4ZMOM3V2PCU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"4CZWVRA4R5CK5NHWP7XKI3QHWU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175592},"content":"<a href=\"http://palmfreeirishsoap.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">palmfreeirishsoap.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"4SR6Y6E2X5DTDOIR7CRK5SMXYQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981929},"content":"This Clare-based family business has been selling ethical and environmentally friendly alternatives to mainstream soaps, shower gels and washing powders for 30 years. If you want plastic and palm-oil-free alternatives, this is where you should be looking.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KJDCVHP6UVETBKQOTU3TAM2TZA","additional_properties":{"_id":"HHOGEJZYJJBUNDV6YAHDM3ZHBY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"X7CT3H6C6FFMHFEQRFOHDLVRKM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175593},"content":"<a href=\"http://skingredients.com/\" target=\"_blank\">skingredients.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"YDA36IYG7FFOBLIFMVTCQ2S3BY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981931},"content":"This skin care company has been making waves at home and abroad over the past couple of years, and with good reason. Not only is it all really good but it is driven by sustainability – and the number coding on the bottles makes it all very easy to use.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MYYAM55BTJHO7J7GAPSGHRDQZQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"AJETGHHKPRA3DNBCADUZEI54QU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"JKM3JA6Z4FDVFPLEZ3TN4LOXHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175594},"content":"<a href=\"http://kinvaraskincare.com/\" target=\"_blank\">kinvaraskincare.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"GZZE23VQTVAMDIZ3OOLB7IHVIU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636965011},"content":"Here you will find cleansers, scrubs, gift sets and serums all from a west-of-Ireland company set up by a scientist – Dr Joanne Reilly – who was prompted to act as she struggled to find skincare products for her own “tricky skin”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SLKBBQZ3GRAFNJY3BBV25N3UK4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175595},"content":"<a href=\"http://www.sananaturals.ie/\">sananaturals.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"5ORSQKP6CBHCNIVLTKOPV3UQ7Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732636965013},"content":"This site contains a collection of natural multifunctional skincare products that, they say, “help restore the skin’s healthy balance, with minimum products and effort”.<b> </b>Oh, and all the products are handmade.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7EXCJO26VZCOLN7SAOFTJ46RJE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175598},"content":"Toys","type":"header"},{"_id":"4UKGHMQDNBHYVCN5YLHTSLLVTQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175599},"content":"<a href=\"http://mimitoys.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">mimitoys.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"R7NPTV47CBAEFBJIXVK7ASJLEE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981937},"content":"Here you will find a wide selection of toys, games and puppets that encourage children’s natural talents, appetite for learning and sense of humour. A range from birth to preteens; no battery-operated toys or toys that follow a heavily branded character or trend.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4SNKT7Y5PBBCTH76QJVD4ZJFYI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175600},"content":"<a href=\"http://toycorner.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">toycorner.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"6NMEHIMZL5GEXKA5FX5MQLXMFI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981939},"content":"This site is run by a woman with a young family who is “currently captaining the ship into chaos season with an eight-week-old and almost three-year-old in tow”. As she says herself, she doesn’t “look like most toyshop owners these days, and yet I resemble my customers the closest”. The award-winning site recently celebrated its fifth birthday and allows people to shop more than 3,000 products by age, brand, price or category.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CTVDMPNFS5DEFCWDPOHBHRX5SE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175601},"content":"<a href=\"http://sensorylearningsupplies.com/\" target=\"_blank\">sensorylearningsupplies.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"PLCH6JE4EJB7DC54L62ZJPK2WY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981942},"content":"While this site sells toys for all children, it retains a laser-sharp focus on toys and games that will have a special appeal to kids with additional needs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XUW2ZPLIFJFWXLMYM3T3RZMIXU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175602},"content":"<a href=\"http://www.duffystoyworld.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">duffystoyworld.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"D4HRFJKF35DWREFKBCBR6M7RCA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981944},"content":"This site promises a “meticulously curated selection of toys, games, and festive treasures”. You can expect classic wooden toys and modern interactive gadgets, with “each item chosen with care to inspire creativity and joy”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EZAODFFK7ND2DLV4G6OBXAZJB4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175603},"content":"<a href=\"http://www.lulabug.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">lulabug.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"ENJ7V7HKN5BU3C4EGRYGNW2T2E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981946},"content":"Toy shop based in Wicklow selling everything from wooden toys, educational toys and arts and crafts, to audio players and books, including Yoto audio players and accessories.","type":"text"},{"_id":"U6KEGXGKLFFWJHUEOHQASEBH2Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175604},"content":"<a href=\"http://worldofwondertoys.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">worldofwondertoys.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"EA5DPV6PLRB5PP7JAHV6CZSPB4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981948},"content":"This Munster-based site is groaning under the weight of all the toys it sells and we have no doubt you’ll be able to find something to bring a smile to the face of the little ones closest to you here.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MI3KG4GFHVC6ZIBXZIDRVOCUSQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"EXU4ZMSAXNBGDM5YM6SHQ4EDOI"},"content":"Christmas tech for kids: great gift ideas with safety features for parental peace of mind","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"MBUD2QFF5ZC3XJLQCCN5YOKQ2Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175605},"content":"<a href=\"http://littledreamers.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">littledreamers.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"VROOXMO7GZFS3OJ35MPCPOYFIA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981950},"content":"We got lost on this site wandering through a maze of amazing-looking doll’s houses and play houses and the type of bunk beds you might have dreamed of as a child. You will also find all manner of other wooden toys.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6OB7T4PQKFEAFABVA7NZ4Q65FQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175606},"content":"<a href=\"http://woodenheart.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">woodenheart.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"7GRJ3O2BKRC4JN4EEVZH3RAUKQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981952},"content":"This Galway-based toy shop has been selling “ethical, safe and high quality wooden toys and unique gifts” for more than 40 years. The toys are lovely and the absence of plastic is a thing of wonder.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QJDE4VKSZJDIFHXPOTQHQI4LMY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175607},"content":"<a href=\"http://jiminy.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">jiminy.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"CZUCSXU2EFCQ3NF6LVJWMIN6G4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981954},"content":"What is this shop? We will let them tell you themselves. “Our toys delight both the child and their planet. They’re climate kind and minimal waste – made locally from plants or waste (recycled materials) – and full of joy”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XXCATABP25C5XIWFETQDVW7LXQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"CTXSQK3HDBAGDGTEOM7AZVYO5A"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"ZM5FATBP3JE2VIBOFWSPI63RSU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175608},"content":"<a href=\"http://nimblefingers.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">nimblefingers.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"WIKFGLYPZNEL7FATGZDBNGMRTY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981956},"content":"It is not every toyshop that can lay claim to the Late Late Toy Show, but this place can. Its physical footprint is small but the family behind the business have a keen eye for what makes a toy work.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NHN2PWI4LJHUBCBCZTVSXMGAIU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175609},"content":"<a href=\"http://maypolelane.com/\" target=\"_blank\">maypolelane.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"J6ER4WVTIFA27P6QKAKUCYVR4M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981958},"content":"What is Maypole Lane? Well, it is a site that looks to “create a fun space for families by offering a handpicked collection of unique, high-quality children’s toys, clothing, books and gifts, inspiring joy, creativity and learning.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZNDP2L2GIVBJRDBX3K4J62QLUY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175610},"content":"<a href=\"http://cogsthebrainshop.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">cogsthebrainshop.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"33ATVEYNP5B53NEEIROUHJVWT4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981960},"content":"In the run-up to last Christmas we spent a day – or a morning, at least – with the folk behind this site, so have first-hand experience of how much they care about the toys and games they sell. And how good they are at picking the best of presents that will keep people of all ages wildly entertained while also making them, maybe, a little bit smarter, but in the very best of ways.","type":"text"},{"_id":"54V6Z5ZPNVFJDEWBCDRQS7KH6U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175612},"content":"Clothes","type":"header"},{"_id":"EA45WE6EBFELFMJXRWFKWR6BF4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175613},"content":"<a href=\"http://freshcutsclothing.com/\" target=\"_blank\">freshcutsclothing.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"TV75HXRWIFFRTBXD464KFYCCSM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981964},"content":"This is a really cool Irish fashion brand, with some of the best clothes you will find anywhere. As well as designing its own ranges – for men, women and children – it has collabs with other makers with a keen emphasis on sustainability and doing the right thing. Not something you can say about every business operating in this space.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TENG3OU4BFHKHFN35I335OOCHE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175614},"content":"<a href=\"http://hannahats.com/\" target=\"_blank\">hannahats.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"53GM7ZOMQVAJHEJK55GWPYTEJA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981966},"content":"Flat caps, newsboy caps, duckbill caps, walking hats, bucket hats – whatever you want to have on your head, the Hannas from Donegal will have it covered.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6LTCCJKZE5HHVL455IVDPGMCFE","additional_properties":{"_id":"PGANRUGZVBA3XKCGAQ3V4O6XR4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"L2ZYJNW43FAX5EVDXRJNWC72YE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175615},"content":"<a href=\"http://magee1866.com/\" target=\"_blank\">magee1866.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"CK7LC4XFKRBI7D6VLEFHGTU25I","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981969},"content":"And, speaking of Donegal, we can’t forget Magee, an old-school Irish clothes shop that sells Donegal tweeds and throws that are timeless.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5VOVMXC6QFCQ5DE2YP6TSOG5AM","additional_properties":{"_id":"TPNKWHUJWRCN5D3R6U5DMXKL2I"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"YZSFGXRLHFEIHAFJPQBF5UMV54","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175616},"content":"<a href=\"http://irishsocksciety.com/\" target=\"_blank\">irishsocksciety.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"ZQYMCF5LIBGSVMACWPLTLURLJU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981972},"content":"Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without at least one pair of novelty socks festively wrapped and placed under the tree. The Irish Socksciety, a Galway-based company, sells high quality and inventive socks to make you smile, and is celebrating its seventh birthday this Christmas – so a big happy birthday to them from us.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GRHPJP72YZGETEQD3BSTRQCM7A","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175617},"content":"<a href=\"http://sockcoop.com/\" target=\"_blank\">sockcoop.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"UOR2I2FID5CRBM53WL73FRBCGI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981974},"content":"Who knew there would be so many sock makers in Ireland to love? Well, there are, and none are better than this Dublin-based company that does a natty line in socks that “celebrate beautiful landmarks and places of Ireland”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GAYQNO2WUXDOG43JFG7KDDLFTU","additional_properties":{"_id":"A3EI3C5UWJBKXDNKGCYKG3LP4Q"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"SMQWY3XIEBHSHDI6NFVYTCKOSY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175618},"content":"<a href=\"http://hairybaby.com/\" target=\"_blank\">hairybaby.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"UXOD3ATYJZDBPJHMCNNQ7337C4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981977},"content":"We have being going on about Hairy Baby for as long as we can remember and the site, with its growing collection of sometimes laugh-out-loud T-shirts, is going strong. They also sell sweatshirts, socks, a Father Ted collection and a replica of the Oasis 2009 T-shirts (if you want to pretend you kept yours or were there). And, if you want to, they will let you customise your own T-shirts with the year of your choice.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R7TNPURAPVDTFFDR7BZFUVOIFM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175619},"content":"<a href=\"http://spailpin.com/\" target=\"_blank\">spailpin.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"FNPIRWF4GNEGFEVKG22NREQE3M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981979},"content":"This Spiddal-based shop sells Irish-language T-shirts, hoodies, jackets and greeting cards.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HDBL6MJFQRHJVH3D2VHQEZN7GU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175620},"content":"<a href=\"http://myminimunch.com/\" target=\"_blank\">myminimunch.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"D3FCKJSQGJAG3CW67CU7NYNIR4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981981},"content":"The super-cute products for smallies to be found here are designed and made locally, with a range of Irish-language T-shirts and bodysuits, and also a full range of extremely soft clothes, from dresses to leggings. The clothes “are made to be worn, washed and passed on”, with those behind the site having the stated aim of keeping “clothes out of landfill and in circulation” for as long as possible.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Y2ITJISXK5D5LO2X2LAMDBGTAQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175621},"content":"<a href=\"http://www.peachvintageclothing.com/\" target=\"_blank\">peachvintageclothing.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"X5EZDWXZBFHCLLDX36RBN27SAA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981983},"content":"Vintage clothing is better for both your pocket and your planet, and this sustainable business, which describes itself as “basically your friendly Depop” is groaning – in a good way – under the weight of all the clothes it sells.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Q2LWUAFRNVJZO6MVVDJJR65JH4","additional_properties":{"_id":"MEISIQHJZREQXCL3UGTAL6H4LI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"H332TN5XABFMRAY3VQPJF6V4WQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175622},"content":"<a href=\"http://manley.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">manley.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"XETL3F4TERCIDDFAXZDVQPTQMI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981986},"content":"Designer Emma Manley sells clothes and accessories that “embody confident femininity with pieces that can be easily dressed up or down”. The Dublin designer has this year added a new range of handbags to her collection.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VNXQPXSHT5GVHFSYEWNOIQNAFE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175623},"content":"<a href=\"http://snugiknitwear.com/\" target=\"_blank\">snugiknitwear.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"ZWHJG3A3IZA6NAYPYD4SSOVQLU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981988},"content":"The gift of comfort and warmth for everyone, from little babies to hardy sea swimmers – as well as dogs – produced by a dedicated team of knitters using ethically sourced wool from an indigenous mill in Kilcar, Co Donegal.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PM7C4D2OKRH4RI5RUYU7CJIN3Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175624},"content":"<a href=\"http://incrediblesocks.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">incrediblesocks.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"MBJFPIW6L5E2PAJRTSSCH6BE6Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981990},"content":"Well, with a name like this you might expect incredible socks. We can’t say for sure if they are incredible – are any socks? – but they are stylish and sustainable socks, with adult socks costing €9.95, kids’ ones €2 less, and the “You Are Incredible” gift box retailing at €19.99.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RUZ5KUSKMJAJHKZCP5B3AO5KRA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175625},"content":"<a href=\"http://www.lovelythings.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">lovelythings.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"Y3BH7WKMUFBRLID42Y3YRXGLYE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981992},"content":"This is a family-run, circular-economy business that sells “gorgeous preloved, vintage, designer, new and handcrafted kids’ and baby clothes for kids up to the age of 12″.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MICPGC5Y3FGBTKBKS6RW2NCCYE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175626},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"ALPF6I3FXJFUJE4SPJRXDVGN3A","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175627},"content":"Jewellery","type":"header"},{"_id":"IYOM3SECWRDT3IJMB3RI6SEU6Q","additional_properties":{"_id":"7C2MO225NVB2VFZTKKYRALIQDM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"KSWFSQJAEBBA7LAUIEI63EWVUU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175628},"content":"<a href=\"http://www.alittleidea.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">alittleidea.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"LOXWDYSXFNEVHH2KCKCADIKOAA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981996},"content":"This jewellery designer and maker based in Dublin handicrafts laser-cut acrylic statement jewellery pieces, bursting with vibrant colours. Her collections have become very recognisable around Ireland and recently won the Best Jewellery Brand at The Irish Made Awards. Collections include dangly earrings, studs, necklaces, rings and, most recently, pieces for kids too. Prices €24-€62.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HLDETPJYIVGY5H3KO3OD2AWQPY","additional_properties":{"_id":"XEN3JPLR4ZE3LNFYQ5E4TSYRR4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"YWJW46AY4VA2PCCS2JPKN3EEBQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175629},"content":"<a href=\"http://edgeonly.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">edgeonly.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"XLURKGPAXRH3PBILUDKUC2TZHI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620981998},"content":"Ethically crafted, modern, genderless jewellery brand by Jenny Huston that “offers sustainably made luxury jewellery that makes a statement”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A36N2K4EVRG2DOGSKJHKAEZNTE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175630},"content":"<a href=\"http://www.sarahmcevoydesigns.com/\" target=\"_blank\">sarahmcevoydesigns.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"T56GVOFOGBA5DO5LEFODKQBCLM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982000},"content":"This is the place to go if you are looking for “colourful statement jewellery from materials such as polymer clay and fused glass”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6F3VKDORUNGXXNVRQYUPNUJDZM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175631},"content":"<a href=\"http://www.farfetchedaccessories.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">farfetchedaccessories.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"JEWFODLGJVEE7K2L72D7Q25KHU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982002},"content":"A site which promises “beautiful and affordable jewellery and personalised gifts”, with the designer behind the business selling three collections of her own as well as Stackers personalised jewellery boxes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"M3SEIHSVGVGF3NAOCVVX22UZ44","additional_properties":{"_id":"UCNEX2KXLVBGZDSQ5W7VFBH2AE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"L3HPZSAE3FHH5CNGOUHMSY3SSE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175632},"content":"<a href=\"http://chupi.com/\" target=\"_blank\">chupi.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"KB4QE5DZIVHZXK7VWWDXCWK44U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982005},"content":"Gorgeous Irish jewellery brand and, while it is not cheap – prices start from around €200 – the pieces are likely to last a lifetime and maybe even longer than that.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BIZPXGMKURECPCSTDH6DJYTE2Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175633},"content":"<a href=\"http://rothlu.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">rothlu.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"S3AG642FPJF7RBJ5LH2X3J6HDI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982007},"content":"A whole range of striking and sustainably made jewellery, coming out of the Ox Mountains in Co Mayo.","type":"text"},{"_id":"W3YFTUKDQJBLJIOU3W5URWDINQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175634},"content":"<a href=\"http://alicejewellery.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">alicejewellery.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"XIZ2A6HRNFEU7AO7PZSM2ZFHIE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982009},"content":"Alice Claire Horgan, a jewellery designer from Oysterhaven in Co Cork, draws her inspiration “from the sea and the wild surrounding countryside, beaches, and headlands of Ireland”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KNXCXEK5LFA27JZO3ZJFMTGJQ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175636},"content":"Experiences","type":"header"},{"_id":"K52B4WL6Z5CMHKVRIWSJRMQG6E","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175637},"content":"<a href=\"http://www.neatly.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">neatly.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"HJUZCXJD5FEY5BMLS4RFTCMFM4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982013},"content":"Can you think of a better present than a decluttered house? Well, perhaps you can but a voucher for home decluttering and organising might really appeal to some people and this professional organiser promises to “work with clients to transform their homes into easy-to-maintain, clutter-free spaces”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FIWSPDNCINDW3PT3FCBKA7AJUM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175638},"content":"<a href=\"http://www.sharonsmith.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">sharonsmith.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"EDLAIEU5EBBTZCIFD2OZDRUTOM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982015},"content":"This site sells empowering therapeutic photography sessions for women.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5XUFMQP2VRCSNNF3SXPBUOPE3M","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175640},"content":"Something special","type":"header"},{"_id":"VN4BJFRTLFG4VCU6VDI3B6OMPY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175641},"content":"<a href=\"http://www.anthology.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">anthology.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"FT4UD2TIWFHLDJLXW4XH2SG7TU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982019},"content":"An Irish art, craft and design shop based in Abbeyleix that is selling an eclectic mix of the best Irish original art, ceramics, beauty, jewellery, home items, books, prints, cards and a whole lot more.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7K5BURXAUJH6ZBL5WBR7TQJYFY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175642},"content":"<a href=\"http://www.wizardandgrace.com/\" target=\"_blank\">wizardandgrace.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"VZYKJRBBWJG63BFRYENT3F774M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982021},"content":"This essential-oil and candle brand was set up in 2022 and is committed to authentic natural ingredients and sustainability. It sells a range of candles and gift sets for putting something into words that might be hard to say. “Our courage candle, for example, is bought often for people going through difficult situations,” the founder says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TR4D3HMF2FERVJOJLA74FI6RTQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175643},"content":"<a href=\"http://carolkellyartwork.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">carolkellyartwork.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"KJ5G25WOC5CL7ANAP6526OCTC4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982023},"content":"Some stunning pieces are to be found on this site, created from copper and fired with enamel glass. There is wall art, jewellery and you’ll also find large abstract acrylic paintings. The artist also creates bespoke pieces for special occasions. Well worth a look.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DHXHNEPPS5A5PKU3ZRYOYBVNMQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175644},"content":"<a href=\"http://www.k9connectables.com/\" target=\"_blank\">k9connectables.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"OWQO6MFD5VGRFMCEUKZDJONRMQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982025},"content":"Dogs aren’t for Christmas but Christmas can be for dogs, and if you are in the market for a present for your four-legged friend you won’t go far wrong with this Howth-based site, which specialises in interactive toys for dogs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LIPUUY3WFNCV3NWDOQ2LX745CM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175645},"content":"<a href=\"http://chouscottage.com/\" target=\"_blank\">chouscottage.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"FR4VLYZPPBAX5IVWJUZYEXWAMA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982027},"content":"Here you will find handmade Irish gifts with eco-friendly packaging. All their products are crafted with care by local artisans and the Clonmel folk behind the site “take pride in supporting sustainability through our materials and packaging”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R2BAE6CW4VDLPFLAZIOJ3JG3WE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175646},"content":"<a href=\"http://kilkennydesign.com/\" target=\"_blank\">kilkennydesign.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"GCYIDS7DF5DY5CQETYM4DOIOOU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982029},"content":"If you are looking for clothes, gifts, books and more, with a very distinct Irish twist, this site won’t leave you wanting.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UVPEYXTDVBGOTL5DB5NCWHCTNM","additional_properties":{"_id":"QK4LNUIWFZGR5LG2Y3IDNGXRU4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"RQSGRKUGKJDEPP3TKHWURR4IFE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175647},"content":"<a href=\"http://kopperkreation.com/\" target=\"_blank\">kopperkreation.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"NFSS26EXTNCF7JPI4YNXQCZEQQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982032},"content":"Some gorgeous lights and the like to be found on this site, made from recycled materials including a whole lot of copper.","type":"text"},{"_id":"J6YOZBLAFZGQZFWFYMYAQQYOKA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175648},"content":"<a href=\"http://www.taylorandgray.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">taylorandgray.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"BQBAOUKLSVASXGQC7SR2KDEDCQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982034},"content":"These guys focus on homeware and “unique, thoughtfully made pieces” handcrafted in Europe. “We’re all about reducing our carbon footprint in the homewares industry by producing as close to home as possible,” they say of their collection, which includes ceramics, textiles and lighting. “If it’s not made here in Ireland, the furthest away any piece is made is currently Portugal.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"PEU7MPB2QZA4PNM7HVWX7YE5KY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175649},"content":"<a href=\"http://www.storiesbyola.com/\" target=\"_blank\">storiesbyola.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"ORYHYSL5ONBYNOENY23HQGVQQY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982036},"content":"The Ola in the name says her “passion is creating unique, coastal-inspired ceramics that are as functional as they are beautiful”. She is driven by the idea “of bringing a touch of the seaside into homes, whether it’s through a daily cup of coffee or a special dinner party”. The ceramics are handmade in small batches in Ardgillan Castle.","type":"text"},{"_id":"74LDO2OTYFBOTBV2QM3PHU7FS4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175650},"content":"<a href=\"http://ohhbygum.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">ohhbygum.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"E2GPQTSQERAGZCQSEITCSHTZ2Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982038},"content":"A Clifden-based clothes and gift shop with every item considered for its impact on our planet and people. It is currently offering a free gift with every purchase over €50 and there is free delivery throughout Ireland on all orders over €80.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YUD3UKGSCZHVZO6B63UU3LHBG4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175651},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"5BRQ2H6ZEVAK5BML4ZR5DUPJXI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175652},"content":"<a href=\"http://trimthetree.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">trimthetree.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"3CPGQKBQXBCGTIZRPWRZBST5EU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982041},"content":"This site is almost 20 years old and began life as a small, family-run business out of the founders’ home in Dunshaughlin, Co Meath. It sells “high-quality, fun, sentimental yet affordable personalised Christmas tree decorations”. Each decoration is designed to hang on a Christmas tree and is personalised by hand with the requested family names or messages – no matter how unusual, or in what language the name or message may be. Each one is then presented in a complimentary seasonal gift bag.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NGFUICKDYZC5VAPB7LT7VYZWR4","additional_properties":{"_id":"ONAA6DPMCFHLNENY74KOQ45KAM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"E3VVTLVU7JGO5BZWFZZID6K5UY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175653},"content":"<a href=\"http://www.anniewest.com/\" target=\"_blank\">anniewest.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"LW6WDNBURFC2LMI6JDK244HOEA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982043},"content":"A Sligo-based artist with a natty line in tea towels, cushion covers, prints and cards, as well as books and more.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KEMA7VOO7JENXBYZQAJIBDHTW4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175654},"content":"<a href=\"http://flowerfarmersofireland.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">flowerfarmersofireland.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"5RVHPVQJABHCJBO4ZJMNFDWGKI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982045},"content":"This site allows customers to connect with flower farmers and florists in their local area. While there might not be a massive amount of fresh locally grown flowers on sale at the moment – what with it being winter and all – you will find dried flower products and gifts, as well as Christmas wreaths.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PEDOOVQ4SJG6DIHA4V7CCQTVJY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175655},"content":"<a href=\"http://www.mojoandco.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">mojoandco.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"XEZV65WYSRBO5MQK45OOGX2YQI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982047},"content":"An Irish wellness brand dedicated to making self-care, planning and positive living a normal part of everyday life. It sells a “thoughtfully curated collection of premium wellness journals designed for individuals who want to feel prepared, focused and empowered every day”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"L6H5M4M5NRDQJCEQPPEZK6675U","additional_properties":{"_id":"VCMQTQ4KJZAHJPE5VECLYWIJTE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"V6RCFPKPSZHQBERUSJ7IIYHPD4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175656},"content":"<a href=\"http://jandodesign.com/\" target=\"_blank\">jandodesign.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"FVGW4DODCJDMPCMD3QU5VNLQGY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982050},"content":"This is the place to go if you are in the market for the most beautiful prints of landmarks around the country. But there aren’t just prints of everything from the Poolbeg Towers, the Aviva Stadium and the Salthill Ferris Wheel – to pick three at random – there are also tote bags, books and amazing sound-wave prints which can document a special audio occasion – from wedding vows to your baby’s heartbeat – and it’s audio that can also accessed by the recipient through a QR code. And they have a pleasingly sustainable ethos too.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZFPTZBG3NFECFJF7IMFEGR7M2Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175657},"content":"<a href=\"http://www.studiomaluda.com/\" target=\"_blank\">studiomaluda.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"FQPTHEZFRRA7DDATOZ2CRBHZKE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982052},"content":"If you are looking to buy directly from the artist, you will find all manner of lovely screen prints, giclée prints and linen wall hangings here.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WPUVLF7BN5ADLGYXC7MZ4VOQ2Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175658},"content":"<a href=\"http://www.earthmother.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">earthmother.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"CZQKJOMUVBDV3CZGLIYNLYCLTE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982054},"content":"A site that is “passionate about eco-friendly, non-toxic, ethical products with natural ingredients and less waste, especially plastic waste”. For Christmas, it offers many gift sets, Tony’s Chocolonely Christmas chocolates and lots of Keepcups and Klean Kanteen reusable coffee cups and water bottles.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KYLCR45YI5FHPMQQW5CNJ236IA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175659},"content":"<a href=\"http://www.orlaovisual.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">orlaovisual.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"TQIO4Z3H6JHSNPFGZOPZOYCQTM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982056},"content":"We love this site, which sells words, either yours or others’, etched in porcelain. It has poetry and lyrics and affirmations and offers a bespoke service, although you may have left it a little late for something truly elaborate and unique this year. Still well worth a look though.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3GPREEG5LRAL3CA2XKKVTJH6VQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175660},"content":"<a href=\"http://www.amandamurphyceramics.com/\" target=\"_blank\">amandamurphyceramics.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"HCH6ZGRYQVHWLLVNM272RMIM7U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982058},"content":"Some stunning ceramics can be found on this site, including tableware, decorative items and sculptural pieces.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UQGOHYZC5NG4LHXOLI42GX6EHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175661},"content":"<a href=\"http://www.siestsleep.com/\" target=\"_blank\">siestsleep.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"L6PEF22DZJE4ZI43TUFHC47WSE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982060},"content":"Weighted pillows you can hug? Well sure, why not? Specially if they help you sleep like a baby – although not like one of the ones that wakes up crying and looking for food every 20 minutes. There are few better presents than a good night’s sleep and the ethically and locally made weighted pillows developed by Síne Dunne of Siesta Sleep promise to help adults and children sleep more soundly and for longer, as well as reduce pain and anxiety.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2UI5T7SX4VAAZKY6T6OTJFMXMQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175662},"content":"<a href=\"http://www.sheepandwoolcentre.com/\" target=\"_blank\">sheepandwoolcentre.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"5GYYXIQK6ZEARJMNQ5XCXQ7M6U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982062},"content":"Would you like to “experience a piece of Ireland’s stunning west coast from the comfort of your home”? On this site you will find everything from cosy knitwear that feels like a warm embrace to luxurious blankets and sheepskins that bring Connemara comfort into your home.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F2XALX7LQ5HNDOWLBXNU6WBAKM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175663},"content":"<a href=\"http://thenatureofthings.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">thenatureofthings.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"3MXXXZWPLNEIRGPBZXDE5JUXDI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982064},"content":"An Irish brand crafting high-quality essential oils and wellness products in the creative hub at The Chocolate Factory, Dublin.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4ZQJIBGMGVAQRIIHMJDJUC2M5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175664},"content":"<a href=\"http://wrappedinkindness.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">wrappedinkindness.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"JA7CDPVW3JEEJLBOJSM2ZREDTU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982066},"content":"This site stocks more than 30 Irish brands and sells cards, socks, jewellery, lip balms and more, with 10 per cent of each sale going to a charity of the customer’s choice.","type":"text"},{"_id":"E6RVFHFPSVGQLLUPMOQHNUJ76U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175665},"content":"<a href=\"http://www.culababy.com/\" target=\"_blank\">culababy.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"BLRMC7HN4JDMZO3AIDLF75QGVM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982068},"content":"A sleep brand that aims to give children – and their parents – the gift of sleep. It has just launched a Newborn Sleep Gift Bundle, which includes a one-hour video consultation tailored for babies aged up to three months and expectant parents, setting the foundation for healthy sleep habits as well as offering the CulaBaby Sleep Shade and silk scrunchies for the mammies.","type":"text"},{"_id":"45W5PNFEVJEEFGXOTCT6EWALNA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175666},"content":"<a href=\"http://wemakegood.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">wemakegood.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"BILNUAET5ZHIJC3M3BARWRMHQA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982070},"content":"“Discover a range of goods crafted in Ireland by social enterprises, offering second chances to individuals from marginalised communities, including those with disabilities, refugees and individuals rebuilding their lives after addiction or time in prison,” is how the site describes itself. It is not just a good cause, though: the products to be found here are gorgeous, from handprinted table linens to tweed teddies, beeswax candles, notebooks and much more.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LGCR33S7SBENFMJVMP56DF3YYY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175667},"content":"<a href=\"http://quirkyirishicons.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">quirkyirishicons.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"S4SOHVSE3BCAVJYLTXBVUU5T6Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982072},"content":"What is this site? Well, why don’t we let them tell you. “Our quirky Irish icons capture the culture and fun of Ireland across a unique selection of frames, magnets and gifts for you and your loved ones! They are lovingly designed and handmade by Dublin Grandma Patricia Pierce.” That about covers it. It has the most Irish of fridge magnets, prints, street signs and road names.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XSB7YKB3CJF3DMXU2TVVPXRSJQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175668},"content":"<a href=\"http://designist.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">designist.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"UQ276LUZDJEXRDRKDDEW4T2RB4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982074},"content":"This is one of the best shops in Ireland for people in the market for smart, sharp super-imaginative presents, no matter what budget you have.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A436BOP2RND7XJGIY3SAOCNJLM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175669},"content":"<a href=\"http://wildatlanticliving.com/\" target=\"_blank\">wildatlanticliving.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"V7RKHUP3RRGOLJVYM66ASRTFKA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982076},"content":"“We do the wrapping so you don’t have to,” is how this site opens its sales pitch to shoppers. And while that is certainly an attractive idea, particularly if you are as useless at wrapping as we are, this Clare-based site is so much more than a convenience. It has great gift ideas for men, women, boys and girls as well as an ever-expanding range of homeware and books.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4F5XFWGWPZCTTNETUWJXCYF7BQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175670},"content":"<a href=\"http://myshopgranny.com/\" target=\"_blank\">myshopgranny.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"SB7CEGKCHJCQHO766H5LCWKSRM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982078},"content":"Galway shop choc-a-bloc with quirky, funny and gorgeous looking gift ideas – well worth a few minutes of your day.","type":"text"},{"_id":"W4TBRDDRPVCCRPALMNWSUKG47U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175671},"content":"<a href=\"http://ginalynchart.bigcartel.com/\" target=\"_blank\">ginalynchart.bigcartel.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"OSKTZKKAGRGN5FOXVU4VGSMZME","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982080},"content":"This artist living in west Cork produces original watercolour paintings from locations around the country.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ERPSMBYWJZHOPK6W3MITWB6TM4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175672},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"H7ENSDRLXNH5VIO4FZMIIE6R3M","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175673},"content":"<a href=\"http://buttonstudio.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">buttonstudio.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"2HNREPC6LZAPBOTESMIWMBXHTU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982083},"content":"The artist behind this site makes art pieces that “inspire emotion and can be completely customisable from colour to text to presentation”. She turns ordinary everyday objects into eye-catching pieces. All the materials are sourced in Ireland and each piece is made by hand. There are Christmas decorations, pictures, and lights all from resin and reclaimed buttons.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3M5SAPRFGVCNJDUKGMWZUQJWQE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175674},"content":"<a href=\"http://goldendiscs.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">goldendiscs.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"NXJYIG3SVJCQ7HXEV5JDRIO27U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982085},"content":"One of the longest-standing record shops in Ireland, Golden Discs has shown remarkable tenacity in not only surviving in a world of ones and zeros streaming songs on to our phones but actually thriving in recent years. It is the home of vinyl, the kit you need to play vinyl, CDs, DVDs, all manner of merch and more.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IZ3VNHZLR5A3HHBUHJVJDEW56U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175675},"content":"<a href=\"http://irishdesignshop.com/\" target=\"_blank\">irishdesignshop.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"7RSELEPCVNFJ7L4HX7UMOFBHEE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982087},"content":"If you are looking for the very best of what Irish makers have to offer, there is a decent chance you will find it here. The owners have their own jewellery line and sell a wide range of beautiful products by established and emerging makers, with a focus on handmade and heritage crafts.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NSSCBMW55RBQBGXBOXYGAHZHPM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175676},"content":"<a href=\"http://greendotdesignshop.com/\" target=\"_blank\">greendotdesignshop.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"MU2VSRZNKZH6NBHRL6YQG5BAEQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982089},"content":"It is worth handing it over to the owners of this site to explain what it is that they do. “The Green Dot is an award-winning shop and cafe in wonderful Clonakilty, west Cork. We are the Local Retailer winners at the Irish Made Awards 2024. Based in a 200-year-old converted pub ... our beautiful gift shop stocks the work of over 70 Irish makers and we also make our own pieces in-house. We also have (probably) Munster’s best eco-toy corner and like to do our bit for the local community.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"EF6CEUVCGBAJFLID45ZQO7S37I","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175677},"content":"<a href=\"http://cuando.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">cuando.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"FEJW42EGPFHQNCZWXVOGTUHADU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982091},"content":"Cuando makes it very easy to find novel presents for everyone you might care about, with unique gifts from makers and designers from all over Ireland.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TTM5GTDGZRDAZJYHZQHGJJNW4Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175678},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"K3EWLO3VE5EDRMIMFGZM4GGTNI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175679},"content":"Books","type":"header"},{"_id":"UHEOLTYM7VGKDFWY5DP3BB462A","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175680},"content":"<a href=\"http://thebookresort.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">thebookresort.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"MKU2VU3MRJB7NENWKQOJUB3VCU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982095},"content":"This is more than just a bookshop. The “tiny” team behind the site ship gift boxes with books, chocolates, fancy candles and more, at no cost around Ireland, and also offer a monthly book subscription service, which means your present will stay front and centre in the recipient’s mind for a whole year if you so choose.","type":"text"},{"_id":"47BUHH2TJBBSXZUF6PX7FWDL2M","additional_properties":{"_id":"JVVQE7UO4ZGM7OQ4JYMQLQWJZI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"CLK6OEGH75GQDMTTALKRBJPV7U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175681},"content":"<a href=\"http://thecompanyofbooks.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">thecompanyofbooks.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"ACHKBFYMHVCZZB5G3WUHXZLWS4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982098},"content":"Based in Ranelagh in Dublin, The Company of Books has more than 3,500 titles in stock, with free delivery on orders over €30 and even freer local delivery within a range of 2.5km.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FCYMPA3XXFAOBKVF24NXE33IAY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175683},"content":"<a href=\"http://kennys.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">kennys.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"VRA5XTOCVZBR7GULXSYY4ORPKI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982100},"content":"Kenny’s of Galway is an institution, but while it could have just settled for being one of the finest physical bookshops in Ireland, it has been innovating for the guts of 30 years and was one of the first online retailers in Ireland. The site is stocked with an extensive collection of competitively priced books.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YDKF5RUQZNHPZEIUAALRNAZYV4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175684},"content":"<a href=\"http://charliebyrne.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">charliebyrne.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"E5A5FEKP7NEWPFAVIXAO52PPYA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982102},"content":"Kenny’s is not the only bookish institution in Galway and Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop is right up there too. It is a great place to explore and to search for both new and second-hand books.","type":"text"},{"_id":"E5FLNVY6X5HTDHSM3EUVORN3GY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175685},"content":"<a href=\"http://justbooksmullingar.com/\" target=\"_blank\">justbooksmullingar.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"JCRBNQIQNZANRMROFDNWJEE6FM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982104},"content":"What is Just Books? Well the site tells us it “is a charming bookshop located in the heart of Ireland, with great reads for all ages and interests. If you don’t see what you are looking for, get in touch and we will do our best to find it for you.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"2IQOMPT6RFCHXEMB25UB3N36XI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175686},"content":"<a href=\"http://thebookshop.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">thebookshop.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"SK7SUYGSK5E2HOOK2G6KWXA4FU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982106},"content":"More than 85,000 second-hand books, with many selling for €2.50 or less. The stock is mostly sourced from Irish charities – excess stock that would otherwise be recycled – which, the shop says, “allows us to give back to the community while we provide you with excellent prices”. It also stocks new books, vintage and antiquarian books and book sets.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RPOGU2H2P5EJPMRUZIAJDUY5HY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175688},"content":"<a href=\"http://halfwayupthestairs.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">halfwayupthestairs.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"XMJTJAKCKNA7FKJ3NTYDRHT7NQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982108},"content":"This gorgeous looking bookshop in Greystones, Co Wicklow, has books for kids of all ages – from babies right up to young adults. You will find a decent selection of toys and gifts available too. It is any wonder it’s an award-winning place?","type":"text"},{"_id":"X6LNVK6NA5BSHM3SGY52QWYMKQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175690},"content":"<a href=\"http://tertuliabookshop.com/\" target=\"_blank\">tertuliabookshop.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"IUNYI43NAFEZ3P5WVLYWGVNNIM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982110},"content":"A lovely bookshop way out west – in Westport, as it happens. It has, as its stated mission, “to contribute to a positive change in the way the world thinks” and we can’t find a single thing wrong with that.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QLHWJPYPNZCHVIHI5GYIF5JAMM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175691},"content":"<a href=\"http://bagsofbooks.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">bagsofbooks.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"EOCLRCKYFNGZDMKVBERVUOKS4Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982112},"content":"Looking for the best of books for children? This site will have you covered.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JRIUWC3FTFALLM5BPTC7HK5MKE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175692},"content":"<a href=\"http://easons.com/\" target=\"_blank\">easons.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"4V7QSUTOTFCUROKENCR5WCQPHQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982114},"content":"One of the longest-established and almost certainly the largest book retailer in Ireland, it has an enormous range of books.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EJNSHR26XBAPPOASDMY4MLI7AY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731684175693},"content":"<a href=\"http://dubraybooks.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">dubraybooks.ie</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"RQ6Z43V2C5BDDANW7R5KMR257Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732620982116},"content":"Another fine Irish bookshop, which now sits under the same umbrella as Eason but still retains its own personality.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Conor Pope"}},"name":"Conor Pope"}]},"description":{"basic":"We’ve compiled a list of 100 Irish websites packed with Christmas present potential, from the handmade to the ridiculous"},"display_date":"2024-11-30T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Christmas gift ideas: 100 Irish websites to get your shopping sorted","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"ITGLEPDXVRDPNJQRNSP5HMNJ6Q","auth":{"1":"59c56abbb280927f9eae1fa290671e7ebef7174527e63993ccfa3a7aecbea445"},"focal_point":{"x":537,"y":426},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/ITGLEPDXVRDPNJQRNSP5HMNJ6Q.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/30/christmas-gift-ideas-100-irish-websites-to-get-your-shopping-sorted/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"6DV6DLKUJRH6LOKZHRM2SW55WY","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":480,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/94696c2d-a756-498b-9b61-53fd9eab88e5/versions/1732194197/media/99c863600b9c535eb7ab1b7df3aaf121_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/gardening/2024/11/30/gardening-tools-that-will-last-a-lifetime-if-treated-right/","content_elements":[{"_id":"2ONK3TQBNFDA5G6L4CHSKXK3BQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732189914643},"content":"Even as the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/gardening/\" target=\"_blank\">gardening </a>year slowly folds in on itself, there remains a host of routine jobs that I’m hoping – fingers crossed – to complete before the winter solstice. Roses and fruit trees, for example, requiring winter pruning. Weeds that need digging out. Compost that needs turning and spreading, young hedging, roses and baby trees that need planting, as well as woody prunings waiting to be chopped or chipped before being added to the compost heap or used as a mulch.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YO6IXVXID5DLNDYAAEZQEKBZRQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732189914644},"content":"Bitter experience has slowly but surely imparted a valuable lesson regarding these seasonal tasks, which is that a trusty selection of garden tools crafted from hard-wearing quality materials and ergonomically designed for ease of use as well as for longevity is of the essence.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HCXIYS5GZJCJHMK2NDYH3KK4JE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732189914645},"content":"Beware, for example, the flimsy secateurs whose blades blunt or even buckle at the first sturdy branch. Avoid the shoddily made trowel that quickly succumbs to rust or falls apart; the tinny wheelbarrow; the rickety rake with a welded head that cracks after only light use. Not only will they cost you time and money in the long run, but they’ll also inevitably induce such fits of fury – few things are more frustrating than poorly designed, badly made garden tools – that you’ll end up shirking the very tasks that they were supposed to make easier.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6C7NPU2EFRFPDAD24ZRLYPMPM4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732640670981},"content":"The essentials? For those tough winter pruning tasks, invest in a sturdy, heavy-duty loppers with geared or ratcheted blades that cut through thicker branches with relative ease, as well as a model with a rubber buffer between the handles to lessen the impact of the repetitive cutting motion on tired hands and arms. Lightweight, telescopic handles are also a must, allowing you to reach up into higher branches without having to perch dangerously on a ladder. Examples include <a href=\"https://www.burgonandball.com/products/telescopic-ratchet-lopper-rhs-endorsed\" target=\"_blank\">Burgon & Ball’s telescopic handled ratchet lopper</a>, endorsed by the UK’s Royal Horticultural Society.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5PR77LMSRBEPROJM57IW7LW6YI","additional_properties":{"_id":"7AITJA3EMVGRLJ37NJMU7MAKW4"},"content":"Frost can feel cruel but it’s not all bad news in the garden","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"26KD7WK7ANC3TO4APE5R3QQGEI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732189914647},"content":"For lighter pruning work that can be done with one hand, you’ll need a strong, well-balanced secateurs (technically “secateur” if you’re a stickler for grammar) with angled, hardened steel blades that can be easily sharpened and repaired, plus nonslip, colourful handles that make it both difficult to lose and easy to hold. The scarlet-handled Swiss-made Felco range has long been considered the gold standard in this regard with the gardener’s traditional favourite being the Felco 2, followed by the Felco 4. But recent challengers to the throne include several high-end, beautifully engineered Japanese brands with hand-forged, super-sharp carbon steel blades that are proving increasingly popular with Irish gardeners such as Okatsune, Kurumi, Asaka and Niwaki (stockists include <a href=\"http://niwaki.com/\">niwaki.com</a>, <a href=\"http://mrmiddleton.com/\">mrmiddleton.com</a>, <a href=\"http://quickcrop.ie/\">quickcrop.ie</a> and <a href=\"http://howbertandmays.ie/\">howbertandmays.ie</a>).","type":"text"},{"_id":"GVIO3BFC4EVFCDG3FV72SPNPQE","additional_properties":{"_id":"ZS2O2WYBTBFDBODWGIJTMBJ3HU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"N6HESCSIKRAH3BJGMXWVZ2GWSU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732189914648},"content":"A sharp, light, hard-wearing border fork, spade, shovel, oscillating hoe, pitchfork and rake (ideally both a spring-tine model for collecting leaves and grass cuttings plus a soil rake for seed beds and so on) are other gardening essentials. In this case, reliable brands include De Wit, Sneeboer, Freund Victoia, Greenman, Burgon & Ball, SHW, Wolf Garten, Berger, ARS and PKS. Bear in mind that for ease of use, a lightweight ash handle is generally kinder to the back, absorbing stress and making it possible to use the tool for longer.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UUXFNSTIBRF7NAPO566QTZLINA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732189914649},"content":"Before purchasing, take your height and size into account. If you’re tall, choose a suitably long handle, while if you have large hands, be wary of Y-shaped handles unless they’re generously sized. <a href=\"http://fruithillfarm.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Fruithill Farm</a> in Cork stocks two lengths of straight ash handles suitable for hoes and rakes (1.5m and 1.7m) as well as an outstanding range of many of the brands listed above.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EMLO3YZEPJCWBLBXACXYQ4ON24","additional_properties":{"_id":1732189914650},"content":"All the suppliers listed above also stock a tried-and-trusted selection of hand-tools from sturdy trowels and hand forks to weeders and dibbers. Some – for example the PKS range – are made of copper, believed to have a beneficial effect on soil health. Others are made of stainless steel (particularly good for heavy clay soils, which slip more easily from its smooth surface) or of forged steel (prized for its strength and sharpness but more vulnerable to rust).","type":"text"},{"_id":"BQBDMOCS4JF6VNUQ44RTX6VYSE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732189914651},"content":"My own favourite garden hand tool is a heavy duty, double-serrated digging trowel/knife with a superstrong manganese steel blade and a rubberised, non-slip handle designed for use with a metal detector (or “treasure digging”, as its manufacturer, Dr Otek, describes it). Think of a Hori Hori knife on steroids. It is pretty much indestructible, super strong, versatile and comfortable to hold, and I use it all the time for hand-weeding as well as for planting.","type":"text"},{"_id":"I7P5VVW6A5E5PLUORH7IACWTW4","additional_properties":{"_id":"5AJUKIMLHBBINOZQZTUF4MY424"},"content":"Five life lessons my garden taught me: Nature often has a quiet but not unkind laugh at our expense","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"7ZOPIHGT4NHNRLVT6KRNIEGHZY","additional_properties":{"_id":"MUD3T7SNBFH5NDMWUXD46U2ATI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"PPHAKDXX5NGWTNLW4XAPQYHHYA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732189914652},"content":"The other gardening essential that I wouldn’t be without is a sturdy, lightweight wheelbarrow for ferrying heavy loads of manure, soil, compost and leaf mould as well as weeds and plants. Barrows come in all shapes and sizes, from models with 1, 2, 3 and even four wheels, capacities that range from 75 litres up to 170, troughs made of reinforced plastic or galvanised metal, and even some that are battery-powered to help with moving and tipping heavy loads. My own preference is for a toughened plastic trough on a powder-coated steel chassis with a single puncture-proof wheel. Stockists include all good Irish garden centres as well as many of those listed above.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R7VA32BELNDKHEYCHEG363BQHY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732189914653},"content":"Remember that no matter how well made, even the best garden tools need some TLC to keep them sturdy and rust-proof for many years of use. So try to have some old cloths and a soft hand brush to the ready to clean, wipe down and dry both blades and handles. Use a scouring block such as Crean Mate followed by some camellia oil to remove sticky resin and sap from the blades of secateurs and keep them clean and rust-free, plus a whetstone to sharpen them. For wooden handles, apply a light coating of linseed oil a couple of times a year. Finally, repeated exposure to rain and frost is bad for any garden tool so make sure to store them undercover. In this way they’ll last you a lifetime, something that can never be said of their cheap equivalents.","type":"text"},{"_id":"U2SUMS7NPNDORI7O7ZEMX2IT3M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732189914654},"content":"This week in the garden","type":"header"},{"_id":"HDK5KQ4SEZFHRL5E76G62PT6LI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732189914655},"content":"Recent night-time frosts and cold daytime temperatures signal the arrival of winter proper, and the best time to plant tulip bulbs to help prevent the risk of the fungal disease, tulip fire. Try to choose a dry day for planting, burying the bulbs to a minimum of three times their depth, or to a maximum of 30cm if you’re hoping to perennialise them. In gardens where tulip fire was a problem in recent years, avoid planting into the same area and/or plant into containers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LXPJNHDEVNFXRNQN6D4JCLGUXY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732189914656},"content":"Round up any slightly frost-vulnerable plants growing in containers and place them in a huddle together against a warm wall to make it easier to offer them extra protection in the form of garden fleece whenever harsh frosts threaten.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JO2MG4I2BVDV3DUBCZL4JQ76L4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732191479270},"content":"Dates for your diary","type":"header"},{"_id":"PINFT34P3BGI7PVL2HLTQQQTEM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732191479271},"content":"<i>Tuesday, December 3rd (7.30pm-10pm): </i>National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin 9. Christmas flower-arranging demonstration with floral artist Karen Massey. Booking essential. <a href=\"http://heritageireland.ie/\">heritageireland.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"ARKUDRAPR5E6LP7F55TYMXCVXQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732640670997},"content":"<i>Saturday, December 7th, Sunday, December 8th and Saturday, December 14th (10am-1pm): </i>The Grinding House, June Blake’s Garden, Tinode, Blessington, Co Wicklow, seasonal and sustainable Christmas wreath-making workshops with garden writer and flower-farmer-florist Fionnuala Fallon. <a href=\"https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/seasonal-christmas-wreath-workshop-with-fionnuala-fallon-tickets-1051369493457?aff=oddtdtcreator\">eventbrite</a> or <a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/theirishflowerfarmer/?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\">@theirishflowerfarmer</a> on Instagram for details or to book tickets.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EUNQJJHWSJA4LDJH7W2QZ5VC5Y","additional_properties":{"_id":"WSLJNIRJK5EPLKUCMK4ONLVJO4"},"content":"<span class=\"contribly-contribute-v2\" data-client=\"9fc0f2a4-9bf9-4464-8b77-ec351ad0db03\" data-assignment=\"26088556-6bae-4d51-8542-58d3cc9df2c9\" data-display=\"inline\"></span><script type=\"text/javascript\" src=\"https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/contribly-widgets/contribute/contribute-v2.js\"><\/script>","type":"raw_html"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Fionnuala Fallon"}},"name":"Fionnuala Fallon"}]},"description":{"basic":"A bad day’s gardening is often the result of shoddy tools, so invest well in your implements"},"display_date":"2024-11-30T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Gardening tools that will last a lifetime if treated right","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"EH74CSCYYA3XKWKTVIILEWQD2U","auth":{"1":"97e2df804a24faaa9458a3c7b8e846f86b6f65e9b6bc28041c7bd3c56f6e4eaf"},"focal_point":{"x":695,"y":263},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/EH74CSCYYA3XKWKTVIILEWQD2U.jpg"}},"subtype":"columnist","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Gardening"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/gardening/2024/11/30/gardening-tools-that-will-last-a-lifetime-if-treated-right/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/gardening","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Gardening"}}}},{"_id":"QKRNCWJZG5BC7MCJ73G25NZRUQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":180,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/70563dee-dc79-433c-a770-7fba9f2d3642/versions/1732197706/media/e6f72c8fb23ed30cdc7eaf36c5410253_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/gardening/2024/11/30/does-a-tree-fern-need-extra-protection-from-the-elements/","content_elements":[{"_id":"M237DPLJFRDIHGYHK4DZRC2CUU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732195825765},"content":"<b>I recently invested in a beautiful tree fern for our shady back garden. A gardening friend told me that I’ll need to give it some protection from winter cold to prevent it being damaged. Is this really necessary? DM, Dublin</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"NMRBTLXQYNGHBNY4U4SANOHEMU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732195825767},"content":"Tree ferns have become very popular with Irish gardeners in recent decades, their dramatic silhouettes and stately presence used to add structure and drama as well as winter interest in the shape of their whiskery trunks and giant, arching, evergreen fronds. To see them growing at their impressive best in this country, pay a visit to <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/life-style/people/2023/04/28/collecting-ferns-was-like-a-drug-habit-i-just-kept-collecting/\" target=\"_blank\">Kells Bay Gardens in Co Kerry</a>, which is home to a remarkable collection of towering specimens lovingly tended by owner and nurseryman Billy Alexander, some of them dating back to the early Victorian era.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SBCGYVXWOFHQ7M5XCRF2USZERA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732195825768},"content":"Native to Australia and parts of southeast Asia, the hardiest and most commonly grown species is Dicksonia antarctica, whose cinnamon-coloured trunk is topped with a giant shuttlecock of finely cut fronds that are typically three to four times its height. Other very ornamental but less hardy species of tree fern include Dicksonia squarrosa and Cyathea dealbata. All are available to buy from Kells Bay Gardens’ nursery, along with many other unusual species of ferns (<a href=\"http://kellsgardens.ie/\">kellsgardens.ie</a>).","type":"text"},{"_id":"TNI4WCAOJ5FYNMCUWEDUU4QE5E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732195825769},"content":"Tree ferns are really only suitable for sheltered gardens in similarly mild, coastal regions of Ireland where harsh frosts are a rarity. Below minus 2C, the foliage will blacken and die back to the crown, while temperatures below minus 12C will generally kill them outright – hence their huge casualty rates after the fiercely cold weather that came with the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/beast-from-the-east-could-see-country-s-heaviest-snowfall-since-1982-1.3404985\" target=\"_blank\">Beast from the East</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UNVPOPP655ALFDDCTDTJYIHU2E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732195825770},"content":"Alexander advises stuffing a protective layer of pine needles into the crown of the plant (the point in the trunk from which the fronds emerge), which will offer protection from temperatures as low as minus 4C. Tree ferns like an acidic soil, so the pine needles serve a second purpose as a useful acidic organic mulch that helps to feed the plant. But if and when the forecast is for temperatures below minus 4C, then you’ll need to offer greater protection in the shape of several layers of horticultural fleece secured over the crown and fronds, making sure to remove this whenever temperatures rise to avoid weakening the plant.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MEKFIM6KOFBJDDG7SBWWWQYKOU","additional_properties":{"_id":"PGVR3BXBHZHIHJI5B5XUPBLDVQ"},"content":"Collecting ferns was like an addiction, I just kept collecting","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"IAVXJJZML5FN3OMUYOAUNKKUXY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732195825771},"content":"Despite their reputation as shade-loving plants, tree ferns will grow quite happily in a sunny spot as long as they’re given protection from wind and cold, and an ericaceous soil (or an ericaceous potting compost, if grown in a large container). What they won’t tolerate is dry growing conditions. To keep yours happy, make sure to water it daily (twice that for newly planted specimens) and generously from March-October once temperatures reach above 10C, slowly drenching the crown of the plant as well as liberally wetting the fronds. A monthly liquid seaweed feed (again, directly into the crown) is also very beneficial.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5DLPU4OQB5EHHE22VOZTOUEKNE","additional_properties":{"_id":"YXTGW2MLDBB33N67NN5GNCAJEE"},"content":"\n<span class=\"contribly-contribute-v2\" data-client=\"9fc0f2a4-9bf9-4464-8b77-ec351ad0db03\" data-assignment=\"26088556-6bae-4d51-8542-58d3cc9df2c9\" data-display=\"inline\"></span><script type=\"text/javascript\" src=\"https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/contribly-widgets/contribute/contribute-v2.js\"><\/script>","type":"raw_html"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Fionnuala Fallon"}},"name":"Fionnuala Fallon"}]},"description":{"basic":"Packing pine needles into the crown will protect against temperatures down to minus 4C, but below that you’ll need to secure several layers of horticultural fleece over the crown and fronds"},"display_date":"2024-11-30T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Does a tree fern need extra protection from the elements?","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"MWSDR7SEPNVLMG53FAH4FZ7UOA","auth":{"1":"481136bcbfe3d94af1dc5d1aa69678b59c2f9618f9f3cb5f07eb040a4d69ed9b"},"focal_point":{"x":750,"y":430},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/MWSDR7SEPNVLMG53FAH4FZ7UOA.jpg"}},"subtype":"analysis","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Gardening"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/gardening/2024/11/30/does-a-tree-fern-need-extra-protection-from-the-elements/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/gardening","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Gardening"}}}},{"_id":"EOMKHVGPJNDNRBEF64MKUJXOVI","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":411,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/7e9d4fc2-0b08-414b-b499-55c130e81973/versions/1732699137/media/32028363fe6830acfa53af9e67563ba3_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/fine-art-antiques/2024/11/30/female-pioneers-of-modernism-shine-in-irish-art-sale/","content_elements":[{"_id":"OXAGZC7M2RAI3KEUZJXZOCCJTY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732650730618},"content":"Some of the most significant female figures in Irish modernism, including Mainie Jellett and Mary Swanzy, will feature in Bonhams’ upcoming Irish art sale.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NICUWG67U5C4XIF2Y7TVFTZ3CU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732650730619},"content":"The Vision and Voice auction, to be held on December 5th, includes 20 works by Norah McGuinness (1901-1980), including an unusual seascape of Dublin Bay (€10,000-€15,000), and Snow on the Hills, Rockbrook, County Dublin (€10,000-€15,000).","type":"text"},{"_id":"72VCFXIWRVGJXN5QZL44B4BLJM","additional_properties":{"_id":"OVQXADRCDRFWFGEVWKTAO5TJOQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"AE3DXNPNCFAHRKARDYFKLP4O2A","additional_properties":{"_id":"IBXFRP2OKBDQFFEOJFNFO757JA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"WNBXSEXUVBBSXOBQ5NFIA5ARUM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732639338284},"content":"There are also works by Mary Swanzy and Mainie Jellett, both of whom were among Ireland’s first abstract painters, including South of France landscape by Mary Swanzy (estimate €20,000-30,000), and Composition by Mainie Jellett (estimate €15,000-€20,000). All three artists were pioneers of a national avant-garde and were strong supporters of modern art in Ireland. Jellett and McGuinness were co-founders of the Irish Exhibition of Living Art in 1944, which was formed in opposition to the dominance of more traditional institutions such as the Royal Hibernian Academy. As noted in the auction notes, interest among collectors has increased significantly over the past 20 years for Irish female artists.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V2PT7VHVQJBLXKJJM3XHDZT7OM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732650730621},"content":"Further choice will be found at Whyte’s Irish and International Art on December 2nd.","type":"text"},{"_id":"O7BZNSVBS5FMZESNIFMPJ35OUE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732639338272},"content":"Ian Whyte of Whyte’s estimates that about 60 per cent of the works for auction are new to the market, as there are no previous sales records for these pieces.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UHOC7MBUN5DMTFU7V2D5BRHTYU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732639338273},"content":"“When we take in work from collectors, we publish their provenance and we have some interesting works, which were gifts from the artist to family members of the present owners,” he says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3XDT3VKWL5EI5A2GWBAPROSHPE","additional_properties":{"_id":"WSAWD7PW5FCXJG6UQEWFOHR3TU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"OMSNQ4UZZRDURGIK7EYLFDI6KE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732639338274},"content":"One such painting is Walter Osborne’s Girl Feeding a Tortoise Cat, painted in 1897 (€60,000-€80,000). In the catalogue notes, Dr Julian Campbell explains that Walter Osborne excelled at painting children and animals. “He was the son of an animal painter, William Osborne, and pet dogs and cats were an important part of the family household, providing inspiration for many notable pictures,” writes Campbell. The George Russell painting Children Playing in a Wood (€8,000-€12,000), was also gifted by the artist to the present owner.","type":"text"},{"_id":"N6WKUMRH3NBJPHTCX6VYNSYIPA","additional_properties":{"_id":"GMQ7XBH4HZDCXAUFFM26JT3HUE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"OAKUHHIZMZFZDJ4VVDTWDKFWXI","additional_properties":{"_id":"X3XM66VMURDMTKZJRLOHUDLWLI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"5FWK2R6QRVEB7ERS7L3ZJZLE5Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1732639338275},"content":"There are plenty of landscapes and seascapes too. John Lavery’s The Turquoise Sea Mimizan, 1917, with an estimate of €60,000-€70,000, is particularly pleasing. Other such works include those by Edwin Hayes, William Percy French, Frank McKelvey, James Hubert Craig, Paul Henry, Arthur Armstrong and Letitia Marion Hamilton – her Rainbow and Cottages has an estimate of €1,500-€2,000.","type":"text"},{"_id":"C6KEK46VDNDODI4K5KSAA2EHII","additional_properties":{"_id":1732639338276},"content":"Whyte is also keen to point to “a nice selection of sculpture” in the current auction, with works by living Irish sculptors including Sandra Bell, Linda Brunker, John Coen, Rowan Gillespie, John Coll and others.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FMEUX5PNB5EJBGISNC5WE7YB6E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732639338277},"content":"James O’Halloran from Adam’s is particularly excited about the paintings from the Jacqueline and Vincent O’Brien collection in Adam’s Important Irish Art auction on Wednesday, December 4th.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QANAQOIAVJFMLPFSMXLHQIXZAY","additional_properties":{"_id":"WG3HAPOIQRH4DH5KFJBJVNUPXM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"CJOWFUCP7VCLVHBQJWMXE3KA7A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732639338278},"content":"The auction has four Jack B Yeats oil paintings including Horseman (1947), He Reads (1953) and The Window with a View over the Town (1951), which were owned by the Co Tipperary horse trainer and Jacqueline O’Brien, a photographer and writer. The paintings hung in the couple’s home, Ballydoyle House, from the 1970s until O’Brien retired from training, after which they were on loan to the National Gallery of Ireland.","type":"text"},{"_id":"S2UXNHMP6JC5VBBADWYHQ5MYGY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732639338279},"content":"Jack B Yeats painted more than 670 oil paintings from 1941-1955 – the most prolific years of his career. And in 1945, when Yeats was 74, a big exhibition of his work, The Jack B Yeats National Loan Exhibition, was held in Dublin at the same time as the publication of the book Jack B Yeats: An Appreciation and an Interpretation, by Irish poet and critic Thomas MacGreevy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EALUXZHUNRCRFFA5PSC3RS7OM4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732639338280},"content":"Also for sale at Adam’s are 39 works owned by the late American appeals court judge, Hon Francis D Murnaghan jnr. Murnaghan, from Baltimore, was a nephew of James Augustine Murnaghan, who served on the Supreme Court of Ireland and was a trustee of the National Gallery of Ireland.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JMARZMK36FERHFE2JH5RTR3OUY","additional_properties":{"_id":"LX3Y4IXMRRGDTCEXDUXG5OFRXA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"DMCYHBXUINBXTDHUP4CCTCRYNQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"FJ46NFE55VGOPDKDATNXEE7N6Q"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"QATBZBKPWVCJFKKERST3VTXKBM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732639338281},"content":"The collection includes The Cello Player by Leo Whelan (1892-1956) (€20,000-€30,000); and The Christening Party by Aloysius O’Kelly (1853-1936), with an estimate of €10,000-€15,000. O’Kelly was one of the first Irish artists to study at L’École des Beaux Arts in Paris. He was also one of the first Irish artists to discover the landscape and people of Brittany, which later became a popular destination for many other artists from throughout Europe. This painting was exhibited in the Irish Impressionists exhibition at the National Gallery in 1984. The Adam’s auction also has an interesting selection of sculptures, including those by Orla de Brí, Hilary Heron, Edward Delaney and Conor Fallon.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FD3PVWKX5VDZVH6M6GQPCMTDZM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732639338282},"content":"Another artist of note is Sarah Cecilia Harrison (1863-1941), whose self-portrait is on sale (€6,000-€8,000) at Adam’s auction. Harrison, a leading portrait painter of her generation, was also the first female to be elected to Dublin Corporation (now Dublin City Council). She passionately championed the rights of Dublin’s underprivileged, while also being a fervent advocate for the arts, campaigning for a modern art gallery to house the art collection of Hugh Lane.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6CPRPNNGXNHT3FB4JPRX32GYIA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732639338285},"content":"<a href=\"https://outlook.office.com/owa/redir.aspx?REF=uwD5_o7E5hMXgwSWDNKleI6Yb5IFDA2N5VkQa2s2jfE82j81NQ7dCAFodHRwOi8vYm9uaGFtcy5jb20.\"><i>bonhams.com</i></a><i>, </i><a href=\"http://whytes.ie/\" target=\"_blank\"><i>whytes.ie</i></a><i>, </i><a href=\"http://adams.ie/\" target=\"_blank\"><i>adams.ie</i></a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"UKAOUXS75ZE6LFFKSZJBBZSUYE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732527083221},"content":"What did it sell for?","type":"header"},{"_id":"IT53TZXXSVCJRDRUNBFY4UGGQQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"URE42WTBOBBLHDC5C653FEINWI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"CGLGRXXWXRCUVCHQ66WBCZ4D5A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732527083222},"content":"Rescued by Martin Gale","type":"header"},{"_id":"YU6GMIKN75F5PALIDN44LB6KGY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732527083223},"content":"<b>Estimate </b>€10,000-€15,000","type":"text"},{"_id":"DNZANE4INBDJXNYP266DPRSYIQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732527083224},"content":"<b>Hammer price</b> €19,000","type":"text"},{"_id":"ANHMEQ4YTRGQTKPXO2P26POJGA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732527083225},"content":"<b>Auction house </b>deVeres","type":"text"},{"_id":"X2AHOELJZNCKNNEUN52FAH45QU","additional_properties":{"_id":"PPOTYFES2RFKDJERRVV6IJPATI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"V6YDOORLYVFBPCPYFEWJ632RTU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732527083226},"content":"Footbridge at Seapoint, 2001 by Donald Teskey","type":"header"},{"_id":"5VLSSZJCXRCJ5PQ4MB7D2BQWBA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732527083227},"content":"<b>Estimate </b>€20,000-€30,000","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZBSVWWKRPZE37ELV4POYDBGNSQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732527083228},"content":"<b>Hammer price </b>Not sold","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZQ4N5UWYIFCKJM2LO5N72Y7OEI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732527083229},"content":"<b>Auction house </b>deVeres","type":"text"},{"_id":"PSL7ATC2UBFDRJVXSVE2IHFRRU","additional_properties":{"_id":"CCHUP6EPVFACXLGZOVNSWBZNYQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"EWVBFLQANJFURIHVN3XFLE3GQE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732527083230},"content":"Winged Figure by Sonja Landweer","type":"header"},{"_id":"QGFBJKGPANEBBEGAR56ZKLVPWU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732527083231},"content":"<b>Estimate </b>€3,000-€5,000","type":"text"},{"_id":"DU77Y3QRQ5AKLBEEWJDXSMGVOM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732527083232},"content":"<b>Hammer price </b>€3,000","type":"text"},{"_id":"OHJOPW4UVFFDVOFWP2WTURC5JQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732527083233},"content":"<b>Auction house </b>deVeres","type":"text"},{"_id":"UUGOPF4MDJHRNBFJWBZDJ2R2GU","additional_properties":{"_id":"XTF7OG5VTZHYZM5YFMULCL6LAE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"SBRV6O4VB5H7PIG55MTO74WKC4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732527083234},"content":"The Red Bogs by Camille Souter","type":"header"},{"_id":"RX4ZXGUREZAMXADYNJPO7RJUZ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732527083235},"content":"<b>Estimate </b>€3,000-€5,000","type":"text"},{"_id":"LTKHQFNG4FHA5PYTOXIOA4YPWQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732527083236},"content":"<b>Hammer price </b>€3,800","type":"text"},{"_id":"CNRP4LBID5GQ3MCD22XONCBVEY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732527083237},"content":"<b>Auction house </b>deVeres","type":"text"},{"_id":"YCDY6C2IB5FUNMX3YVDX7FFP3I","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Sylvia Thompson"}},"name":"Sylvia Thompson"}]},"description":{"basic":"Irish art collectors are spoiled for choice with upcoming sales in Bonham’s, Whyte’s and Adam’s featuring a wealth of local and international talent across painting and sculpture"},"display_date":"2024-11-30T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Female pioneers of modernism shine in Irish art sale","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"AUS35HOKFJBSNBDK2VKCK3ODAI","auth":{"1":"fd4f7d0c607a3b8e796184a9e39ac31919f57c51de98953927d4b9e98ec0da17"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/AUS35HOKFJBSNBDK2VKCK3ODAI.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Fine Art & Antiques"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/fine-art-antiques/2024/11/30/female-pioneers-of-modernism-shine-in-irish-art-sale/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/fine-art-antiques","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Fine Art & Antiques"}}}},{"_id":"FKS2JZVLOFHF7LLGAYH43K7PLU","additional_properties":{},"canonical_url":"/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly/sorcha-im-wondering-is-climate-justice-maybe-a-bit-above-santas-pay-grade/","content_elements":[{"_id":"R4OO7OVNFZBCPFTTRVARUZRRQQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887837},"content":"So – yeah, no – it’s that magical night of the year again when we all sit down as a family and write our letter to Santa Claus. We’ve the Bublé CD on and we’re all wearing our Christmas jumpers. Mine has a picture of Tadhg Furlong, Dan Sheehan and Andrew Porter wearing Santa hats and the words “O Scrum All Ye Faithful” on it. Sorcha has made hot chocolate for everyone and I’m sitting there with my pen poised.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XPB2U7AK65CMZFBTRC7RXEPGYA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887838},"content":"Johnny’s like, “A focking bike!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"W4EWGFUCPNEPLAYXWHR3MEN5PQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887839},"content":"Leo’s there, “An electric guitor!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"7W4XWYME6RCNLDE3YM6O5SSFD4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887840},"content":"Brian goes, “A mini Ferrari!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"FCRP6LDVKNG2BMNTONFIBZVVOA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887841},"content":"And I’m like, “Whoa, whoa, whoa! Go slower, goys,” because I’m struggling to get it all down on paper.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GEKZTEGAL5GL3HZ5YBPJVKUFF4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887842},"content":"But that’s when Sorcha decides to put an end to the fun.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Y7BQQP7PLZCVVK6VYAHCDAEOOY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887843},"content":"She goes, “We’re not just going to throw everything down on paper as it occurs to us. We’re going to write a more <i>considered</i> letter to Santa this year?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"NISVQJJX4ZDT5IU4ZRMVCDZCEY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887844},"content":"The boys look at me as if to say, “Talk to your wife, will you? It sounds like she’s having another one of her wobbles.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"I4NXX3XH7ZGHHJDYVIRNDCDOFE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887845},"content":"Honor goes, “Oh my God, does this have anything to do with the letter that JP and Chloe wrote last year?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"I4WWEPPHORHDPJN4WSVWQXLLRM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887846},"content":"Yeah, no, long story short, JP and Chloe posted little Isa’s Santa letter on Instagram – it was very cute, in fairness to it – and it ended up going viral. And I remember Sorcha complaining at the time that our Santa letters had all the chorm of a ransom note, containing, as they did, nothing more than a list of demands and instructions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RYMD7Q5VEJFFFB7KHTIDKDYKVY","additional_properties":{"_id":"5VKJRJMLBZHS7CWKE7GOXHVRYQ"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"WFDPZAILQRGLFA6CMDNSUMS7OA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887847},"content":"Sorcha produces a small box, which it turns out contains writing paper – and not just ordinary writing paper either.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6TZPO7TTEZHG7JJT64YRD2R3RI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887848},"content":"“It’s from a fully sustainable source!” Sorcha goes. “Meaning it was produced using virgin fibres from a Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood, adhering to the strictest environmental, social and economic standards! It’s also corbon-neutral in the sense that any CO2 emissions caused by its production were offset by methods to remove it from the atmosphere!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"UDBAHZCIWRGCDLRK4HYLFAWQMM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887849},"content":"You can almost hear the Christmas joy being sucked out of the room.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RXD35RBKZJGNLB3AKTTWFWCSIE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887850},"content":"Honor’s like, “I’m sure you’ll make sure to mention that in your Instagram post.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"TQLVX6HMCBGIDGTTDUDOVZJFL4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887851},"content":"“Also,” Sorcha goes, producing a pen, “we’re going to write it using a soy-based ink, which has a far less hormful environmental impact than petroleum-based inks.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"QWDPSDCPKZAW3E4BRJZJNYD5NI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887852},"content":"“People are just going to think you’re a knob,” Honor goes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XCT66VHFWNC3DCH4HGAW6BHREE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887853},"content":"Sorcha just ignores her. She takes a page from the box and goes, “Okay, we’ll stort with the address. Obviously, it’s different from last year. We won’t go into details about the fire. We’ll just say that we’re living with Grandma and Grandpa Lalor for now. Okay, here we go. I’ll put ‘Dear Santa’. Then I’ll stort off by saying that we hope he and Mrs Claus are keeping well, despite the fact that the North Pole is, like, 20 degrees warmer than it was a century ago. And I’ll say that you’ve been very, very good boys this year.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"YCXYVAIIANFXXG3JYQ7X4MFC44","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887854},"content":"I’m there, “Again, we won’t mention the fire.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"J2KWZYKWZFCZPMDUS2ETZISTDU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887855},"content":"She goes, “Right, what we do want for Christmas – as in, what do we, like, <i>really</i> want?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"PSTGHOL74VDNXAKQGDOT2T7AIY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887856},"content":"I’m there, “Johnny mentioned a bike.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"4C37SUOE4FBW5BQML7ZHPPYJR4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887857},"content":"“A focking bike,” Johnny goes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SBDX6W76PNE5DHAQHJG6LCZB7E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887858},"content":"I’m like, “A <i>focking</i> bike. I stand corrected.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"6SO6FH3XU5ETPDF62V4G2FZYBU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887859},"content":"Sorcha goes, “Why don’t we – just for one year – ask for gifts that are slightly more, I don’t know, <i>ethereal</i>?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZCPLLGR7FJEU7LSTISYA4EKNFA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887860},"content":"The three boys look at me for an explanation.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6EWSMX336NAJLNX3VPUTKDC7TY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887861},"content":"I’m there, “I haven’t a clue, goys. I was on the senior cup team, bear in mind?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"UVAWMDGF3JFWZHPTQ55SJXDT54","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887862},"content":"Honor goes, “It means things that don’t cost any money.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"OPGT7JHWE5DH5LEN5XWXQFPPAY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887863},"content":"Sorcha’s there, “It means spiritual things.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"BVL6JHDBHVGSZMUJ7F5SOG6XCY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887864},"content":"“Oh my God,” Honor goes, “this is totally for Instagram. People will say that your children are going to grow up to hate you.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"YNWVANDE6NAXTDACIDPQQFVLJQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"IEH52E4JYRBNLG7KZVQ5CSEYQI"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"VTHGUIFPLJCTZI473AJ5MG4D3U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887865},"content":"Sorcha’s there, “Why don’t we ask for – just as an example – peace on Earth.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"I3XVS5NWHFCW3O2CWCSE6FEYE4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887866},"content":"I’m like, “Is that not–?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"JB7NMP4XNBE6PNNH6WI3HARGRU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887867},"content":"Sorcha’s there, “What?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"N6VTZYWV7BCFHM63RZV6TZESKE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887868},"content":"“Well, God’s deportment?” I go. “I mean, Santa is just a dude who runs a workshop where he makes <i>toys</i> all year round?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"UYTK6OVPSZHKJNIKFVRGQTQKEI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887869},"content":"“I’m putting down peace on Earth,” Sorcha goes, then she writes the words. “Okay, what else? What about climate justice?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"UYABWATWWBH55FKGKSXEP34HFQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887870},"content":"“The fock is that?” Leo goes – and he’s well within his rights.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4QVFKMZNRBCWPHPVEEJ232YSQE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887871},"content":"I’m there, “Again, Sorcha, I’m wondering is climate justice maybe a bit above<i> </i>Santa’s pay grade?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"PRFTH4X56RGILDKNREC45KOAGY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887872},"content":"She’s there, “I’m going to ask him for a stabilisation in our emission of greenhouse gases in the short term to at least put off the global catastrophe that’s coming our way. And also more windmills and solar panels for the world. Okay, what else?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"BNSRGNPPFNDCXM6G3VQXLORXL4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887873},"content":"“A mini Ferrrari,” Brian goes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H6CJ6ZUA4ZEVBG5A6MJ3PHAWXE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887874},"content":"And Sorcha’s like, “Again, Brian, we’re trying to think of less <i>tangible</i> things?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"H35MRV3MARFGFBBA7EPCOF4XS4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887875},"content":"He looks at me.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z7FG776LIBAQRFXXQ35MXHUROE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887876},"content":"I’m there, “Jesus Christ, Brian, you’d a bigger vocabulary than me when you were five.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"PAB7UY7IJFH3PMEO7QIETC46W4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887877},"content":"“Come on, what else?” Sorcha goes. “What if we just ask Santa to keep us all safe and healthy during the coming year?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"FJG6PZBU5RCW3EI2AIG45TNAKA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887878},"content":"I’m there, “Again, I see Santa as the boss of a humungous Amazon-type warehouse in the snowy wilds of wherever. I think we’re asking a bit much from him. He might think we’re ripping the piss.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"GPRTL67GXJEDNJSZSB7P5IT3CM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887879},"content":"But Sorcha goes, “Ross, he and Mrs Claus live on a sheet of ice that has thinned by almost 50 per cent in the last 50 years. Actually, I’ll mention that in the letter. Then I’ll sign off by saying that this is your wish for Christmas and you don’t want any material gifts this year.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"TC5KHUQPEFCF7E3JLN7GSD23HY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887880},"content":"Johnny’s like, “What the fock?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"LYA653YEZRH3FDANNN6NH7PULE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887881},"content":"“This is going to be the shittest Christmas ever,” Honor goes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"44OWHQJNHBBTHBMGMK7HLMOO4Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887882},"content":"I’m there, “It’s definitely shaping up that way.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"X2577G7KSRGYHGZ57ASQSLN4QM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887883},"content":"Sorcha’s there, “Lots of love, Honor, Brian, Johnny and Leo.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"57ZP5MEUBFAILGHVMHJOEL6FJA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887884},"content":"I’m like, “Sorcha, just to repeat what Johnny said, what the fock?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"AJ5SGVMC4FEEXNMXB7KWK7KYZA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887885},"content":"She goes, “Right, I’m going to go and make some more hot chocolate,” and she takes the letter and heads for the kitchen.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PIHG4YAL2BAD3LRRNXJ3OL7HMQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887886},"content":"Leo’s like, “Are we getting no presents from Santa?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"XLXCCRE5SZFALCDEZ6WHDPAXTU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887887},"content":"Honor’s there, “Don’t worry – it’s just our mother looking for likes from strangers again.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"IYLZI6ZBPZDVBAOYVBFV4OEXJM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887888},"content":"I go, “Has she posted it yet?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"5XVDULP5OVANXB27XGY4K7T6D4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887889},"content":"Honor checks her phone.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BB5T7VMN7BES5NTU5V2EY7FTWI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887890},"content":"She’s there, “Yeah – 30 seconds ago.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"GYQ37XNOH5AJTMHIC6RXBB2RVE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887891},"content":"I’m like, “Any responses yet?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"VUZTIUMOHJAMZB7AQBWKRPSIMI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887892},"content":"“One,” Honor goes. “Someone called her a knob. Oh, and someone else just said that her kids would grow up to hate her.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"H6GGYSSZS5A5FKXHBOB623DLCQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732538887893},"content":"“Right,” I go, “let’s write your real list before she comes back. Who said they wanted an electric guitor?”","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly"}},"name":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly"}]},"description":{"basic":"Honor goes, ‘Don’t worry – it’s just our mother looking for likes from strangers again’"},"display_date":"2024-11-30T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"‘Sorcha, I’m wondering is climate justice maybe a bit above Santa’s pay grade?’","native":""},"label":{},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"2YYZ6XOJMJBTNNT5U2IPQBC6BU","auth":{"1":"ce9515e92d72b629eb2d343932922ce35f6d8861795c81404197f0ffd8bdf691"},"focal_point":{"x":1302,"y":975},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/2YYZ6XOJMJBTNNT5U2IPQBC6BU.jpg"},"podcast":{"embed":{"config":{"duration":382.684,"episodeTitle":"Honor goes, ‘Don’t worry – it’s just our mother looking for likes from strangers again’","imageUrl":"https://assets.pippa.io/shows/61409402444fd951a7f27e60/1673383397461-8f5dc76da6409974bd352dc3e7b7a299.jpeg","showTitle":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly","streamUrl":"https://feeds.acast.com/public/streams/61409402444fd951a7f27e60/episodes/6749fae61c6967d8146dc23f.mp3"}}}},"subtype":"podcast","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly"},{"name":"People"},{"name":"Life & Style"},{"name":"Podcasts"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly/sorcha-im-wondering-is-climate-justice-maybe-a-bit-above-santas-pay-grade/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly","additional_properties":{"original":{"Podcast":{"podcast_logo":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/MH35IEIN5FGYNH7X3SQF3E4LBQ.jpg"}}},"name":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly"}}}},{"_id":"HXIUSUJVHBB7JGN52PFKO7X2YI","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":101,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/3ea414b7-16bb-4f73-920e-31d086d86a20/versions/1732888959/media/172075772f5846d5b0039f5399b2cd01_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/29/snap-election-how-irish-times-photographers-captured-campaign-life-through-a-lens/","content_elements":[{"_id":"LCNIEMF7RBBWZNS7M6QVUQ7DNM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732886643337},"content":"It may have been the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/election2024/\" target=\"_blank\">general election campaign</a> that put the small town of Kanturk in northwest Co Cork on the map, but voters all over the state have now had their say in Election 2024.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ULBQVPIPQFFNRP5BZAXQDLJBVQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732886643338},"content":"Campaigns matter. Irish politicians are accessible to the public in a way that is unimaginable in other countries. And election campaigns here provide an even greater opportunity for voters to get up close and personal with their prospective representatives.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4JUEG7PSSRCVRNL2BCF3JPNQRQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"FBAPSYGPZZBMFEZZGK4UZOK33U"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"MYV3EVK6OVBMLH2JILIPGUB3QM","additional_properties":{"_id":"3DUG62POZREIDBBG2LCOBRN36Q"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"BUJITFXF55DIJGCREPVV62DCS4","additional_properties":{},"content":"The Irish Times photographers stuck close to the candidates in recent weeks, ready to record any unguarded moments during all those ever-so-carefully choreographed public appearances.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VLPCI7PGZFC2BBJRCYDIKZYM7U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732886643340},"content":"Roman emperor Julius Caesar is said to have bragged: “Veni, vidi, vici” (“I came, I saw, I conquered”). Our photographers are a modest bunch but they came, they saw and they captured the character of candidates from all parties and none.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SWLAHULQANFOVDE2GHJRN35ZFI","additional_properties":{"_id":"ZCOA2WJC4RBLXMMOFGOZJPIVO4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"TZTOVOKZX5HZTCKQM5ILHT34K4","additional_properties":{"_id":"RB3UOZR6BBEAPKRA4ZSG7ZX7AA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"5CNINGBWSRADPBAB5CGRLW5PGM","additional_properties":{"_id":"AZDH7B4WSZH75FXXQQNA5MGWQI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"EP73PBDFLVCPLNNH2UR2GHPAXY","additional_properties":{"_id":"32MVBSLH4BG3DGLXHOJLFF2FQY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"W4CGJGLIBBG3BOB5BTFUKDNUQA","additional_properties":{"_id":"DD5KTZ7HFFHWJLV4IOMTW7ABE4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"WN7YXNGFQJDJNIL6JLJOEYW6IE","additional_properties":{"_id":"VXERQ6FF3ZG75P3W3TYC7T4QAY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"4Q6TEGX4WRBDXFJ4YZ3Z2DGKI4","additional_properties":{"_id":"QKFXKXC5W5CEHKUDZTHTERV5QY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"PTKJ4RR5PFFU7HWPDRDZCIFUQU","additional_properties":{},"content":"This selection of their standout images sums up a fast-paced campaign in which thousands of doorbells were pressed, many hands shaken and, as always, lots of promises were made by incumbents and newcomers alike.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CISSSOPHXRFJHOGWRUWURIIWQE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732886643343},"content":"All campaigns have their highs and lows. For the candidates, the anxieties, uncertainty and excitement of this campaign have concluded. The people have spoken.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YCDY6C2IB5FUNMX3YVDX7FFP3I","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"The focus is on candidates’ candid moments in this selection of pictures from around the country"},"display_date":"2024-11-29T22:05:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Snap election: How Irish Times photographers captured campaign life through a lens ","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"KOG74UPLKBFXVJD6SFXGBJYBUQ","auth":{"1":"5f99ff35acd36e7b1c61132b517451b2d28447fb067299aa1e2ea8eff2348ea5"},"focal_point":{"x":2113,"y":1258},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/KOG74UPLKBFXVJD6SFXGBJYBUQ.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Politics"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/29/snap-election-how-irish-times-photographers-captured-campaign-life-through-a-lens/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"SDDF4Y47FBHMZACNDMELPIZYJI","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":290,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/6ee725ed-7173-4a7c-b2d3-1b2c3f216b54/versions/1732786701/media/c1c81401e20168a7109a37e374ed404a_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/29/brianna-parkins-dee-devlin-is-not-conor-mcgregors-moral-keeper-thats-his-responsibility-alone/","content_elements":[{"_id":"RHPMYQE4JFBLBKZZN3KPNDUFCE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732784038257},"content":"When a man acts badly, we look at the women surrounding him for answers. Whether appropriate or not, if he has a female partner we turn our eyes towards her and form judgment on what she does or doesn’t say. Whether she stays or goes. Even the outfits she wore scurrying to and from court with her head down and face white from the bouncing flash of photographers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"56TI4BSCENG75CGLFCZMYKZPMM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732784038258},"content":"Hillary Clinton found herself in the media crosshairs for her husband’s affair, even though he was the one who pursued an inappropriate relationship with a young White House intern. It was decided that she deserved to be picked apart despite finding out her husband was stepping out on her in the very public and unrelenting 24-7 media cycle.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BOVXQSBDYBHRZMLMIIV2KITOBM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732784038259},"content":"When scandals push politicians from being described as “embattled” to “disgraced”, we look to their wives to see if they’re standing behind them at the press conference as they read a contrite statement of apology. Are they standing by their men? And is this a good or a bad thing?","type":"text"},{"_id":"7ZECYU5AQ5G73MYERLE3LXNDN4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732784038260},"content":"After a High Court jury found, in a civil case, that <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/conor-mcgregor/\" target=\"_blank\">Conor McGregor</a> had assaulted Nikita Hand in a Dublin hotel room, attention narrowed on McGregor’s partner, Dee Devlin. Social media speculation flared about her “role” in the ordeal even though she was not present on the evening in question. Posts either victimised her, sympathised with her, castigated her for staying with the father of her four children, or labelled her complicit.","type":"text"},{"_id":"32SUWPEBYNDPHP7XENUUNM5MSM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732784038261},"content":"The speculation didn’t have to last long. She laid out her feelings on the situation in literal black and white on her Instagram stories. The text read, “Conor and I dealt with these issues privately many years ago, as should be done in a relationship and we have come out stronger than ever.” It was unclear whether she was referring to issues of infidelity or the accusations of rape levelled at her long-time partner.","type":"text"},{"_id":"L5WIK5UYINEAXDRD4OROHQGI5A","additional_properties":{"_id":"22JNQG5X4BCKTM2ZTKHGE7MTLQ"},"content":"From the very start Conor McGregor was telling us and showing us who he was","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"PG2ZRDVABFAXTLHZOBE5XLB7BY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732784038262},"content":"Devlin also offered some thoughts in relation to Nikita Hand, the woman who had presented medical evidence to support her rape claims against McGregor. “Imagine a WOMAN, with her own boyfriend and child, texting provocative pictures of herself to another woman’s man with a family and child on the way,” a post read.","type":"text"},{"_id":"E2QTI3LULVEETPDS4D6JN7PFQU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732784038263},"content":"Another post promised: “My sons will be warned women like you exist in the world.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"G3KN4KCDCZDXZKEM7UDZFEMYLE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732784038264},"content":"The question remains, women like what? Women who take men to court? Women who seek remedy through the legal system? It is unclear what she meant exactly but if she is talking about the above, I have plenty of observations.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EN2FWXLD55EPLKQZL5W2LAUFFI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732784038265},"content":"During my decade or so in journalism, I’ve covered courts off and on. I routinely meet people on the worst day of their life or when they have that day picked over and reconstructed to a public court with lawyers raking over every minute detail, down to the type of soap they used to shower afterwards. I have witnessed the quiet dignity of both male and female victims of sexual and physical abuse as they read their impact statements. Some shaking the paper so hard I can hear it crackle, some calmly detached and some looking back to their families almost as if to check what they’re hearing won’t be too hard on them.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NI4G3ZL5PZHRRIQDMYSQG4S4II","additional_properties":{"_id":1732784038266},"content":"I have seen these people come to court in shined shoes and ironed shirts to face down their alleged abusers. I see them in rooms and security queues that have them less than a metre away from their alleged offender. I have seen the tightly controlled faces, the refusal to give even a slightest hint of upset. I have seen parents in court, putting a hand on their adult child’s leg reassuringly as graphic details of injuries were read out.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FEWSSGHTRPZHQ3V5WAXZXEMEPY","additional_properties":{"_id":"5IBYCDWFCNEUPMYD424EA4X4UQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"OOT4Q52O25B7RAJ2EQBPLXEHAE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732784038267},"content":"I know the scrutiny a court case brings down on a complainant. On what they were doing or drinking or even wearing before an incident. The memory of a Penneys thong being used against a rape complainant in 2018 lives on. It is not something I’m sure I could go through myself if it ever came to it. I don’t know if I would have the mettle and hope I never have to find out. I am quietly awed by those who stand up outside the courthouse to address the media. Who can say a terrible thing has occurred to them but they pursued justice anyway, in a bid to encourage others to do the same. The focus should remain on them and their path to justice.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PM6FFARMABA6XHNGWP2GWST5QI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732784038268},"content":"For this reason, when a man is accused of acting badly I am less interested in what the supporting cast of women in his life does or doesn’t say about it. Women are not men’s moral keepers. Our role is not to sit on their shoulders like tiny Jiminy Crickets with curly blow-drys to help them gain a conscience. That is their responsibility.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Brianna Parkins"}},"name":"Brianna Parkins"}]},"description":{"basic":"I am quietly awed by Nikita Hand and others like her who stand up outside a courthouse to address the media"},"display_date":"2024-11-29T05:48:30.795Z","headlines":{"basic":"Dee Devlin is not Conor McGregor’s moral keeper. That’s his responsibility alone","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"6PLJY4PCXIRAP3EKSITV7XQ5MI","auth":{"1":"80ac2a2c46fcfdaf4e5ed2f8a30d98c5f51eee24332b6b85283c96819f57cbda"},"focal_point":{"x":1460,"y":670},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/6PLJY4PCXIRAP3EKSITV7XQ5MI.jpg"}},"subtype":"columnist","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/29/brianna-parkins-dee-devlin-is-not-conor-mcgregors-moral-keeper-thats-his-responsibility-alone/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"2LCXYXARWNAOZMEJPW4X6RJGKI","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":305,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/3048b34e-74d4-44a9-b307-1b19ef2b6e68/versions/1732032590/media/d61cc8e4fea89230c372860850af540d_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/fashion/2024/11/29/five-of-the-best-beauty-gifts-for-christmas-from-irish-brands/","content_elements":[{"_id":"K5LRSK5W4NDGBDGTK7WMX2E2OM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727449},"content":"I love writing about beauty, but when it comes to Christmas gifting, it can sometimes feel like a chore. The market becomes overrun with familiar-looking gift sets that, while nice, don’t always offer that extra spark of excitement or something truly unique for the recipient.","type":"text"},{"_id":"B6PLGZQ56BBIFKVVBPPSJXYPXA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727450},"content":"That said, several brands get it right each year – and I’m here to tell you about them. Some do it with thoughtful, beautifully curated, unique gifts that are genuinely exciting to give and receive. Others simply present their stellar, well-loved products as the perfect present – not because they’re new, but because they’re worth the splurge and will provide lasting value to the recipient.","type":"text"},{"_id":"M635HDOMS5BEFIUFXEWVK2M4ZI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727451},"content":"Everything in this list falls into one of those categories and best of all, they’re all from exceptional home-grown brands. Get ready to surprise and sleigh.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PWNRK2XHG5CPJPS5EZPPLWHHU4","additional_properties":{"_id":"4KQ75HTMFNHWPERCUORYFEEHWU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"RC6S5HGSL5HKHGURDWJV5OPIKQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727452},"content":"Ground Wellbeing Sleep Sound Gift Box","type":"header"},{"_id":"5QLAYRZDV5B37M3N5W3BOBB6ZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727453},"content":"Give the gift of wellness this festive season with what might just be the most thoughtful present on this list: a good night’s sleep, courtesy of award-winning brand, Ground Wellbeing. I’ve tried several of their sleep products, and I can honestly say they work wonders. There’s something so meaningful about giving a gift that helps someone you love feel truly rested.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GZ6UECXBWFGVXOQMZBRBZAJHRQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727454},"content":"The Sleep Sound Gift Box (€62 from <a href=\"http://groundwellbeing.com/\" target=\"_blank\">groundwellbeing.com</a>) includes two beautiful products: Night Body Oil and Night Bath Salts. They’re potent, calming and expertly handcrafted by Peigín Crowley, one of Ireland’s top wellness experts.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DHNG367S7JHYHCNMQHJH72WY3A","additional_properties":{"_id":"ZIFYIEF5D5D3VA23VGFKW37JR4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"R72UMXIUIRAVPFTRAUYEU7FCLM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727455},"content":"LanaiBlo Professional Hair Dryer","type":"header"},{"_id":"MPMS4BG7F5FOBDH6FPRKRADSCI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727456},"content":"After over a decade in the beauty industry, I’ve tried countless hair dryers, but few have impressed me as much as the LanaiBLO (€109.99, or €124.99 with personalisation, from <a href=\"http://lanaiblo.com/\" target=\"_blank\">lanaiblo.com</a>).","type":"text"},{"_id":"MNQOHMFQENEV3CTGRYXUC3QGCI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727457},"content":"These powerful, salon-quality dryers not only look sleek and stylish, they also deliver an amazing blow dry every time. They come in a variety of colours, including some new shades for the season – Rose Gold, Emerald Green, and Purple Pastel, among others. Plus, each one can be personalised, making it feel even more special. A perfect gift for anyone who loves a good hair day.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MCFY2YHNEBGNJAC5ITWREHHCIU","additional_properties":{"_id":"4UWWXIFS4RBQBNTSXG7GMXZVSI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"RSRSUBHIR5FTDPNLZ4BRB53PBQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727458},"content":"Sculpted by Aimee The Gift of a Full Face","type":"header"},{"_id":"NHITG65QPBHHLNPTWEUDB6JQJI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727459},"content":"I’m a little concerned this gift set might sell out before this piece even goes to print, but here’s hoping! Sculpted by Aimee’s annual gift collection is always beautifully curated, with options to fit a range of budgets and tastes. One of the highlights this year is The Gift of a Full Face (€50 from <a href=\"http://sculptedbyaimee.com/\" target=\"_blank\">sculptedbyaimee.com</a>), which includes some of the brand’s bestselling make-up products (valued at over €100): Bare Basics Face Palette, MyMascara, HydraLip (a lipstick-balm hybrid) in the shade Rose, a pack of moisturising sheet masks, and two excellent face brushes. An impressive (and affordable) gift, and an ideal way to introduce a friend, family member or colleague to one of our most-loved beauty brands.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CYHLNW23RBFQ7DFF7O4VCFU5DM","additional_properties":{"_id":"EPRQVFNWKJGSVGYMCSGKTQ3FQM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"PYQSJ522JZGRVOTEANM2BRX6RU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727460},"content":"Cloon Keen Noble Fir Candle","type":"header"},{"_id":"AGLVDAWMJ5DVPPOF3DZOIYBHPE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727461},"content":"I’ve chosen Noble Fir (€45 from <a href=\"http://cloonkeen.com/\" target=\"_blank\">cloonkeen.com</a>) as the go-to candle gift from Galway perfumer and candle maker, Cloon Keen. Honestly, though, any of their gorgeous candles would be a joy to receive and would instantly set a cosy, inviting atmosphere. A luxurious gift, each Cloon Keen is hand poured at the brand’s atelier in the West and delivers a burn time of more than 60 hours.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X4WT2QWP2BCJZHR33M3OVL65A4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727462},"content":"Noble Fir is a personal favourite of mine as it captures everything I love about Christmas: warmth, togetherness and those cosy evenings by the fire.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KGKI3YFV3JEK5K6XJTU5QPCQLM","additional_properties":{"_id":"DDAVHGCIRJHRRIWGO7TV7BZYUQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"IEDLV3B2DRGOBJOTJS7ETJJI3Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727463},"content":"Ella & Jo Masking Moments Gift Set","type":"header"},{"_id":"2YQI7M3YSRCUBESTUUXWBK6XWU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727464},"content":"Skincare can be a bit tricky to gift, especially when you’re not sure about someone’s skin type or specific needs. A set that solves this issue beautifully is Ella & Jo’s Masking Moments Gift Set<i> </i>(€65 from <a href=\"http://ellaandjo.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">ellaandjo.ie</a>).","type":"text"},{"_id":"UTDF23YA7JEPDAH3AUAJHWJAHI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727465},"content":"It includes two of their face masks: The Miracle Mask<i>,</i> which hydrates and soothes, and The Glow Up Enzyme Mask, which helps exfoliate and brighten the skin. In essence, it’s a complete mask set that will please just about everyone and deliver gorgeous, glowing skin along the way.","type":"text"},{"_id":"72TSZPEY2RGRXEIIQBXEREPNBM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727466},"content":"This week I’m loving ... Milk Makeup Odyssey Lip Oil Gloss","type":"header"},{"_id":"YVZUTC62IZA5TDJ46QZLTBIX7E","additional_properties":{"_id":"UZM7GKTVCVBZRCTPZ4PSAAX2VA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"MESM2XGUKNF6VCPABDZTCRCMCE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732024727467},"content":"Seriously nourishing with impressive colour pay-off and a long-lasting high-shine finish, Milk Makeup Odyssey Lip Oil Gloss (€29.90 from Space NK) is my new favourite lip product. Potent enough to wear alone – delivering a full, colour-drenched pout – yet soothing and hydrating for those times when your lips need a little TLC. It is available in 12 appealing shades: you might find yourself, like me, trying one and then wanting them all.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Simone Gannon"}},"name":"Simone Gannon"}]},"description":{"basic":"Simone Gannon’s handpicked selection of festive gifts includes something for every beauty lover, from make-up and fragrance to haircare and wellness"},"display_date":"2024-11-29T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Five of the best beauty gifts for Christmas from Irish brands ","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"},"basic":{"display":true,"text":"Beauty","url":"/tags/beauty/"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"KGKI3YFV3JEK5K6XJTU5QPCQLM","auth":{"1":"c98994ca7b1d6728ea8bab4225ea8c2fc40da0cd4e89003604607a2e9ddaa0de"},"focal_point":{"x":780,"y":640},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/KGKI3YFV3JEK5K6XJTU5QPCQLM.png"}},"subtype":"columnist","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Fashion"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/fashion/2024/11/29/five-of-the-best-beauty-gifts-for-christmas-from-irish-brands/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/fashion","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Fashion"}}}},{"_id":"ZO767YYBBVFNTKMKQEVWJEXFJE","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":343,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/f6212bb2-2cb9-42dd-9242-ddb28951fae0/versions/1732107829/media/9dc58bf78b1d3f07fa277b5ff94a41df_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/30/designer-helen-james-begrudgery-is-knitted-into-the-fabric-of-our-being/","content_elements":[{"_id":"EYCSMEDG2JEWBEQFI5ZPBWPCKU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732099811638},"content":"I was always teased at school about being English because that’s where my parents are from. I was Protestant, too, whereas most of my friends were Catholic and made to go to Mass every Sunday. My parents travelled a lot because of my dad’s job [curator of Islamic art at the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin] and we ate different foods, so I suppose there was something of the “other” about me. It wasn’t until I moved to New York in 1993 age 23 that I really felt Irish.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2552HVBUUBFHBK3S7B2TVKTZVQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"HGDDD4ERHJHPVHII4XW6NTPLFI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"LAWTLBXTINFZZAYSQPGLAJNQQU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732099811639},"content":"When you’re away from your own country, all of those differences fall away; Irish people in New York saw me as Irish. I hung out in the East Village with the other Irish at Sin-é cafe and I worked in an Irish pub called The Scratcher for a while. I learned the tin whistle and got really into trad music. I had never been exposed to this side of Irish culture growing up.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RZIX4NIGVJBZZES2LXOPXBTKW4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732099811640},"content":"I moved back from New York after 9/11. It changed everything. People were coming from a place of fear and I didn’t want to raise my kids in that atmosphere. Plus I wanted to grow vegetables and be outside. But it was the Celtic Tiger era and Dublin was not the same place I’d grown up. I remember visiting a friend in Kerry, driving around in a 15-year-old Golf and noticing that all of the other cars on the roads were massive SUVs with Dublin registration plates. It used to be that the emigrants coming home from the US drove big cars and built big houses, but that had flipped.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CTX27ZP5EVGOVAPIGPO6IJJOTQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"HTHALZN6OJEEBJ6KW36Y6POPI4"},"content":"Blindboy: ‘I left my first day of school feeling great shame. The pain of that still rises up in me’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"F53RJMAVAZAP5P2J65TUZCFMBA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732099811641},"content":"I was really struck by how insidious the begrudgery was here. My then-husband [musician Mark Geary] was recording an album in Barbados and he’d managed to get a ticket for me to travel there with him as his stylist. I remember telling people and being so surprised by their reaction: “Oh my God, you’re so jammy!” It was said in jest but there was an undertone of begrudgery. In New York, the response would have been: “That’s amazing, fantastic, have an incredible time!” I think begrudgery is knitted into the fabric of our being and it comes from a place of lack, a fear that there isn’t enough to go around. In New York there’s an abundance.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VTDLDWCO75FXVGJQNGZTVGFU3E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732099811642},"content":"I also think taking care of each other is woven into our culture. I moved back to New York for a couple of years a decade ago, and when I told people there that I received children’s allowance in Ireland, they couldn’t believe it. There’s no access for wheelchairs on subways in New York and no news with signing for the deaf. I suppose because I was older and had young children I really noticed the “survival of the fittest” mentality. If you are not on top of your game in New York, somebody will literally kick you to the kerb and step over you.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KCY4SASVFNENDJ27TVYODFTYZE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732099811643},"content":"I had no job when I came home in the early 2000s so I drove to shops around Ireland with a suitcase full of samples. I didn’t move into interiors then because there really wasn’t a market for it. People were spending money on fashion so I designed and made scarves, belts and some clothes. I met Tracy [Tucker] from Costume boutique – I had known her brother in New York – and she bought some of my pieces, which really opened doors for me.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3MCQTGG7UVH4BDGX5OOEP3ZVFA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732099811644},"content":"Although I’d worked for Donna Karan in New York, I never felt like a fashion designer. I always felt like an impostor. A love of interiors was always in me though. My mother had incredible taste. Our childhood home was stunning and it was all done on a shoestring budget. She loved to browse antique shops and she would screech the car to a halt whenever she spotted a skip. I’d be absolutely mortified.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WP35P3YPNNF5NDJ7RQ6VPRLBRA","additional_properties":{"_id":"W5WCTABRRNBJDGL6OFRS4BFR3M"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"FEAYEZVEYNH2VAYMRXV6ORC7YM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732099811645},"content":"I love the pace of life in Ireland. Yes, we’re all busy, but it’s different here; it’s not the rat race of New York and other big cities. You can be in the garden, have a swim, go for a walk – it’s all on our doorstep. It’s a gentler, lovelier pace and we really need to hold on to that. Having said that, when I lived in Westmeath, I did feel isolated, working on my own and being away from people. There was a lot to love about living there, but being in Dublin close to my peers suits me. One thing I love about working with Dunnes Stores is that I have a team around me. That’s how I work best.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XVV4G7H66JCHHCVDE2PN3QMMAE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732099811646},"content":"Although my parents were quite bohemian, Christmas was very traditional in our house and they always had people to stay and friends over for dinner. I absolutely love this time of year. I have always decorated the tree with the boys; I learned after a few years to just let them do it and then go back later and tidy it up! I adore cooking Christmas dinner with all the trimmings, but my favourite meal of the whole year is on Stephen’s Day. Everybody comes to me and I make sure there’s enough cold turkey and ham, then I bake a hash with potatoes, vegetables and stuffing in the oven for about four hours until it goes really golden brown and develops a gorgeous crust.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QXBJSG3FQJDOHHPF7QZ5EXMZHY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732099811647},"content":"My eldest son, who is 25, has been in Australia for the past two years and he’ll be home on December 4th, so it’s going to be a big Christmas this year. I can’t wait.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OP7U2PN275DDLHVOOBJM7YZXEY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732099811648},"content":"<i>In conversation with Marie Kelly. This interview, part of a series, was edited for clarity and length. Helen James’s </i><a href=\"https://www.dunnesstores.com/considered-by-helen-james/view-all?srsltid=AfmBOoqLhUIDnaxqdM-gT2mLiQ9rRr0QPVp3tLhqlQ0jGfdGXKEC1Un9\" target=\"_blank\"><i>Considered range</i></a><i> is available in Dunnes Stores</i>","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Helen James"}]},"description":{"basic":"Designer Helen James on returning to Dublin from New York, the ‘gentler, lovelier pace’ here, and the traditions of Christmas"},"display_date":"2024-11-29T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Designer Helen James: I was teased at school about being English, a Protestant. There was always something of the ‘other’ about me","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"JWNNTG3XFKAERT73XK2S5TXBJM","auth":{"1":"b0e54b1df4176db49b16f79292325d5dcadeb7cbbeef9374cf5f563315b2275b"},"focal_point":{"x":557,"y":158},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/JWNNTG3XFKAERT73XK2S5TXBJM.jpg"}},"subtype":"opinion","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/30/designer-helen-james-begrudgery-is-knitted-into-the-fabric-of-our-being/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"TEEPN37NTFCP7MBNXWDSNKRGRU","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":255,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/5469/podcasts/008a5f45-3df2-4112-b408-1995db0efd51/versions/1732106676/media/0fd8b3f1e507f68de8b478b42e8be55b_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/28/michael-harding-i-love-this-man-i-love-his-golden-locks-my-friends-love-for-donald-trump-comes-at-a-price/","content_elements":[{"_id":"MNYCVDNMLVDRHHURVQ7FPRVQ5I","additional_properties":{"_id":1731505543113},"content":"The cat was on the rug, sitting vigil over the body of a dead mouse, which I suppose he wanted to present to me as a gift. But I don’t eat mice, so I took the gift by the tail and laid it outside on the windowsill, knowing that the magpies in the spruce tree would appreciate a little extra lunch.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YQHMZGWXWBCTNBLSWLAH5QUCTA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731505543114},"content":"Which reminded me that the General too might appreciate a little lunch, and so I phoned to see if he would come out to the BR Bistro in Carrick-on-Shannon, a wonderful restaurant that he particularly enjoys. But I could get no answer so I drove around to his place and found him peeping out from behind the curtains.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V5OKMRRX3RHQDADWACVO4HMZBA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731505543115},"content":"“Why didn’t you answer the phone?” I wondered.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DRVMCUCXQJHSVBSYXGXFPGQHCI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731505543116},"content":"“I’m afraid,” he replied, “after the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/donald-trump/\" target=\"_blank\">Trump </a>victory.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"6CAYV3W5EFENJKMJSG42L5CKNI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731505543117},"content":"“And why should that matter to you?” I wondered.","type":"text"},{"_id":"C3TIQMPHTJGB5HCT6Y747NJMTU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731505543118},"content":"“The wife-separate!” he declared. “She’s raging that Trump won and she knows I worship him. I will only get into a row with her if I answered the phone.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"O4LLGMMD2VH3PJLJTPOCOOEIBA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732704266290},"content":"He was wearing underpants and a white T-shirt, and his nose was stuck in the computer, scrolling down litanies of praise for the infamous Donald.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HY7CGBNZANHOJHCJ4I4EESHD4A","additional_properties":{"_id":1731505543120},"content":"“I love this man,” he sighed. “I love his golden locks. I love his enormous body and the fact that he can climb up into the cabin of a truck even though he is the same age as myself.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"7N5RK365QNDVTNHAKTX5Y3MBWI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731505543121},"content":"But Trump doesn’t drink, so there’s really no comparison with the General.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OIVTMZWOXBFDDE3OZWI4KFCRXA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731505543122},"content":"“Put on some clothes,” I said, “and we shall go out to lunch.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"G7IYCUHKHVH7FAOW3UZ2TRYOQA","additional_properties":{"_id":"A5CLEEC4END2LIINZVTKYSDYXE"},"content":"Michael Harding: As I left the graveyard, I reflected on what November does to the soul","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"QGMIP662UVCRJEBCVVS3JTMJ4A","additional_properties":{"_id":1731505543123},"content":"I was wearing my second-hand Louis Copeland suit, bought in a charity shop in Stranorlar.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5Q42ONXJEJAWFJ3WFSAWTGZRJ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731505543124},"content":"I spent decades living with my clothes on the floor but now my suits hang like vestments in a Victorian wardrobe that came from a noble house in Limavady; a town whose name proves that Munster Irish was spoken in Ulster long ago. Limavady – the leap of the dog – contains the distinctive V of the dialect, whereas if it were pronounced in the Ulster fashion it might be LimaWaddy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GZVXDLVCANE7PBQFMSXLN5C2CY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731505543125},"content":"All beside the point, but I love my Victorian wardrobe. It’s a tabernacle where I keep my various “identities”. Each suit on its separate coat hanger is the embodiment of some particular Self; a facade I present for business, or parties, or summer barbecues or Christmas dinners. And sometimes I put on a suit just to cheer myself up on a wintry day.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FTEKF3NJCBDCBE34OMJRMPH7ZY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731505543126},"content":"I know it’s ridiculous to wear a suit and tie when I only commute across the backyard to my studio shed, but I am able to become the cheerful person defined in the suit no matter what my mood, and sometimes dressing up is a way of avoiding depression.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MSBQX6DQSNCOLGG5JLXQUFOCPA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731505543127},"content":"Not that I have been depressed recently. The last dark period was more than 10 years ago, and since I began mumbling the rosary every so often I have trained my mind to avoid the dark woodlands of melancholia completely.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VRFE4JUNQJE7XEAGGENXMDAM3U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731505543128},"content":"So after the cat presented me with the dead mouse I opted for the Louis Copeland suit fresh from the Limavady tabernacle, because the BR Bistro in Carrick-on-Shannon is a stylish restaurant where it feels good to be well dressed.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GNIWE2MPPRBGJFXGCKB27YPO2M","additional_properties":{"_id":"7YUSCVOOENHVPFVYJDPJB6P5OU"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"WZF5SM34JFHULDHZI6DRIUF6MM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731505543129},"content":"At the table next to ours an elderly lady sat with her two daughters trying to select something from the menu. The young women were warning their mother against the kofta meat dish.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XCTTR6I2B5ELLMRYIHBXILBEUU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731505543130},"content":"“It’s like a kebab,” they said, “it might be too spicy.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"37OBFWGICNFGDNPHC3U7KRQJMQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732704266304},"content":"“I know what a kebab is,” she said, and then the waiter said the kofta wasn’t spicy at all.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X75QLW3QAZG63KSR5PSAPELDY4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731505543132},"content":"“You see,” she said to the daughters, “this man says it’s not spicy. And I seem to remember you told me that Daniel O’Donnell was retiring and that wasn’t true either.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"5OGS4BN3PNAIZPTTDNOOB2KTBQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731505543133},"content":"She turned to the waiter, declaring with some determination that she would have the kofta.","type":"text"},{"_id":"237SV4S2QBD65BSVFUVDQXZOZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731505543134},"content":"“Sure you can’t believe a word the young ones say nowadays.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"NTOWNRYHRNBEDHZMDHR3TGUTVI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731505543135},"content":"The daughters ordered a seafood pasta, perhaps just to be awkward.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CCNF2ABYJRHDTP75PZCE7SEPDE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731505543136},"content":"“The kofta for me too,” the General whispered enthusiastically when the waiter came to our table. And I went along with him.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PHI7XK623ZGTJKMHIRMNFUUORE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731505543137},"content":"But then out of nowhere his ex-wife appeared at the door, stunned to see him, and he froze when he beheld her. She walked slowly across the floor to our table as the General cowered.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BGGVZPMIJNDXNAAH6U7RORDGHI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731505543138},"content":"“So,” she said, as if observing something as disgusting as a dead mouse. “I see the Maga Boys are still celebrating,” and without further ado, she turned on her heel and left the building.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Michael Harding"}},"name":"Michael Harding"}]},"description":{"basic":"The General admires that Trump can still climb up into the cabin of a truck. But then Trump doesn’t drink"},"display_date":"2024-11-28T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"‘I love this man. I love his golden locks’: my friend’s love for Donald Trump comes at a price","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"5469"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"MK2HFOBY4EJY2SKBKKB76YM4VY","auth":{"1":"33160e45bcfea51bdcc194472aeff392188cf96c799f9b6fffb0ed1a3f6ce92a"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/MK2HFOBY4EJY2SKBKKB76YM4VY.jpg"}},"subtype":"columnist","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/28/michael-harding-i-love-this-man-i-love-his-golden-locks-my-friends-love-for-donald-trump-comes-at-a-price/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"5XIX2PNXVZBHHBENBMFIBHOXTE","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":310,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/400ab22b-4411-4d04-ba67-d72ac539d529/versions/1729766884/media/d9fbeb5cbc75af12c52dea8edeaf7f17_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/2024/11/28/writing-a-christmas-card-list-makes-you-think-about-who-you-value-and-what-you-value-about-them-its-a-very-mindful-exercise/","content_elements":[{"_id":"QA5ZIYJPYJG5BICIM6GF6VM6VE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729761596314},"content":"So much – if not all – of our communication is digital and off the cuff these days. A quick text, a brief email, a humorous emoji under someone’s social media post.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JDQ4B4IZPJB77OGKA74MSAR3JM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729761596315},"content":"Yet <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/christmas\" target=\"_blank\">Christmas</a> is a time when heartfelt greetings are exchanged, often in the form of a card. While we may not send them in the volumes we once did, this year <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/an-post/\" target=\"_blank\">An Post</a> will handle millions of them.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z7KOQXL4VZGGLLOSQZMOEZTGBQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729761596316},"content":"“<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/\" target=\"_blank\">Ireland</a> has always had a higher rate of personal mail than other countries in Europe,” says Anna McHugh, An Post head of communications.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WSIAUSZ4UBCTHJQB7ODZKEROQI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729761596317},"content":"“It is said that this is because we are an island nation with a tradition of emigration and that practically everyone had some close relations outside the country with whom they wanted to maintain regular, personal contact.” Ireland’s strong literary tradition is also cited as a reason why Irish people value so highly personal greetings in letters and card, she adds.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GKR3ERFHRFGJXEUDJOL5TTKBL4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729761596318},"content":"An Post handles up to one million letters a day throughout the year, but in the weeks leading up to Christmas this number doubles and trebles as people get into the Christmas mood and go through the annual rituals of the festive season.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z4BSJGVYRFGK7F6YPBK5Y7NNEA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729761596319},"content":"Sending Christmas cards offers an opportunity to reach out, reconnect and reconcile, says Stephanie O’Regan, clinical psychotherapist. Doing so can be good for both parties.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KWNGPZCDK5CWXCZCBRX6F2HXVA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729761596320},"content":"“Christmas is a time for connection,” says O’Regan. “So many of us still send cards – they are so personal and lovely to receive. Christmas for many people is still religious but really it has become a special family time, surrounding yourself with the ones you love and Christmas cards play an important part in that.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ACITTIPWCFC7VFIDK6BF37BQA4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729761596321},"content":"The special thing about Christmas cards, says O’Regan, is that they offer a point of reflection in the year – choosing who to send them to, and what to say, which can dredge up a lot of emotions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3P7LBRXGCRGD5OBKPCQSMSG33U","additional_properties":{"_id":"U4UPTAX2JFG2VDDBSWXHZRPZRY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"66M5BLGFWZHBRP6LP65T6THT3Q","additional_properties":{"_id":"CKXTK32KJZAU5OFALPWZ6Q3NPM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"TSLBNK4FE5BAVCN47F36EGSBF4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729761596322},"content":"“Writing cards or even writing your list, you find yourself thinking of the year, who you’ve seen, who you haven’t seen, who is important in your life,” says O’Regan. “Writing that Christmas card list makes you think about who you value and what you value about them. It’s a very mindful exercise.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"5RKQ234GYFB4RGSCIK7CQQ5ZJU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729761596323},"content":"And the people you value are not necessarily the people you see every day, O’Regan notes. “It may have been someone who was important to you at one single point in your life and Christmas offers an opportunity to reach out to them. And connections don’t always have to be reciprocated for them to be of value.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"C4PFHZ43KJHXVDH6NCDAQHUVPY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729761596324},"content":"Taking the time to write a personal and considered message on the cards can be very therapeutic, she adds. “Writing is always different. The act of writing and act of doing it gives an uptick in mood, not only for the giver but the receiver. A personal message, maybe recalling a time you spent together or asking them about a specific thing – it brings it to another level.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"AF3PTHIMG5HXXNWUBF7GZSVHPQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729761596325},"content":"As Christmas is synonymous with family, it can be difficult for people who have fallen out with family members, says O’Regan. Trying to reconcile ahead of time can be on people’s minds and a Christmas card or letter may allow them to articulate their feelings more clearly.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JVBXLAOIDJDCPG74RXY3CRVVQU","additional_properties":{"_id":"NGFWFFEJZBBKNBJDNUCWF2EFJQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"2WPHXPQHC5GTTIWOHK5VOWYC6U","additional_properties":{"_id":1729761596326},"content":"“As Christmas approaches, people are thinking of who is going to be at the various get-togethers. They may decide to reach out and try to make up.” O’Regan warns, however, that these attempts may not always be successful. Don’t beat yourself up over it, she says. “Reconciling isn’t always the right thing to do. Sometimes it’s not worth reconciling; maybe it’s worth just getting on with it. Sometimes it’s absolutely the right thing to do but I wouldn’t be thrusting it upon people just because it is Christmas. You have to navigate each situation carefully. Accept that the other person must also be ready to reciprocate and respect everyone’s timing. It might have taken you some time to get to the point of being able to do the reach out but maybe the other person isn’t quite there yet.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"3VGBJZ37ZZEGFHYZDI4GGCTEPI","additional_properties":{"_id":"PQPNLWCCP5CRTOQU2AUVGBV3W4"},"content":"Mary Poppins, Peter Pan and Cinderella: 23 Christmas pantos and shows to see around Ireland this festive season","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"U5ZCRAU6YVEFRLVHLSI45DOAXM","additional_properties":{"_id":"SMRKIZXOUVDGFO4DP6WJPOQQHM"},"content":"One less geansaí Nollaig isn’t all the planet wants for Christmas, but it’s a start","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"YCJ7HTH6VBH6FN4AFJBAOFKXGQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729761596327},"content":"Some things should never be put in writing. “You have to be very careful when writing something down as the anger and the hurt can leak through,” says O’Regan. “Writing the card or message can dredge up all kinds of emotions. Sometimes it’s better to write a letter for your eyes only, so that you can articulate your emotions but don’t send it.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"3SAI2OIILBHHTPI35YC2657WYQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729764258449},"content":"<i>A selection of Enagh Farrell cards can be found in Irish Design Shop on Drury Street, Brookwood Pottery in Marino, and Small Changes in Inchicore, Dublin; Forest & Flock in Bantry, and The Loft Gallery & Frames in Clonakilty, Co Cork; and Pax Wholefoods & Eco Goods in Westport, Co Mayo. </i><a href=\"https://enaghfarrell.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><i>enaghfarrell.com</i></a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Danielle Barron"}},"name":"Danielle Barron"}]},"description":{"basic":"Millions of letters will be handled every day by An Post during the lead-up to Christmas"},"display_date":"2024-11-28T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"‘Writing a Christmas card list makes you think about who you value. It’s a very mindful exercise’","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"ATXOCWA2KVBSTCZML6RF7KTXVA","auth":{"1":"f23d2290995c628be072168933a7514eb7eb6a90081805594b6876b986b4ff23"},"focal_point":{"x":1475,"y":1465},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/ATXOCWA2KVBSTCZML6RF7KTXVA.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/2024/11/28/writing-a-christmas-card-list-makes-you-think-about-who-you-value-and-what-you-value-about-them-its-a-very-mindful-exercise/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Life & Style"}}}},{"_id":"LEWO4JSD5RBTLCGKABACHJIULI","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":421,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/affc3376-5cc8-46cd-bd3c-24085525deb5/versions/1732115389/media/45dfbc416ceb999b68fc0f4d7d268aa7_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/27/im-pushing-back-on-manspreading-with-a-bit-of-womanspreading-of-my-own/","content_elements":[{"_id":"H3RQPQJPERCH5IJTEGU6DHV4I4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732107256853},"content":"<i>Manspreading – </i>the act of a man sitting, especially on public transport, with his legs spread wide apart, in a way that means that the people next to him have less space.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HKV2YURPXRHTJLB3IQU3QAVIHU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732107256854},"content":"The Cambridge Dictionary has no corresponding definition for a woman taking up space in this way, but it’s about time they added one because, like many women, I’m sick of making myself feel small or apologising for taking up public space.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GPQRO3RYTJEBFHCQ46G7SFI3EY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732107256855},"content":"I didn’t always feel this way, however. At 5ft 11in, and with the average height of Irish women about 5ft 5in, and 5ft 10in for men, I’ve always been known as “the tall girl”. I’ve always physically stood out and always had my height commented upon. In the past, I’d squash myself up against the window of public transport, while members of the opposite sex happily did some manspreading beside me.","type":"text"},{"_id":"S26Q36EJFZGCJD7TIV7PIMEJSE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732107256856},"content":"When I was what felt like 900 months pregnant in 2016 with my first child, I remember sitting on public transport unable to close my legs thanks to the crushing weight of an engaged baby’s head in my pelvic floor. Despite my situation, I still managed not to encroach on the seat beside me. Looking back maybe I should have, but up until recently, I’ve never felt comfortable taking up extra space.","type":"text"},{"_id":"I2H7MPHLQFHDZNNG3WJAY4RFAU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732107256857},"content":"“How’s the air up there? Oh, she’s so tall for her age, isn’t she? The tallest girl in the class is the dimmest girl in the class. Ah, the jolly green giant!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z52YOQVQERDKFHNVKNIZ6KM5KY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732107256858},"content":"I’ve heard all the cracks about my height all my life. For boys, tallness made them feel seen, for me it made me want to disappear. For them, height was seen as an asset and something to be admired, they leaned into it and embraced it. For girls like me, tallness was rarely viewed in the same light. It put eyes on me from an early age. Double takes, second glances and endless comments. It was this undeniable thing that made me stand outside the norm. As a small child, I was the antithesis of the other five-year-olds who were called cute and sweet. I was always the tallest girl in the class, the angular, gangly one who didn’t quite physically fit in.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZSBBFG6BJ5GILDVRHCLH64FFTA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732107256859},"content":"As I got older, and was allowed to take the bus down the town by myself on a Saturday afternoon, the driver used to question my age, asking if I was really 12 and eligible for a child fare or was I having him on? Clothes shopping was a nightmare. Jeans were never made long enough and finding shoes in a size eight or 8½ was often an impossible task. Some brands simply didn’t carry larger than a size seven or if they did, they only had a few pairs that often sold out in seconds or looked so comical in my size that it wasn’t worth wearing them.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HIIDLBKIPRGE5GL4NNVUPCPCLM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732107256860},"content":"“You could be a model or a basketball player,” I’d be told. I was certainly no Michael Jordan and so far outside the criteria for the catwalk, the remark always felt funny. This was the era of “heroin chic” and “nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.” The message was loud and clear. If you were a tall girl, you had to be an all-star athlete or extremely thin and both put extra pressure on how I felt about my body.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6DE7Q2JOPZCJDJRDV3OQRFHSLQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732107256861},"content":"I gravitated towards sports. Hockey, trampoline, sprinting, cross-country running, shotput, horse-riding, soccer, netball, swimming. You name it, I played it. Sports became a haven for me and for the first time, offered me the chance to be grateful for my height and less at odds with my own body.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OZRPBYXJB5DRZHKFHKHQAQPXBE","additional_properties":{"_id":"OD46ETL5RFHATPZGBPVOVKKKLY"},"content":"How to behave on public transport: Keep your calls short and avoid manspreading","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"CLAAIG4MBNEMZDSDA3GVY2RVPQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732107256862},"content":"There were some other advantages to being tall too. For one thing, I always looked older, which became coveted as I became a teenager. Add in heels, and at times, I’d be pushing 6ft 1in. Getting 18-certificate cinema tickets at age 14, being sent in to see if you could buy some Bacardi Breezer at 16, or maybe even a pack of cigarettes. Being tall became a sometime superpower I could tap into.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CDQLH3U4ZVGTHBZMSRFAUMM2LQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732107256863},"content":"Nevertheless, as useful as it was, I still felt uncomfortable taking up space. Growing up in the 1990s, being the tall girl wasn’t the body-positive walk in the park it is now. That movement didn’t fully exist yet and anyone outside the narrow line of perceived perfection was lighted upon. Girls of my generation grew up being told Kate Winslet was fat in Titanic (1997). Nicole Kidman had to wear flats for the best part of a decade because she was taller than her husband Tom Cruise. Magazine covers were littered with women’s cellulite or tummies zoomed in on and commented upon negatively. In 1999, TV Host Chris Evans weighed Victoria Beckham just two months after giving birth to her first child. Instead of anyone objecting, it was viewed as a completely acceptable part of prime-time entertainment.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SPPDKEDMDZCLDEAMGPVVSEMXGY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732107256864},"content":"With that kind of narrative setting the scene for my formative years, it’s no wonder that I and so many women of my generation still have body issues to this day. Twenty years on, it’s a different story. Body diversity is an accepted part of our daily lives. We don’t pass comments on the mannequins that finally have life-size bodies or notice someone who sits outside what was once considered the physical norm. My height is nothing out of the ordinary these days. True, I’ll often get something like “I didn’t think you’d be so tall” when I meet someone in person that I’ve only interacted with on social media, but outside of that it’s a non-issue. Women continue to get taller, and I love to see young girls happily walking with confidence, taking up that space around them.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6OPOT5UHWRFS7H66YGRPOO2SLI","additional_properties":{"_id":"PBN4QHOQPZA77A7HQITY4AKN34"},"content":"Men are deemed more masculine for taking up more space, women more feminine for taking up less","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"CDLCVOETMJADBO2PIVHWKJJEUY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732107256865},"content":"Living in the era of body positivity is welcome, but the one thing that’s healed me the most is motherhood. I often laugh at the irony of that. It’s only now that my body is anything but perfect, full of wobbly pancake skin, lines, scars and marks, do I really feel at ease with it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZFYDCBXZTRH45K4WUZLGFQOUCM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732107256866},"content":"These days, I no longer make myself small on public transport or anywhere else for that matter. I push back on manspreading with a bit of “womanspreading” of my own and at the ripe old age of 41, I’ve never felt happier about taking up space; even if I’m no longer “the tallest girl” in the class anymore.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YCDY6C2IB5FUNMX3YVDX7FFP3I","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Niamh O'Reilly"}]},"description":{"basic":"At 5ft 11in, I used to squash myself up against the window of public transport, but now I no longer make myself small"},"display_date":"2024-11-27T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"I’m pushing back on manspreading with a bit of womanspreading of my own","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"QJRPTB2NNFG5PGIYVLEANRQUAY","auth":{"1":"a43aee0e331ebdea72cb0ea019a4d0cc23aa98997c2a73d2217fc5b4a854b3e6"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/QJRPTB2NNFG5PGIYVLEANRQUAY.jpg"}},"subtype":"columnist","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/27/im-pushing-back-on-manspreading-with-a-bit-of-womanspreading-of-my-own/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"NHGFYYOY6RE7NF5CQXREAP3HOY","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":160,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/43615b62-373b-42fe-8dbb-6c0de9657bae/versions/1729503803/media/83cea9c08c3016f6019da4cc5fd02d17_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/2024/11/27/christmas-gifts-for-people-who-are-impossible-to-buy-for/","content_elements":[{"_id":"6AHU432F2NBBLNESUQCY45QPBA","additional_properties":{"_id":"CJRPVAKMZBD27KRQDX3SVKECE4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"T5ORZES4D5EVXGI75Q2FMFQPQA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732015631125},"content":"Leo spiral earrings, €48; <a href=\"http://www.onedamelane.com/\">onedamelane.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"CHZYSDY73FDITJXNTX2VIHKGCY","additional_properties":{"_id":"37NSCZDPBJDQNLAV3JDDEZW2BA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"JWSWH6SYLVCVHDOGMVVFZXKXCA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729173707075},"content":"National Gallery of Ireland Calendar 2025, €15.95; <a href=\"http://www.shop.nationalgallery.ie/\">shop.nationalgallery.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"S575AQUJKFDOTDMSAGLMYO77P4","additional_properties":{"_id":"FBXTJNBYTBH7TB7MUZKQ43WZNI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"GFGTIGDEQFBI7ITHD2DJVHVW4I","additional_properties":{"_id":1729173707076},"content":"Robin shawl cardigan in eggshell, €194.95, The Haven collection from IrelandsEye; <a href=\"http://www.irelandseyeknitwear.com/\">www.irelandseyeknitwear.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"FMGQV2MF25HG3NAAQ7BRSBFUIA","additional_properties":{"_id":"55SSV2J7JJHK3GWZXRU4B2KIU4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"ICXKDBTR5BBYRECW6LAU2DG7QM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729173707077},"content":"Four cup espresso maker, Dolce & Gabbana X Bialetti, €105; <a href=\"http://www.avoca.com/\">avoca.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"VMAYB6RZCRAF7CD5MQGLWVZYAU","additional_properties":{"_id":"RAQU4ZQOBZEDRNS7DAP242LHCM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"F2KAOKOOM5BCXM2LEZIZBEMESU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729173707078},"content":"Unframed print by Bernadette Madden, €100; <a href=\"http://www.sofinearteditions.com/\">sofinearteditions.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"MXTHRKQGJFEUHJOHBQILJ66RMU","additional_properties":{"_id":"AIT2JYZSLZBU5HJX5OEKJKVBWI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"GGN6RLOYRVGXXC7VCH6I54N4NQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729173707079},"content":"Round artisan vase, €75, Paul Costelloe Living; <a href=\"http://www.dunnesstores.com/\">dunnesstores.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"YMI2HBHQGZG7HILVYVBIOJMSEQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"43Y5RZE5ZVCTJGK5AWW6YSQKKY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"YARF76XLRJEFXDZ6DGJG5Z5E6U","additional_properties":{"_id":1729173707080},"content":"Adare Manor X Fiachra Crowley ceramics, from €20; <a href=\"http://www.adaremanor.com/\">adaremanor.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"JL7OYHRK2ZCSZGM2TPLMJ2T44U","additional_properties":{"_id":"SOZML65DTBG6FEJ4BBR3CWUSFY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"TGQ2C7TDQ5CDPAW4KIREKG6HEU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729173707081},"content":"The Irish Country House: A New Vision<i>,</i> Robert O’Byrne, Photographs Luke White, Rizzoli, €60","type":"text"},{"_id":"UZ6OTFDEEFDT5IQQQUCYOU66AI","additional_properties":{"_id":"XCWSZUR5FNCR7LJLXLXFFJYJEQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"XXIQ2BL4PZBABIKSS3WPI4OF3Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1729173707083},"content":"Moka coffee in a tin, Dolce & Gabbana, €19; <a href=\"http://www.avoca.com/\">avoca.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"TIQJRTWERRGJJF3BQJ7NXJZRPM","additional_properties":{"_id":"WZMTDPZWIVFVRA3Y23TA7Q2VBQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"F75UVVFBSZFD7KCE5MFOB54BGA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729173707084},"content":"The Shelbourne Grande Dame candle, €35, created by Cloon Keen; <a href=\"http://www.theshelbourne.com/\">theshelbourne.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"IIUBNYSQ7VFKLKXMMZCIAPOKEQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"PCMW26G5TZDZZMUPSSLGEPJGPU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"N7KL6M432NDH3IAPAU2JMHRPZE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729173707085},"content":"Jo Browne Day & Night Oil gift set, €49.99; <a href=\"http://www.standun.com/\">standun.com</a>=","type":"text"},{"_id":"LJMLAD5B4FHTXL3MXWHMO57A2M","additional_properties":{"_id":"6HFACBC4ENFM3FRTTO6MKEO6SA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"RRXZ777H2ZBH7MTKLIRDVII4CU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729173707086},"content":"Small braided pattern lamp, €34.99; <a href=\"http://www.shop.russborough.ie/\">shop.russborough.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"XFDLXML6ZZBVVLMQVB7WFC4HOA","additional_properties":{"_id":"TEBRXQS32BDVVCKDMPVYZQLOA4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"SZG3UL3LYNCX7HLQWDISVNNZMQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729173707087},"content":"Cryo Cool Skin Tool, €25, Seoulista; <a href=\"http://www.boots.ie/\">boots.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"EQYEU6ZSMBFIJLOEUZ3FXM2OUY","additional_properties":{"_id":"PKPHOEP7SREQ3CFK65IJI3T5QM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"AOXHZ4PNQVAVBEBGHYSOBNVABI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729173707088},"content":"National Gallery Ireland Diary 2025, €20; <a href=\"http://www.shop.nationalgallery.ie/\">shop.nationalgallery.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z5HM53WJDVEJ5FG6BEHBDODNFA","additional_properties":{"_id":"AUC2QQVPNJCWBGPWFE2B5FJ7RY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"SBOKMUP3PVDFPA75VFTVFSNVXE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729173707089},"content":"Mabel pure wool throw, McNutt of Donegal, €86.99; <a href=\"http://www.standun.com/\">standun.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"JVDZ74TUURHYNAXPJ3JMA76V2E","additional_properties":{"_id":"2MKPME3X4FGNZEFCW3YWXPZC4A"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"IAF3ACQOUBEONKF3WJNDPEMVJA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729501117164},"content":"An Eye for Couture, A Collector’s Exploration of 20th Century Fashion, edited by Caroline Evans, Betül Basaran, Mei Mei Rado, Photography by Katrina Lawson Johnston, Prestel, €77","type":"text"},{"_id":"P6EVGOXFJVFOLFVMQG6HC5PIGU","additional_properties":{"_id":"JQACVHGG4FD6FKZCU7TBFNDLXA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"TP2L2X6FNVAOLJQINJAFWZLHRE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729173707091},"content":"Dinkey Ultem fountain pen, €88; <a href=\"http://www.gravitaspens.com/\">gravitaspens.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"SPZT7TUK7RFERDSHISUFA3BNKE","additional_properties":{"_id":"Y56QETKCRNEUDASBMCMDCFVS24"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"TMOMHPTIXZASRJNNCIGVFUCPCU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729173707092},"content":"Jewel Garden Designer Border, by Leonie Cornelius €120; <a href=\"https://leoniecornelius.com/\">leoniecornelius.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"EDHP43F4HFBCLH4DPDGU5I634E","additional_properties":{"_id":"4B4ENBF6DFG6PAL6UBUBSGVCEY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"FSKXKRGIN5DZ3MTYZL5QROH2SA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729173707093},"content":"Classic suede belt, €95, Kempt; <a href=\"http://www.brownthomas.com/\">brownthomas.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"ETZZYFTC4VC35PRXZPYDSNCPBY","additional_properties":{"_id":"T2ZUPEQ5KZFPVAXFGKVR32AT2E"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"V7RBOGOJW5E3VNFZWGDJ333EXA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729173707094},"content":"The Foraois Self-Care Box, €75; <a href=\"http://www.duine.ie/\">duine.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"P5777IA6ZBH3VBOPDZ6BNRBWMY","additional_properties":{"_id":"PBPUPRJ5FBHMDPS556BU4FNYQM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"5HWCZWNGANAU5CTQWXNVJDAL5E","additional_properties":{"_id":1729173707097},"content":"Eat Out at Home, Neven Maguire, Gill Books, €24.99.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Penny McCormick"}]},"description":{"basic":"We've selected 25 stylish gifts that will pass muster with even the pickiest people on your shopping list"},"display_date":"2024-11-27T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Christmas gifts for people who are impossible to buy for","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"IJ7LYX7KUZGFBEKIDJMO7PVZVQ","auth":{"1":"d272edf4278f61695fc058affbd150bd181fb997506107705c4552027235d807"},"focal_point":{"x":1720,"y":1545},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/IJ7LYX7KUZGFBEKIDJMO7PVZVQ.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/2024/11/27/christmas-gifts-for-people-who-are-impossible-to-buy-for/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Life & Style"}}}},{"_id":"6O3MYR7O6JFUJOVVMTJLED5PQQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":464,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/cdc2b91d-85aa-4e7f-b27c-7411d7cf3bdc/versions/1732185270/media/87a02fc909e1298dd78d421750a08420_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/26/an-englishman-on-irish-life-there-is-an-underlying-positivity-in-ireland-certainly-in-comparison-to-your-anglo-saxon-neighbours/","content_elements":[{"_id":"DXXYIGJX5RGDTF3A2RQGB3K63M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732124803370},"content":"Our infrastructure is poor here. We know this and rightly complain about it. So when a very <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/new-to-the-parish\" target=\"_blank\">recent immigrant</a> praises it, you wonder what they’re comparing it with. The UK and Brunei, in this case.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MEKH7USW2NACDKIHWBOIVIC4C4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732124803371},"content":"Barnaby – or Barny – Sandow moved to Ireland this year with his wife, Gwendoline, originally from Normandy, and their 10-year-old daughter, before starting his new job as principal of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/inside-nord-anglia-ireland-s-most-expensive-school-1.3637169\" target=\"_blank\">Nord Anglia International School</a>, in Leopardstown, Dublin. The school, part of an international chain, opened in 2018 and is famously the State’s most expensive day school, with fees from €23,000. The roughly 600 students – 54 nationalities, from age three to 18 – are taught the International Baccalaureate (IB) rather than the Irish school curriculum.","type":"text"},{"_id":"C5U6QZNKTVHNTKKXIOQOIXT6I4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732124803372},"content":"The family lives in a nearby suburb, and Sandow is impressed that “I can come to work on a bicycle every day, and there’s bike lanes all the way to school. I can get on a Luas and I’m in the city centre in 20 minutes.” He loves the easy access to the sea, stopping at Killiney beach for a swim on his way home. He talks about taking a school group of 11-12-year-olds to Ticknock easily on city bus, to walk in the hills, learn and get to know each other. “It’s on our doorsteps, to go and do that. I’m used to having to spend hours in a coach to get children anywhere. Here there are fewer hurdles to going out and doing things that enable you to feel good, and feel well about yourself. My teachers [international, and some returning Irish teachers who’ve taught the IB abroad] come in after the weekends talking about the cultural things they’ve seen, the concerts they’ve been to.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"4WKCC2GA75F4VHW3LYXAAABF74","additional_properties":{"_id":1732124803373},"content":"No matter how great all this is, some aspects of living here are challenging. “I’m acutely aware there’s a <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/housing-crisis/\" target=\"_blank\">housing crisis</a>.” He knows they were lucky compared with others. Gwendoline, with the help of an agent, eventually found a house to rent. But it was down to the wire. “We signed the night the removal trucks were turning up in London.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"3RBHEO5G4BHCTCWD4GTIELQ25E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732124803374},"content":"Barny, who is originally from Bristol, met Gwendoline when they both worked at Abingdon, a very traditional British school. Later, when their two boys were small, the family moved to Brunei, their interest piqued by memories of a former student from the tropical southeast Asian oil-rich sultanate, which is a former British colony. They lived there for 14 years, working in an international school. “It was a fabulous place to bring the boys up. I learned to surf in the South China Sea, and we ran through the rainforest. Gwendoline turned into a real eco-warrior and led an agro-forestry project. We had phenomenal opportunities to grow and learn and bring up our children in a wonderful, safe, secure environment.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"RXXFNTHV4BB7DLB73JXR5MEQ4Y","additional_properties":{"_id":"Q4DOCPDBYVANJNAGGYNEKYWQH4"},"content":"‘It’s bowled me over how Irish people look after each other. And they work bloody hard’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"SXGWDO5V7JFR3DHRIZ4GNCEOCY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732124803375},"content":"But it was “a long time to be away from friends and family” and they returned to the UK, and another international school, in Surrey, in August 2019, right before Covid-19 hit. Post-Brexit, the UK’s demographics had changed, which did not sit well with his sense of purpose, “about promoting intercultural understanding and communicating across boundaries”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VNESNIEPNFH3VNM3MDDYNBDUBQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732124803376},"content":"But he was happy there when he was approached by Nord Anglia in Dublin. Part of the appeal was proximity to the Holyhead ferry: he grew up spending summers on Anglesey in north Wales, and it later became their family base as they travelled.","type":"text"},{"_id":"N4UGNERJRJBR3HSWW3BJBEHBN4","additional_properties":{"_id":"7ICXT42R3RBSLG5EGENRXMYV5A"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"I4KYP3RMWFHCTCYHAILIZLHAHU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732124803377},"content":"After that emotional draw, he “learned more about the opportunities, and the Irish economy” realising there were “really exciting opportunities” professionally. A visit to the school sealed the deal. They were “acting as parents”, wondering “is this the place we’d like to put our little girl?” The answer was yes. She’s happy at school, and “we are super happy with the way that she is being challenged to think. We’re critical customers.” Their two older boys have just started university in the UK.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LOC7ESX5SFG5POJZCV3L5AZULA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732124803378},"content":"Our perception of an expensive international school may be that it exists in an elite bubble, educating families who are passing through. His line to counter this, “in a collaborative way”, is “we’re an international school with an Irish heart”. He feels Irishness and Irish values “permeate the community and the way people do things around here”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CCWQR2R4BRARRNFIRJOSQY3SQI","additional_properties":{"_id":"CLNOEUO4MFGOPIBFMZPYXRQC4A"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"7Q5KHP36XFA5VCEUBUPNHZNIHA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732124803379},"content":"Americans are the biggest student demographic, but number two is Irish families, “becoming aware of an alternative”. Many of the parents are here with large international firms, looking for “international transferability”. But more than a third of its students go on to Irish universities.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GB6XRT3ILBGV7MIOCHJAC6RHWA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732124803380},"content":"Of life in Ireland, Sandow says “the welcome is exceptional”. Having travelled extensively, “the way people are interested in you, are open to having a conversation, open to passing the time of day. And there is an underlying positivity which shines through, certainly in comparison to your Anglo-Saxon neighbours.” He must be flattering us. Positive? Sure, aren’t we always moaning?","type":"text"},{"_id":"3SRMWKV6GNAQZKLTWSWYMSDTHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732124803381},"content":"“You ask someone how they are and they say ‘grand’. And I understand that grand is a word with a great deal of nuance, that it doesn’t necessarily mean everything is rosy. But you start off saying things are pretty positive.” He mentions casually greeting a stranger, “How are you doing?” And the reply: “Couldn’t be better.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"KKXTPBHKBJDUTGACQWMMDH7T3U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732188018323},"content":"“I promise you, there is an underlying belief in the power of the positive here. And that’s what you’re seeing in a business context, too, that there are opportunities over here and people are open to things.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"G63EKPS4FVGQJAZQG3SLYKYBC4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732124803382},"content":"Gwendoline teaches languages, and science through outdoor learning and sustainability, and has also trained in permaculture. She’s taking a gap year, and has been writing a children’s book about what we can learn from nature, and has “found real allies over here in different communities, like Festina Lente” therapy for children through horses.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HA63HSX7YBCVTIMQXYCD7MMSBE","additional_properties":{"_id":"ODMM6VYVS5CMJHCQ3A7W2IXSHU"},"content":"‘People label Ireland as conservative, but it is very forward-thinking’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"KKOSU3R3IVGCJDFUOINW5LWRBY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732124803383},"content":"Barny says she’s observed drivers are kinder here than in France, especially in car parks, and that she’s “enjoyed getting to know the culture through the radio, and loves the way that people talk to each other”, noting people have “differences of opinion, but it’s done in a respectful way”. They have both picked up on the Irish tendency for self-deprecation, alongside a pride: “You know, it’s always raining, but we actually quite like where we live.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"BCYBANVRXVDE7IPXNR2YEVASMY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732124803384},"content":"He’s painting a very rosy picture. “We’ve lived in the tropics, and my ears are a whole lot colder the last few mornings coming in here than they would have been. But at the same time, I thoroughly enjoy not having a shirt full of sweat after 30 minutes standing in the car park welcoming parents in the morning.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZYV6IP64KNCPLHT6JAVZ2J46FI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732124803385},"content":"He says “enjoying where you are, and reframing positively the experiences you have, is a really important part of any of our wellbeing. There is a sense of responsibility, as anyone who’s leading a community, to be doing that with a smile and enjoying life and making people feel positive at the beginning of every day when they see me on the front doorstep of the school.”","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Deirdre Falvey"}},"name":"Deirdre Falvey"}]},"description":{"basic":"Barnaby Sandow recently moved to Ireland from England with his wife, Gwendoline"},"display_date":"2024-11-26T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"An Englishman on Irish life: ‘There is an underlying positivity in Ireland, certainly in comparison to your Anglo-Saxon neighbours’","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"ETLNR2SLEFAMVBFZGMDRVEPJJQ","auth":{"1":"c5e4424a2ace8f8f77dda85d03aa02e5b54e1139c7d6c718a3167b94eebfc6a9"},"focal_point":{"x":4970,"y":2280},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/ETLNR2SLEFAMVBFZGMDRVEPJJQ.JPG"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/26/an-englishman-on-irish-life-there-is-an-underlying-positivity-in-ireland-certainly-in-comparison-to-your-anglo-saxon-neighbours/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"SFL7LUTRPZD7XO7ITBJAZOVIJA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":231,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/ede46091-39de-4b4e-9ec6-0b1647c423a2/versions/1729515717/media/d98becff2f9b6fdc934f65f127113b1f_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/2024/11/26/christmas-gifts-the-best-stocking-fillers-for-under-50/","content_elements":[{"_id":"UE24NX3PLNFJ3FWSDCUKE2MTMM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010183},"content":"Jewellery","type":"header"},{"_id":"DPYP5VEALVG37DYLM4FS5L3NHQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732007629807},"content":"(Irish designers)","type":"header"},{"_id":"IYOM3SECWRDT3IJMB3RI6SEU6Q","additional_properties":{"_id":"NMYQAAMJ6JBETPE4HCQGX5I6JA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"2XVJGE4B4FE2LINTTOE4PJ74MQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010184},"content":"Green Glitter Christmas Tree Earrings, €42 at A Little Idea <a href=\"https://www.alittleidea.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">alittleidea.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"AUKJ5OAJ7VHQTENO2GHOPA6SCI","additional_properties":{"_id":"AEHJBEAAXBD7XKDE3WMCEBBEXQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"EPLAKUTFIBE4VHD5L2A23VQTYU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010185},"content":"Holly earrings, €42 at A Little Idea <a href=\"http://alittleidea.ie\" target=\"_blank\">alittleidea.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"PWVRMRHGQ5ELJIAC7G56XN46IY","additional_properties":{"_id":"RFDD6LIO5RGD3BWZU62TTK2JT4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"O6LBRKP2BVAHNLXEXHPBQ3V77U","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010187},"content":"Pog Fidget Heart Ring, €45 by <a href=\"https://www.melissacurry.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Melissa Curry</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"D3EVKMRDO5C33CUXLKZN5DYAD4","additional_properties":{"_id":"2UQTNJIC3ZF35K6IOXW2XFWD6U"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"TE25BNCXPJBDXBRQXBPLNOYJWM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010188},"content":"Lyra bracelet,€48 at <a href=\"https://www.onedamelane.co.uk/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw99e4BhDiARIsAISE7P-XAZj1rIe1NdZigdIZZQXEffzWIuh3dXLfB6QOmOkD8_DminU8ymsaAqXWEALw_wcB&shpxid=20890a5e-c44c-44ec-a131-a257cdb6abd7\" target=\"_blank\">One Dame Lane</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"PTFRA64F75BI7KNQAOC2X3EDO4","additional_properties":{"_id":"FHRB2EJPDRCHNKOZNDZUHN5INY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"Y5K7Q4TFBZFNVMTRO6KTXKY7YM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010189},"content":"Triple spike huggies, €48 at One Dame Lane","type":"text"},{"_id":"XIPQBN5TTJCYBKJZLPRWMEGEGI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010190},"content":"Men’s accessories","type":"header"},{"_id":"AF7FE7IQSJHRTM6WX6TI4P2IM4","additional_properties":{"_id":"LO4W2TOQXNBSVNE5HR7RYCTUHQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"4HMTB5BCZFCJZLDTFFOECJCFMI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010191},"content":"Orwell & Browne Stippled Cornflower Donegal Tweed Cufflinks €43 at <a href=\"https://thecollectivedublin.ie/collections/orwell-browne?srsltid=AfmBOorwp-3SLTlrHQG9ASOO-8GcF2zdH4jE21miT2aASUsGVGtzETwD\" target=\"_blank\">The Collective</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"XJFKK74ZYVHZ7CP6VWUSFKHTIM","additional_properties":{"_id":"YCKNPMWZQBHQJLB5W4RLVTOEZE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"JMNOTHMPPBFUFEIWONHAMVKMVE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010192},"content":"Orwell & Browne Speckled Burgundy Donegal Tweed Cufflinks €43 at The Collective","type":"text"},{"_id":"P6VCUWUH3NFYJF4SJFK63DB3MM","additional_properties":{"_id":"JZQPAFE6W5C3RP4XLSBCZEUZYE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"64PYRAVQCFD2RHIEPWPGLABCFA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010193},"content":"Glen mini check men’s lambswool scarf, €39.95 from <a href=\"https://www.mcnuttofdonegal.com/\" target=\"_blank\">McNutt of Donegal</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"U75HGPT3EVDZLP3MJKHA3AFSGU","additional_properties":{"_id":"LBOXYNAD45CWNJ52ZNTWS4LAWQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"5NPUIE4ETZBH7GLKHAPCNLIWC4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010194},"content":"Blue Herringbone Lambswool Scarf €29 at <a href=\"https://www.foxford.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Foxford</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"F27HOEIMXZBSLMSM6MHTP63SO4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010195},"content":"Women’s accessories","type":"header"},{"_id":"UEU66F4BZVGGVLNV6EU5WQIB3I","additional_properties":{"_id":"WQQJFGKBYZE45J4DBAYDW5Y7GQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"EQJXSLLSMNEKDOMEB755MVX5JA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010196},"content":"Cashmere socks, €36 by Le Bon Shoppe at <a href=\"https://scoutdublin.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Scout</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"3HKDA2RB2RFLLMFVDHGV5COWTE","additional_properties":{"_id":"4YG5OAC45BD3RLLAL4ZPI2DDI4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"XYJ4J5OZUBEVNJLTF5WJYAQ5VE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010197},"content":"Kola socks, €28 by Ant45 at <a href=\"https://costumedublin.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">Costume</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"CNGAVPAJXVAH7D4YPVTR3GIDNU","additional_properties":{"_id":"H7TCC3ZLPJD65NB4MDN3EHFDBI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"4V52SMWG6JDPXJRIVREYWDVSDQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010198},"content":"Orange metallic card holder €19.50 at <a href=\"https://oliverbonas.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Oliver Bonas</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"WPYQMMA2E5F6PCAQB26NFWGZIA","additional_properties":{"_id":"ISR2XC56BNB37PATGBUFZDMYQU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"T4XLCTXQ3ZBCLHWDIBQQZDDCHE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010199},"content":"One hundred per cent cashmere handwarmers, €50 by Ekotree at the <a href=\"https://irishdesignshop.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Irish Design Shop</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"XJ2GRGDERNE7VGNAYVNL72O6OM","additional_properties":{"_id":"3VSK7XLMYRG2THJVE64H3A7H3M"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"6WLTTBG2WBDT7PT3LUBA5RYDEQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010200},"content":"Irish groceries tote, €17 by Prints of Ireland at <a href=\"https://shop.designist.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">Designist</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"HJDBIVWO7FA2DPE7GJ3LG3WYFA","additional_properties":{"_id":"4V6ATZBZ3BAMZCJRZ4UNHTFWZM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"HUI3NQIUDJGFPEORMSFTOXTEGY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010201},"content":"Cupla Focal socks, €9.50 by Irish Socksciety at Designist","type":"text"},{"_id":"SEYHWFKICVHLXKCZMEDAYBB4TA","additional_properties":{"_id":"UA6DWXMDU5APNJBR6P6VJRHODM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"2XIKVWY4YZAPJN7IK2TYIUSTOQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010202},"content":"Notions Enamel badge €10 by Wall Hello at <a href=\"https://aprilandthebear.com/\" target=\"_blank\">April and the Bear</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"UHNRSVTVQ5E3RNZS73IPBG3EX4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010204},"content":"Beauty","type":"header"},{"_id":"JO6UW5D5VZESDGRHRP3AQDASCM","additional_properties":{"_id":"Q4GD4LUN4NDRPHOU2XSXZKFX6M"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"ZGHWCFOO6NHPLGENRGLSZDNCX4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010206},"content":"Melt The Day Away Cleansing Balm, €38 at <a href=\"https://ellaandjo.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">Ella & Jo</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"NJ736OST2FGSFHUXBS5SRF4EMI","additional_properties":{"_id":"7AT5MZSBN5G5RIXGY7TN4VVYTA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"3Y7VT5FOZFB23FLP7TRVOTMJWI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010207},"content":"Bare by Vogue face tanning drops, €22 at <a href=\"https://seagreen.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Seagreen</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"K5P3J62PXNHRNNSN4H55JGCLFY","additional_properties":{"_id":"PGLT7PJYBNB65C72FT7XP4ECC4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"PQ7H5FGD2JBKVLLTUZC56C42MA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010208},"content":"Pestle & Mortar 3 Step Hydration Set €49 at <a href=\"https://www.avoca.com/en/\" target=\"_blank\">Avoca</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"EKWJEZX6O5DDNJSKRH3GCGONMY","additional_properties":{"_id":"YCZDTZQJVBDN7KQGJDVCEL5EXI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"RKZRWBBX4BECRFQ2JTT3DNPMCU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010210},"content":"Pestle & Mortar Pure Hyaluronic Serum Mini €16 at Avoca","type":"text"},{"_id":"C3DQMUYSFZBHVN7E367F57XN34","additional_properties":{"_id":"SCWAIXSRMBBOLMLLGQO6VRWSDE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"FMCCTWEUHRDQTE7C7F46RHG6BE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010211},"content":"Jade Roller, €24 at <a href=\"https://www.oxmantownskincare.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">oxmantownskincare.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZR6323LD45HCRITQH3IJWF2VKE","additional_properties":{"_id":"FQ6KSLWX3RBVPNFHTTMTTG4OUY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"HA3QPIG6KFHFJGD6P7G7HS24TQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010212},"content":"Forager Head Melter Balm, €19 at <a href=\"https://shop.russborough.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">Russborough Shop</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"NFPP6DY7CZF2XENIRMJKLGDMPY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010213},"content":"Stationery and books","type":"header"},{"_id":"LY7PVLJ5ZRCEPG5VGTRX7YCCV4","additional_properties":{"_id":"E6CGT4TBCVFXZPJATNKKSGKFQM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"CTS5GIPV5ZCJ5FRWCEL2BHRM7M","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010214},"content":"Parker personalised pen, €39 at <a href=\"http://very.ie/\">very.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"IPYF66R675GL7GZSSTQTHR47AI","additional_properties":{"_id":"TAHC2VSVVRHIRLWOOESHASSOR4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"SZYNPROQDJDQLEJ46MHXLI7ODI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010215},"content":"The Super Bloom Handbook, €22 at <a href=\"https://www.nordicelements.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Nordic Elements</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"MPP7JOVKVFBMNH2R76DDRGCES4","additional_properties":{"_id":"3LP4VQSOCBCJFH7DG3IP23JZFA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"OK5GZRGMLVHC5CC3AT6JBASQAQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010216},"content":"Set of Hare Lovers Note Cards, €24.95 at <a href=\"https://plunkett-press.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Plunkett Press Stationers</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"XH46HKYQF5DMHOFBESEOBPKC5Y","additional_properties":{"_id":"PMVORZZJUFBI7KVMEME2WY4TYE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"RQ7ULADIHBHXPH4735PZEYZZ7Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010217},"content":"Set of Dog Lovers Note Cards, €24.95 at Plunkett Press Stationers","type":"text"},{"_id":"J4UDAPHUAZBVTGMG7I2ARGBQEY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010218},"content":"Homeware","type":"header"},{"_id":"4RZCEUEZPVFY3PRZ7J3U6Q7VAM","additional_properties":{"_id":"LH7MGH7IUVBHXGKHMJSHBMTM2A"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"TV5AICG3HVC47BQJUNLQ2ZDVWQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010219},"content":"Cactus ornament, €22.99 at <a href=\"https://www.homesense.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">Homesense</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"AUO4F5C2AVATDICRV24764LIHQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"KFWT5ELPGNHP7PPABBN4SKEVLA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"Z7OHELBUIRAXLEMTYALL6CC6WY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010221},"content":"Poolbeg pillar candles, €20 at <a href=\"https://scoutdublin.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Scout</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"VDA2RLCMDNGKVDSP3MRQFOJULE","additional_properties":{"_id":"F7QCA6M4EZFO5GADAWIGIJMEFA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"FDKZNWKCNBDKNC6JOP5QSBVWJE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010222},"content":"Pink and green crystal candleholder, €40 at <a href=\"http://ecrustudios.com/\">ecrustudios.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"QGFTO4L2Q5BQPFHLOJTIHMX7NU","additional_properties":{"_id":"56IAHPZCWRCO5KDUYMUI26NWMA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"PVAAVSI3HFEKPABP7KD2YIAWOQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010223},"content":"Green crystal candleholder, €40 at <a href=\"http://ecrustudios.com/\">ecrustudios.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"72U3X7IPO5C5RIGL7H2LLXIX3I","additional_properties":{"_id":"UOXGSIOCKBA5BLC5UU5LRBV5XM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"7TLTDGIGJVBEFHFTPUJN2GHIXA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010224},"content":"Rabbit – yoga china mug, €18 by HAM at <a href=\"https://www.nordicelements.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Nordic Elements</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"UWYULN44QBD75IILP7X5RPWVIA","additional_properties":{"_id":"JWZZXYOR3ZDE5JG5NHGFBWBLDI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"GQPKOVM4WBDZBL2NYJ5ZPJTBSA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010225},"content":"Mini booklight, €46 by Gingko at Designist","type":"text"},{"_id":"FXGKFHEGTVHRXFGOXCOPN3UXHI","additional_properties":{"_id":"SB3UQX3XU5CGRCRAHRUHJF4P5I"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"3N7ILFLCZ5EAXBLQN6MD43SSUI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010228},"content":"County Series print, €50 by Caman & Co at <a href=\"https://article.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">Article</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"CS3ORLHQ4JD4HP4266G732BCVE","additional_properties":{"_id":"XXCZEAFTYVHG3OI2YUHKOEOWAI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"XZ6YMAM4H5DF7LEIYHSTJFFV7A","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010229},"content":"Ada glass candle holder, €22.50 at Article","type":"text"},{"_id":"ETRGWTNMEFBCTKAYN6LLOBDDRY","additional_properties":{"_id":"WEMOWDNUONDL3KWRLF4QGYYV24"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"4SNWWVLNXJDRFBPA3727ZHJK5I","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010231},"content":"6 Piece Cocktail Set, €49.95 at Meadows & Byrne","type":"text"},{"_id":"6UELIEOMFNCEFJ5FJSQVAX7FVI","additional_properties":{"_id":"F6T76CELN5CQTGP5YJVB2MBZXI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"HOHJZZ3D5RG6HL4VJDR3L7SW3U","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010232},"content":"Incense, €9.50, by Be Kind at the Irish Design Shop","type":"text"},{"_id":"SRLRVLZB3VAVHLCXINLSZKYPBE","additional_properties":{"_id":"KQOSGVWHPBDR7KAHPL2ATDRHEQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"32MDMAZQOVGNVIATNHYUBAXTZQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010233},"content":"BeepEgg singing floating egg timer, €25 at Designist","type":"text"},{"_id":"VCFUFQ7KVRCO3LGS6GGQQT4M6M","additional_properties":{"_id":"N6FCM7KIF5H65E3F6M7XKREZ6U"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"G3MLZVQWIRGRDECEY3GIWM6YVU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010234},"content":"Christmas Wish scented candle, €45 by Neom at Seagreen","type":"text"},{"_id":"WCDFUAJ7J5HFHCZDQBHOOEZNBE","additional_properties":{"_id":"BYTLF4NHQ5CTZNS7TYU2SEM3V4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"TCWL23MY7NF55GFJLCOSF4T7WY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010235},"content":"Yeti Travel Mug, €40 at <a href=\"https://www.greatoutdoors.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">The Great Outdoors</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"4NF2PDQ3WFAVVORJYKJZQHVBBY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010237},"content":"Food and drink","type":"header"},{"_id":"7J52A7DENJBILAGF7INGR7C3LI","additional_properties":{"_id":"AKDJUQ3Q7FDKXK2ZFSPGX7WJAI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"WM2P4XQSDBDGPDHT3WQJZ33URM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010238},"content":"Box of hand-painted chocolates, €33 at <a href=\"https://grachocolates.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Grá Chocolates</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"6HW3YWD7C5AOPIS2FOIEMSK3CI","additional_properties":{"_id":"QQXCJZ7IMFFH5D6IJEGGKZE7ZM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"43UDVDAEQFBLXGK5F2BIRXZRLE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729512010239},"content":"Vegan chocolate truffles, €7.50 by Harry’s Nut Butter at the Irish Design Shop","type":"text"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Suzie Coen"}]},"description":{"basic":"Jewellery, stationery, food and fashion ideas for him and her"},"display_date":"2024-11-26T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Christmas gifts: The best stocking fillers for under €50","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"2LYD5V75JZEFTH7XSIL4ONV6WQ","auth":{"1":"8dad4902cd4ba7387edfb146c61fa7e988d5dea3dd00da4074e5ef584cadc30b"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/2LYD5V75JZEFTH7XSIL4ONV6WQ.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/2024/11/26/christmas-gifts-the-best-stocking-fillers-for-under-50/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Life & Style"}}}},{"_id":"CGHTCCLNS5GDXL5HELZNVUUNVE","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":196,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/4ae57851-84fe-4f90-941b-99d9667847d6/versions/1732531172/media/48ab34319cc9bf7fad0e84602314daa1_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/25/cork-singer-lyra-on-domestic-violence-we-have-all-heard-the-stories-but-its-now-about-getting-the-action/","content_elements":[{"_id":"T3ILIV7I75EU7CBNUXRA3JPY7Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732295360355},"content":"“I’m a strong believer that everyone in the world no matter what sex, race, or age deserves to have the right to live and be in a safe community,” says singer-songwriter <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/lyra/\" target=\"_blank\">Lyra</a> as she steps into her role as ambassador for Safe Ireland’s new Safe Home, Safe Pathways campaign.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QTDLYBQLR5FWTGQJ7LEKEO5QVI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732295360356},"content":"The domestic violence charity, working in partnership with <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/airbnb/\" target=\"_blank\">Airbnb</a>, launched its campaign on Monday to coincide with international day for the elimination of violence against women. Marking the start of the global appeal for 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, Safe Ireland is calling for all counties in the State to embed domestic violence responses into their local county development plans. It also encourages the Irish public to support their local domestic violence service.","type":"text"},{"_id":"524CK3YJ3VDCLE7YKEFBCXJ4LI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732295360357},"content":"On the campaign’s goals, Cork-born singer Lyra said, “It would be great if this could be the opportunity where people get together and decide let’s make a space for this, let’s make a safe space in our community for those people [who are affected by domestic violence].”","type":"text"},{"_id":"LMUL32YMXFBLNP3IGEFZ2K35JI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732295360358},"content":"“My dad was one of the founding members of the Family Resource Centre in Bandon where I grew up and he was very active from when I was young at helping people get out of home situations where they weren’t happy ... It’s always been there around in my blood and in my bringing up,” she said. “We have all heard the stories, but it’s now about getting the action and figuring out how are we now going to help.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"LYG2BN45PFCUVDYGG5K7GSTNCI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732295360359},"content":"Emphasising the need for local supports, Lyra said she felt there was lack of awareness of this which needs to be addressed nationally. “If I’m completely honest with you, if I was going through a situation like that I don’t know who I would turn to, I don’t know where I would go. Obviously I can look up Safe Ireland, but in my community would there be somewhere I could go to down the road that could help me?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"KBEGXCUIXZABTIODJKQGR2JHVU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732295360360},"content":"As part of the campaign, a symbolic door installation has been unveiled on Dublin’s South King Street to highlight the abuse endured by many victims of domestic violence behind closed doors.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XJG6QO5JCJEJPIEX5BLD6JB65Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732295360361},"content":"Airbnb is donating €200,000 in support of Safe Home, Safe Pathways projects, having contributed over €600,000 to Safe Ireland since 2020 to provide direct survivor ‘flee fund’ financial support, a national network frontline services conference and amplify the company’s provision of direct emergency hotel accommodation during the pandemic.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A7PN64BRFRG67MX7Y4AEBGVVTU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732295360362},"content":"Safe Ireland chief executive, Mary McDermott said that the new campaign “aims to raise awareness about the pervasive nature of domestic violence in Ireland and local frontline support services.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"XYYUNQIRSFGKXGYU6DPORSEHLY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732295360363},"content":"“No one should be forced to live in an oppressive home or be trapped in a coercive relationship. It is our responsibility as a society to protect and provide for victims of coercive control and domestic violence ... There are 62 actions set out clearly in the National Strategy, Zero Tolerance which require full implementation at local level,” she says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YCDY6C2IB5FUNMX3YVDX7FFP3I","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ella Sloane"}},"name":"Ella Sloane"}]},"description":{"basic":"Lyra has become an ambassador for Safe Ireland’s new campaign to highlight gender-based violence and the need for better services"},"display_date":"2024-11-25T13:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Cork singer Lyra on domestic violence: ‘We have all heard the stories, but it’s now about getting the action’","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"MUINFMQ2OVDJROJIHVRLYCUUAY","auth":{"1":"3ac04a27e9794ba706d2a6c0990a7a026d1cf738fb5731779a006447a588d196"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/MUINFMQ2OVDJROJIHVRLYCUUAY.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Ireland"},{"name":"Culture"},{"name":"Music"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/25/cork-singer-lyra-on-domestic-violence-we-have-all-heard-the-stories-but-its-now-about-getting-the-action/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"ZEMEHXBHLBH37OVXUR6YMZ5NVM","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":278,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/e51a9ba4-83ef-4a5f-8134-32e304b2572e/versions/1731688207/media/b26ea940686c0ea1d3a13e5ad732b2ef_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/23/eating-disorders-in-later-life-some-of-my-peers-have-had-teenage-weight-levels-for-decades/","content_elements":[{"_id":"NNRGNCA6XRGVVN3DGQT6LCY65M","additional_properties":{"_id":1731687292966},"content":"I read recently that more Irish children than ever are being hospitalised for eating disorders. Most are teenaged girls, but if my contemporaries are any guide, many will continue to be haunted by their illnesses long into later life, relapsing from time to time. Most of these relapses will be invisible, because they look exactly like dieting.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Q4I3FOGM4BEVRLPQEBTL4VBTVA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117393119},"content":"Friends and relatives may be impressed, congratulatory. Such willpower, such discipline. Some have held for decades to the “target weights” set for teenagers, doing whatever is necessary to hold ageing bodies to adolescent numbers. Many are locked in a cycle of restriction and “bingeing” (do you “binge” on air after holding your breath, on water after hiking in the sun, on sleep after a run of bad nights?) We alternate famine and guilty feast, precious energy and diminishing time devoted to fighting the body’s natural and proper need for food and then to regret when those natural and proper needs prevail.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BJ3WA47INNDJBLOTAOUI2P5A34","additional_properties":{"_id":1731687292967},"content":"It’s not big and it’s not clever. Eating disorders are complex, multi-factorial. For the last century, even the most ardent pill-pushing psychiatrists have acknowledged a psychological component, often in the form of punitive treatment regimes where patients might be physically restrained, force-fed and denied access to visitors, clothes and books until they comply.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RFRNVEVADJCI3O3HHTTEI7HXTI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117393121},"content":"Mothers – of course – have been blamed. Other professionals have insisted that the dance of restriction and craving will end by itself with enough talking therapy, or indeed that that dance is to the music of patriarchy and will stop if only women listen to their own voices instead of trying to obey a society that says you can never be too thin, that nothing tastes as good as skinny feels. There’s truth, of course, in all of these, but none is complete, which is why these diseases are so hard to endure, so hard to treat, so hard to leave behind.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AYKLOLHSB5DSDHD7E3NAEHLOU4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731687292968},"content":"As a society, as a community, there are ways we could do better. Every time we talk about “guilt” in relation to food, we reinforce the idea that eating is a moral failure. If there is guilt related to the enjoyment of chocolate, it should be because of the conditions in which the cocoa and sugar are grown, harvested, processed, shipped, not because it’s wrong to take pleasure in energy-dense food. Cake is just butter, sugar, flour, eggs, and if there’s sin involved, it’s in the production, not the consumption, of those things.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PXK4X5MHAJHENOEGONH2NJOYKM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117393123},"content":"If, like me, you grow up hearing your parents and their friends, your teachers and your friends’ parents, speak of food as “naughty”, “guilty”, “indulgent” you learn that your inevitable desire for these sinful pleasures is a sign of moral failure, a weakness and a shame. You fight your appetite, and your appetite fights back, because bodies want to live.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UVHPOO2TIVDLJAGQEUUUOUCPTU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731687292969},"content":"Obviously not everyone who pays attention to this rhetoric will develop an eating disorder, and obviously for those who do fall sick there are other things at work too, but such narratives help no one. Even if you believe that all weight loss is healthy and all bodies should be small, if restriction, shame and guilt made people thinner everyone would be emaciated by now.","type":"text"},{"_id":"72RWSTBHZ5EUPPULJI2LHHF5DA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731687292970},"content":"A theological language has come to permeate our cultural imagination of food, every dish either “virtuous” and therefore not really desirable or “indulgent” and to be rejected or earned by self-denial. Then there are the magic “diet foods” that claim, impossibly, to be both and neither, to trick your palate and body into almost-enjoying almost-disguised fibre, protein, vitamins, masked, invariably, by fake sugar. There is disbelief if you enjoy vegetables (everyone knows they’re virtuous) or dislike doughnuts (but they’re indulgent!), as if energy density were the mark of evil.","type":"text"},{"_id":"C7EERK463JBGTB472P2SKT2GFY","additional_properties":{"_id":"QM4DHOA6ONBIXBALFLOHWKBHH4"},"content":"Daughter’s eating disorder showed me that our youth mental health services need a major rethink","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"W4KRDX7Z4JENJFNSNPDWOFNITQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731843147019},"content":"Vegetables and doughnuts have their moments and places. One is not innately “better” than the other unless you are concerned with the ethics of food production and distribution, and in which case a locally-made, organic doughnut might well be better than green beans grown with scarce water in Namibia and air-freighted in plastic wrap. None of this can be addressed, much less solved, at individual or even family level, but we could support people who are already struggling and save a few on the edge by refusing to moralise appetite.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IQLU7D7T2RCCTOPQUUUNABV4MU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732461286422},"content":"<i>The</i> <a href=\"http://bodywhys.ie/\"><i>bodywhys.ie</i></a><i> helpline is at 01-2107906, or email </i><a href=\"mailto:alex@bodywhys.ie\"><i>alex@bodywhys.ie</i></a>","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Sarah Moss"}},"name":"Sarah Moss"}]},"description":{"basic":"In fact, a locally-made, organic doughnut might well be better than green beans grown with scarce water in Namibia and air-freighted in plastic wrap"},"display_date":"2024-11-25T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Eating disorders in later life: Some of my peers have had teenage weight levels for decades","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"GGHGLFPCE3AYFNGSXZAYZRQA4Y","auth":{"1":"07eae213852360b526bcf653374f4569309e48faee370faed4fb1b9656e72109"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/GGHGLFPCE3AYFNGSXZAYZRQA4Y.jpg"}},"subtype":"columnist","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Opinion"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/23/eating-disorders-in-later-life-some-of-my-peers-have-had-teenage-weight-levels-for-decades/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"LKB3FJUXRFHQXIPI6W5Y3DN5MU","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":256,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/a6490c3c-5423-4343-b391-539a450e43e0/versions/1729077555/media/f5cf32037987d86c3155fa4a78cb06b6_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/25/faye-orourkes-christmas-i-have-a-reputation-for-overdoing-it-i-splash-out-its-not-in-my-control/","content_elements":[{"_id":"JB4NVCNTPRH2HDKVJEYBEVF4SI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728566293422},"content":"What is your routine on Christmas morning?","type":"header"},{"_id":"E47WTWKIYVCDVGA75CTTUNFOCI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728566293423},"content":"I always<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/it-s-christmas-magazine/\" target=\"_blank\"> spend it </a>with my parents and it’s always quite casual and relaxed in the morning. The three of us tend to get up at different times. One or two presents may be opened. There’s usually some kind of box of chocolates that gets opened first thing, followed by elements of a fry. We’re usually always eating breakfast around the counter or sitting on the floor.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UUG3DW2QAFA5HCOPSFM7VU6BRA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728566293424},"content":"Your favourite Christmas song?","type":"header"},{"_id":"7MBQM42T6RHFDACBTA7TFDUGRA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728566293425},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/an-irish-diary/2022/12/13/sound-of-the-season-fionnuala-ward-on-george-michael-and-last-christmas/\" target=\"_blank\">Last Christmas</a>, by Wham! because it’s the best <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/christmas/\" target=\"_blank\">Christmas</a> song ever written.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2Y57WNYI6ZAVHJIB7NUSDG3SYA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728566293426},"content":"What Christmas song would you happily never hear again?","type":"header"},{"_id":"WVSUH76Q2BFLPA5GP7B7BJYPZE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728566293427},"content":"Feliz Navidad, by José Feliciano, has always wrecked my head. Also, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/mariah-carey/\" target=\"_blank\">Mariah Carey</a>’s All I Want For Christmas Is You ironically just makes me think of capitalism and greed.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HOYWWHKCIVFQHKWXJM7X5SK5YU","additional_properties":{"_id":"6JEFBZLKCFHQDM3DIG3H4UQ6NY"},"content":"‘It’s timeee!’ for a celebration of Mariah Carey, the ultimate Queen of Christmas","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"VGUY22OO4NDU3IVXJBGZ26LQ7Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1728566293428},"content":"How do you like to decorate?","type":"header"},{"_id":"TFCBVSW2Q5E4TMIISXWT5UXURI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728566293429},"content":"My parents have always been great at decorating. There was never anything gaudy or too tinselled in our house, so I have definitely inherited a selective and slightly contemporary approach to Christmas decor. That said, I will always want a real tree.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MYOA4VB55JG4VOKOCI2VGXIS24","additional_properties":{"_id":1728566293430},"content":"Best Christmas memory?","type":"header"},{"_id":"NJPSFWCWBVHY3AB6V7QXCCSCDM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728566293431},"content":"Gosh, I have lots of great memories of Christmas. My dad is amazing at wrapping – I remember the first year I was able to comprehend presents as a thing and being in awe of the paper, bows and all that stuff. It was really magical.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6UGIP5UDSZGELFXSSA4QRHNGRA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728566293432},"content":"Is religion an important aspect of Christmas for you?","type":"header"},{"_id":"UHQ2BRPRZFG2BHBDKI74JLHNTQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728566293433},"content":"I think religion plays a part in some kind of trans-generational aspect – remembering the past, thinking about family and things like that. My granny was always very religious but my dad has always identified as atheist and that was something I understood from a young age. Generally, Christmas makes me sad now for a multitude of reasons, including the dominance and persecution at the hands of religious orders and the capitalistic side to it all. I miss how it used to make me feel and at times I kind of long for that ignorance back.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OTICSVD34NFIVOUEAWEV2ZMTLU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728566293434},"content":"What’s on your Christmas wish list?","type":"header"},{"_id":"Y2JZIRK6XFBVLKDZKB553UVWKE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728566293435},"content":"Seeing as many friends and family as possible. I’ve moved away for a while so it will be great to get home and see everyone.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4J5ZN4IW7ZEKFJSHNJUVASX23A","additional_properties":{"_id":1728566293436},"content":"What is your favourite Christmas movie?","type":"header"},{"_id":"H7ISGZWQUVE4LFIFX23DZO3BNY","additional_properties":{"_id":1728566293437},"content":"Tim Allen’s The Santa Clause was always my favourite film growing up. I still watch it every year. That or The Muppet Christmas Carol.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7GBASHYK6FDRLJZYO52BEXFLBM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728566293438},"content":"What kind of Christmas shopper are you – organised or last-minute?","type":"header"},{"_id":"2DGLJ62HKRC5NOI4BJVSDOMOEE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728566293439},"content":"Both. I get lulled into a false sense of security because I do a bit early on and then I end up scrambling for the last few bits a couple of days out.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OT45K4S6XFFJJETYCEH24ZAVJI","additional_properties":{"_id":"BAXQQ3D4FREKTGYAVWCOA7ZQOY"},"content":"Real or fake Christmas tree – what’s better for the environment?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"VCJB3VPTNREFRHSO7PGS5HKWVA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728566293440},"content":"Money for Christmas presents – do you splash out or spend wisely?","type":"header"},{"_id":"MJ6VLOTYERBBREJB26QKJMKTFM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728566293441},"content":"I have a reputation for overdoing it. I splash out. It’s not in my control.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ER7BQ2W54FGYNP4QTIREFGPY24","additional_properties":{"_id":1728566293442},"content":"Who’s on your naughty list?","type":"header"},{"_id":"YNBGIWHHURBNHBIC5K6RT7IRS4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728566293443},"content":"Naughty list doesn’t really cover it, but anyone committing acts of genocide and hate.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Q3CZRDXFSNEMNJ3SG5YASZSLWY","additional_properties":{"_id":1728566293444},"content":"And finally, what do you really, really want for Christmas this year – peace, harmony and goodwill for all mankind or something completely self-indulgent like a brilliantly wrapped present under the tree?","type":"header"},{"_id":"2E2NISZXSVBYHBCH5F4NKW63LE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728566293445},"content":"I feel like I have to say peace harmony and goodwill, don’t I? I’d love if A Christmas Carol actually happened to a few key political figures. That, and I would also love a real break from social media for Christmas. I’ll take the giant present under the tree as well.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3OVYNUZPVZCUXLXQNFLHBWMP4Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1728566293446},"content":"<i>Soda Blonde play Vicar Street, Dublin, on Saturday, December 7th and Sunday, December 8th. </i><a href=\"http://sodablonde.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><i>sodablonde.com</i></a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Tony Clayton-Lea"}},"name":"Tony Clayton-Lea"}]},"description":{"basic":"The powerhouse voice behind Soda Blonde tells of her soft spot for The Muppet Christmas Carol"},"display_date":"2024-11-25T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Faye O’Rourke’s Christmas: ‘I have a reputation for overdoing it. I splash out. It’s not in my control’ ","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"DMHD652TPVCXXKWIEUXUE7IH2A","auth":{"1":"1ac52675c2e393de8a16f826b09b9f9f6e687f299ded4be72f06c8cfeb2e2cda"},"focal_point":{"x":827,"y":437},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/DMHD652TPVCXXKWIEUXUE7IH2A.jpeg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/25/faye-orourkes-christmas-i-have-a-reputation-for-overdoing-it-i-splash-out-its-not-in-my-control/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"OYAO2MDFZNDE3MM4KGOXJUDCZY","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":316,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/6cb4a58f-e0f7-48e6-a830-7e35ddc78ff5/versions/1731594448/media/77e3cb60907fdd88801b35a126037025_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/fashion/2024/11/23/festive-fashion-what-to-wear-for-christmas-party-season/","content_elements":[{"_id":"B6MUMB7OGNAD3GGNMA6HVATFCI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731587096107},"content":"With the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/christmas\" target=\"_blank\">festive season</a> comes parties a-plenty, and planning what to wear can quickly become a style struggle. There’s deciphering the various dress codes and finding something to withstand the winter chill that easily transitions indoors where the heating blasts. Then there’s navigating the trends – sequins, sharp tailoring, shots of colour, sparkles – where to begin? Finally, and perhaps most overwhelming – figuring out the festive fashion that suits you while also being comfortable. Oh, and lest we forget, ensuring your outfit is office-party/family-gathering appropriate.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Y5ON4Y5NUBAWFNUOMCYXNDZ4CI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731587096109},"content":"Festive dressing should be fun and joyous, but with so much choice and pressure to understand what works best for you, it can be daunting. Each woman has different features that may need to be taken into account while dressing, but the goal isn’t to fix anything or flatter – it’s to figure out what works and makes you feel great.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PXXT5KVUKVBCVC47FEPWPYP6PQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"T77G5NE7IBEJVLNVQARWGTZSZQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"S3P2TRSHWZGBFEPBNBCGT23NKI","additional_properties":{"_id":"VVH2ZTZB3BBIVC2N6IWHDGZRIU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"KRBNLJMYCZAPRLM6MMJP4YVLXA","additional_properties":{"_id":"JWM4BQXJRFCGHPGZ73O4UL5YCQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"6SIB4I3N7RDU3PYWQOJHAINQCA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731587096112},"content":"Understanding the proportions of your body to achieve the ideal fit is integral. Laura Jordan, stylist and founder of StyleSavvy, explains: “Body shape is still relevant, but the fruits to describe them are not. I find them unflattering and unhelpful for body confidence. What is more important is the relative proportion of the torso to legs, which determines vertical body shape, and the relationship between the chest, waist and hips to determine horizontal shape.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"BWCKLZH2AFHZFGKO7IBDPGSJGY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731587096113},"content":"Your vertical shape is all about how your body’s length is proportioned. Your horizontal shape is more about width and how the chest, waist and hips align. Isabel Gleeson, stylist and image consultant, adds: “I do not refer to the apple, pear body shapes when working with my clients as not every woman fits into one category. It is about noticing which shapes you feel most comfortable and confident in.” Knowing these elements can help cut through the style noise and narrow options for the festive season.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SK22RSWUSVF67DEZ2BR3SZVNFY","additional_properties":{"_id":"RZVLJ4Z3AZGVBK34ADHXEUG3KY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"JHM3UYE3Y5GZXM6U67P56F5IG4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731587096115},"content":"You can mix and match tips from each body-shape category, selecting tips that relate to you and help focus on playing up the features you love, whether it’s your arms, legs, or waist. Highlight what makes you feel great. “Ask yourself: what part of your body do you love most?” says Jordan. “Narrow shoulders? A small waist? Toned legs? Pick pieces that highlight these areas.” Once you’ve identified what you want to emphasise, the next step is about balance. As Jordan explains, “Look at the parts you would prefer to have less visible and conceal accordingly. At StyleSavvy, we call this the ‘reveal – conceal balance’ and it is a key tool in choosing outfits for our clients,” says Jordan.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3WBWUQ435BDOZINCH4LRVZOVDE","additional_properties":{"_id":"IKGVTSOEJFA3ZNMBHPPDXI44DA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"DRSCWYJ4OFE2TFJJLVNXY7CWEA","additional_properties":{"_id":"FFICCL45N5FB5POPSANGXXGHLA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"V5ESTJSWNRCTZDL623GT6WRN3I","additional_properties":{"_id":1731587096118},"content":"Colour or fabric can also highlight and play up areas. “When you identify the parts of your body you are happy to highlight, put the colour, sparkle and detail there,” says Jordan. With their shimmer and shine, sequins or metallics are perfect for drawing the eye exactly where you want them. They effortlessly catch the light and create instant focal points. Bright, bold colours will do the same job. Soft, drapey fabrics such as velvet or silk create a fluid silhouette, depending on where you place them.","type":"text"},{"_id":"O22UX6PF65H5XK325G2BYPUA7I","additional_properties":{"_id":"GMQYCCLYJNDC7MKYXJX77XOZ3Q"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"QEY2MCI7MBGGBJL3AC3MTCIWRM","additional_properties":{"_id":"LLKF5WEOQJHWHIQKFO67BYLZ4U"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"L4O47I5I6FDOLFDZXQYF4EHWKU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731587096121},"content":"Experimenting with different necklines and hemlines can instantly modernise a festive look. A square neckline will frame the collarbone, drawing the eye up, as V-necks, halterneck, and off-the-shoulder give the illusion of a longer neck. Gleeson adds, “A sweetheart neckline works for many different bust sizes. A gorgeous sweetheart neckline and jeans is a great going-out look”. High-low or asymmetrical hemlines add movement and fluidity to the lower half and elongate the legs. Tailored trousers are another strong style choice. “Straight-leg trousers will follow the natural lines of the body and work on many different body shapes,” says Gleeson. “Gorgeous satin straight-leg trousers with a nice top and a heel feels like a lovely festive night out.” If you want to showcase your legs, wear an abbreviated hemline or high-slit style. Suiting is a sophisticated option for the festive season. No matter your body proportions, well-tailored clothing is vital, so do look at getting pieces rehemmed or taken in to make it look more custom.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GX45F6KFOVDPDGKK2TNISVNPP4","additional_properties":{"_id":"NI7ZUS35ZNFGZB3ZYCEU6FBAUM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"PYALXWKFVBFDDKJ3IWGGKR5FTU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731587096123},"content":"Thirdly, add that sparkle – metaphorically, and since it’s the festive season, maybe literally, too. Don’t rely solely on shape-based recommendations when dressing for the festive season, as they can become too formulaic, and you don’t want to lose your sense of style. “Women should think about their best neckline, dress shape, and so on, and look for fun partywear/festive alternatives,” says Gleeson. Lean into pieces you’re excited to wear and focus on fun textures, colours, silhouettes and fabrics you love.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JYNEQMEBABBUBM5GBNZIMSBF7A","additional_properties":{"_id":"IG6BPUTPMFBOVP4YQHMOWVOKDM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"UOEI76ACNJFFRFH4VGVGBBXSCM","additional_properties":{"_id":"R5AXMY5I5RAKNGYYW2RO46RHUM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"YHBSIYRIP5AIDKYEIDMK7DE3IE","additional_properties":{"_id":"GG45WP4YZBHAJPZ2GGHL6NJMC4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"VA7642WYWBBLJFINJ4SXICDQBU","additional_properties":{"_id":"JET5QDEX4NADBAENN6K7AOJ4MY"},"type":"image"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Corina Gaffey"}},"name":"Corina Gaffey"}]},"description":{"basic":"Identify what features you want to emphasise and ‘put the colour, sparkle and detail there’. Finding the right balance is the key"},"display_date":"2024-11-25T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Festive fashion: what to wear for Christmas party season","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"R35JA2OI2FBDVF3GBYCJFG77E4","auth":{"1":"bf6ef230fe2fed55c998e722fb57b85fee5554076439c17aabecec63c34d5af1"},"focal_point":{"x":797,"y":348},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/R35JA2OI2FBDVF3GBYCJFG77E4.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Fashion"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/fashion/2024/11/23/festive-fashion-what-to-wear-for-christmas-party-season/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/fashion","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Fashion"}}}},{"_id":"B32PJRO5FZGG3EGH5MMHTPULPQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":795,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/63ae627b-f5c8-4a1c-a681-e17c81c3d499/versions/1732034279/media/f17ced4ca3b680370c6d4b7923c7638b_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/health/your-family/2024/11/24/autism-why-are-so-many-children-being-diagnosed-these-days/","content_elements":[{"_id":"UYNLJQFEENGQNDRTMDSRMKWW3M","additional_properties":{"_id":1731454797983},"content":"When Lára Ní Riain began teaching almost 20 years ago, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/autism/\" target=\"_blank\">autism</a> was still seen as a relatively rare condition.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZCIXECV4S5CFNFHWDHDRDKEXBA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731454797984},"content":"There were no special classes or special-needs assistants (SNAs) at her school. Studies at the time suggested the prevalence of autism in Ireland was somewhere around seven in 1,000 schoolchildren.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IWF7O3YV3ZHJLBK6TIQN2TIS7Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1731454797985},"content":"Today, her school has seven SNAs as well as an autism-specific class for children with more complex needs. Studies now suggest as many as one in 20 schoolchildren may have autism or a similar developmental issue.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YGGFBBGCR5DKJHG7SWGYIPUFWI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731454797986},"content":"“Children are being diagnosed earlier now,” says Ní Riain. “It’s not about labelling students. Nowadays, knowledge is power — it’s about accessing all the support and expertise they require to give them the best chance at their education.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"WDH25KZN2FGNTOUTYHXKW62MFE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731454797987},"content":"So, why are so many more children being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders compared with 20 years ago?","type":"text"},{"_id":"U5K33X42FJG7RM6SAW4ZGSGW24","additional_properties":{"_id":1731454797988},"content":"The latest official estimate on autism prevalence in Ireland was gathered in 2022 by the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/national-council-for-special-education/\" target=\"_blank\">National Council for Special Education</a>, which collects data on the number of children who require teaching support.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WAZEUCGZORFX5FQXKXQZCUTF34","additional_properties":{"_id":1731454797989},"content":"It indicates there was a <a href=\"https://ncse.ie/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Inclusive-Education-for-an-Inclusive-Society.pdf%20\" target=\"_blank\">prevalence rate of 3.4 per cent</a> among schoolchildren, a significant change from the previous estimate of just under 1.6 per cent four years earlier.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YHSGGVSLXZHMFIG4JWP7ISHKHA","additional_properties":{"_id":"KPQFIJYRKFGWFPLWHWUAWDUHQA"},"content":"Sharp increase in autism to require thousands of additional special needs places in schools","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"FW3HFEOHE5A45MFP22THWILEYM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731454797990},"content":"In Northern Ireland, the estimates are higher still. Health authorities reported in 2023 that 5 per cent, or one in 20 schoolchildren, had a diagnosis of autism. It is more than four times as many as 15 years ago — and one of the highest rates recorded in the world.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OFGULFL4SNHA7K7XS3CMIMHQGI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731454797991},"content":"On the face of it, the surge in autism looks alarming and has sparked a series of unfounded claims that vaccines or other environmental factors may be at play.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TFECJC2LCJCCDIYDN4AHSDJLBM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732295156168},"content":"Increases in diagnoses, however, have been a feature of autism for almost as long as it was first described as a recognised condition by Dr Leo Kanner in the United States in 1943.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BG4EZAGHNVHS5I5ST7OQKACFUI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732295156169},"content":"So, too, have discredited theories behind the cause of the condition, such as “refrigerator” or emotionally cold mothers and, more recently, Andrew Wakefield’s <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/mmr-vaccine-in-the-dock-verdict-not-guilty-1.1089405\" target=\"_blank\">unfounded claims</a> of a link with the MMR vaccine.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KDNXRZTERJEGRKEFE47EOFBFIE","additional_properties":{"_id":"LZVDUNHEIFHELEJ73QUJVMURXE"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"SCIVI7OWVJCQXFXM57UGN3QIFE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731454797992},"content":"Most experts today agree that the exponential rise is chiefly down to greater awareness, deeper understanding of the condition and ever-wider assessment boundaries for autism.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CE4OHITBVVAFJF6CUW4JVJTB7A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732295156172},"content":"“There is absolutely no evidence to suggest there is an epidemic of autism,” says Prof Emer Ring, dean of education at Mary Immaculate College in Limerick and author of a recent book on the development of special education in Ireland over the past 100 years. “It’s a no-brainer that as you broaden diagnostic criteria you will have more children with autism.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"5VXE67ZPOZGO5COU3O2U2YY5DE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731454797995},"content":"Some of the confusion around autism is undoubtedly linked to the complexity of the condition.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H7OIS6PC25DPFFZ3DA7IURR6YY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731927839535},"content":"There is no medical test or biological marker for autism. Today, it is regarded as a developmental disability which influences how a person communicates with and relates to other people and how they make sense of the world. It is also regarded as a spectrum condition, as it affects people in different ways and to varying degrees.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NFURHU5CSNGYVOACHJQVNEZCXA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731454797996},"content":"Prof Malcolm MacLachlan of Maynooth University, who had studied the prevalence of autism in the Republic, agrees that changes in the criteria used to diagnose a person are key to the increased prevalence of autism.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PQRE542UKVHMBKZQOZU4KREOYU","additional_properties":{"_id":"2YFVYFFXC5H7XAIEH45QSUMW5E"},"content":"I received an autism diagnosis at 34 and sat quietly with it in some discomfort","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"7MBY2UOQNVAKPNTUX3AMWW6FDY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731454797997},"content":"Asperger’s syndrome, for example, was removed as a diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders — often referred to as “psychiatry’s bible” — in 2013 and has been integrated into a broader diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BBXVPKXV4JHP3OB7ZBAJNUZNNI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731454797998},"content":"“There used to be ridiculously strict criteria,” MacLachlan says. “For instance, it used to be that you had to have detected autism before the 30th month of life — now you can detect it at any time. There’s also now a move away from ‘you have it or you don’t’ categories to a more dimensional approach that allows people to have more ‘severe’ or less ‘severe’ behaviours or experiences.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"AOHZV5HLHZFYDOI4GEWLKJKMC4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731454797999},"content":"Shifting boundaries encompass a wide range of people for whom autism would never have been considered as a possible diagnosis, especially women and girls. The consequent awareness has led to large numbers of adults seeking medical referrals to explain differences they may have been aware of since childhood.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5LPUBDBJ3FBZ3BEFC7ZEFXITOA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731454798001},"content":"Another factor, say many, is the neurodiversity movement of the late 1990s and early 2000s, which drove huge changes in identification, fighting stigma and redefining autism as an identity rather than a disease.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NLGT7OV3AVD3BFNKM2PX4THSYE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731454798002},"content":"More controversial, meanwhile, is a belief that a diagnosis can unlock access to improved services or supports. A government report in 2018 on autism prevalence pointed out that, in many countries — including Ireland — a diagnosis of autism gives children greater access to a special school or special class.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5OCTP722TZAN5PUKYD6B33COV4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732027402343},"content":"“This benefit makes clinicians more likely to diagnose a child with autism, even those who are on the borderline of the clinical criteria,” the report notes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"T45DC7H35KYIPIMTVM3L3LMQAM","additional_properties":{"_id":"6MPH2LIIJ5FHZFKWGOJKZ46SZI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"2BTIZB3NKFAS7MPOR3KFIQ73A4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731927839543},"content":"For campaigners, the increase in prevalence is a positive development. <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/adam-harris/\" target=\"_blank\">Adam Harris</a>, chief executive of autism charity AsIAm, says a diagnosis is “vital to self-understanding, self-esteem and self-advocacy and enables an autistic person and their family to understand their support needs and have their rights vindicated by government and broader society.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BVK27STIDVAYNCAEVO4ECY3Z44","additional_properties":{"_id":1731927839544},"content":"“It is clear that increased diagnosis of autism must lead to increased funding and more effective forward planning for autism-specific services,” he says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MYDI6PGYZRA6XLF7BJYN3TWQRM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731927839545},"content":"The dramatic increase in autism begs another question: where were all these children in the classroom of days gone by? Some were segregated within the system, institutionalised or, at worst, classed “ineducable”; others simply had different labels.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BEL4OCLXW5ATFC62NRGWFR6LUQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732295156187},"content":"Ring points to the work of Dorothy Bishop, a prominent British psychologist, whose research has examined how in adulthood some individuals with language problems were retrospectively found to have shown signs of autism as children, even if they were not diagnosed at the time. Her work, says Ring, highlights the complexity and variability in diagnosing autism, especially in individuals with subtle symptoms.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EOTWFVFAFVCP5D746GUZVS52IU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731488440294},"content":"As for the underlying causes of autism, there is growing evidence which suggests that certain genes contribute to it. Autism can run in families and experts have put its “heritability” at about <a href=\"https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/article-abstract/2737582\">80 per cent</a>, or about as heritable as height or eye colour. The condition may also be explained by rare but powerful mutations that occur at random and are unrelated to genes that run in families. There is less convincing evidence around other risk factors, such as low birth weight or older parents.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7V7NW4FKYVEX3B3QFD4F6BHG7E","additional_properties":{"_id":"5PHYWF2KWJBLVCZJZ5PSJV3H5U"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"TPVXOJC5VNENLARVL5JJJVFNNQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731488440295},"content":"What is certain, however, is that rates are rising, which will have profound implications for how the State meets the needs of young people, especially, in education and health services.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OLRZBPOH7VF3NDT7NLBRAZFQ3A","additional_properties":{"_id":1731488440296},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/health-service-executive/\" target=\"_blank\">Health Service Executive</a> services, however, are creaking. Under the Disability Act (2005), health authorities are required to complete an assessment of a child within six months.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XE4IXJ42W5FOLJAPEPAYYITRUQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731488440297},"content":"Yet, according to records obtained by The Irish Times, there are about 13,000 children with disabilities waiting for an “initial contact” — which can be anything from a phone call explaining services or setting agreed goals — by health services. Of these, more than 9,000 — or two out of three — are waiting for more than 12 months.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PCRXOJ2GOVCRLJ4DCNRN4RG3IM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731488440298},"content":"Parents, professionals and other stakeholders say that in many cases children are waiting several years for any meaningful contact. Yet, experts agree early intervention is vital to securing positive outcomes for children during their preschool and early-school years.","type":"text"},{"_id":"INYSWLAU2NFNLM7FOVVRB6YCQE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731488440299},"content":"MacLachlan says long waits for access to vital therapeutic services can have “catastrophic” long-term consequences for children.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EYPNZTJG3VGYHP3LZN6NYXXRVA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731488440300},"content":"“If a child is going through a critical developmental period and they don’t get the right critical interventions, the consequences may not just be a delay in that developmental stage, it may be a long-term loss of opportunity to develop particular skills,” he says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EOGLELDZMFCL5IYXYRIJCZZTP4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731488440301},"content":"Education services, too, are struggling. In the last five years alone, almost 1,700 special classes have been opened and eleven new special schools opened. Yet, many parents are unable to find appropriate school places — such as special classes or schools — to meet their children’s assessed needs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"45UUDACOWVH6HNAOQUNESAMG3I","additional_properties":{"_id":"GALOY5M255EWPJZQG3Z62WJKJI"},"content":"‘I believe my nephew may have ADHD or autism, but his parents won’t discuss it’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"27KZJHR3WBERZF4JFSPPVNUNBM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731488440302},"content":"Latest figures show there are more than 8,000 children enrolled in special schools and a further 11,000 pupils in special classes in mainstream schools, or 3 per cent of the overall student population. This is projected to climb to 5 per cent by the end of this decade, based on current trends.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5PDP6C4WFRBHLK3K3BRJCF3EPY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731488440303},"content":"Harris says the next government must take decisive actions to support the autistic community.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SK4NVJMY7JCMZNQQRHJARQ7MMU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731488440304},"content":"“Autistic people continue to face pervasive barriers in day-to-day life in Ireland, from receiving timely assessment and therapeutic support to accessing school, to participating in the community and securing employment,” he says. “The barriers which our community face place enormous costs on our community, which in turn impact on health and wellbeing.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"32TKIRJD25CPVKTF6K62FAEZQ4","additional_properties":{"_id":"YKPKWMI7HFH7RH3QFS2XIECJCA"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"JFV23GFPQNH7ROE27DDHSHXMXI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731488440305},"content":"In the longer term, the National Council for Special Education has urged that we move towards a “fully inclusive” school system where all students — regardless of their conditions — would be educated in mainstream schools.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Y6JKAUTIHJD7NM2MYLS7K345OE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731488440306},"content":"The council says such a goal would involve significant challenges, such as reassuring parents of the benefits of an inclusive education system, increasing access to psychological and therapeutic supports and boosting training for teaching staff.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UKMXDU5ZWFGRNPRCNAO7QUWCEU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731488440307},"content":"Ring agrees that this is the way forward, especially a school system where therapeutic supports — such as speech and language therapy — are delivered in the school itself.","type":"text"},{"_id":"S523OUFUYJEDFM2JW6S7Q6W6QY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731488440308},"content":"“Special education cannot advance in isolation,” she says. “It must be a key element of our education, health, social, culture and economic policy. We need all the organs of the State working together.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"XASXR7D4VRHPBL2ARVKVNYDL5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731488440309},"content":"For now, it is a pipe dream. In Dublin 15, where pressure is most acute for appropriate school places, school principals would settle for basic supports.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2HINFGU5HZDUBIMBZXAJTMDTTU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731488440310},"content":"Principals across 37 primary schools in the area estimate that more than 100 children with autism and other conditions are struggling in their mainstream school placements.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QSYQNTRT6BGJPCHQC2BUANQUCE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731488440311},"content":"“Without adequate supports, these placements will most likely negatively impact the wellbeing and mental health of these students, the health and safety to peers and school personnel and ultimately put the student’s school placement at risk,” a report prepared by the Dublin 15 Primary Principals’ Network states.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LIYCXY7D6JFHXA5W7K4AAURC7E","additional_properties":{"_id":"CVTHF3WS3FCY7H3ZPJAND5FKZ4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"CV2UHEGGKFCS3HQNEHW2L6QU34","additional_properties":{"_id":1731488440313},"content":"Ní Riain says while supports at her school have increased over recent years and great strides have been made, there are real challenges accessing therapeutic services which are vital to help vulnerable children reach their full potential.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TTK4YYCOUBC45JJFYWBYQYC4CM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731488440314},"content":"“That’s a huge challenge,” she says. “When you have a student with complex needs, you can do all training you want, but it can be difficult to access outside support ... I spend a lot of my time tormenting parents, getting them to fill in the same forms for different services. You are looking at five-year waiting lists. Even where families have the opportunity to go private, there’s usually still a waiting list.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"2DBGK6BJZVEQLHCWRAMOQY4CGI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731488440315},"content":"If there were multidisciplinary teams linked up with schools, she says, it would be a far more efficient use of resources.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NIAKFDCLNVGATC6HH4CDVAJI7I","additional_properties":{"_id":1731488440316},"content":"Ultimately, for all the talk about autism prevalence rates and diagnoses, it shouldn’t matter; she says services for children should be based on their individual needs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JMTV4BGXZVG2VFFTHPELMHD5RE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731488440317},"content":"“If you’ve met one child with autism, you’ve only met one child with autism. Every learner is unique — all their needs are unique,” she says. “It’s very much about the relationship, getting to know the student. You do need to look beyond the disability or diagnosis. We’ve come a long way, with all children attending the same school [instead of being segregated]. That means the world to children and their parents.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"4LFJOGUUQZDE3HJI3I3IZUPALU","additional_properties":{"_id":"U55ESH5BBFFV3IMAQVUMTSBELQ"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"acast_podcast-9491","url":"/"},"subtype":"acast_podcast","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"YCDY6C2IB5FUNMX3YVDX7FFP3I","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Carl O'Brien"}},"name":"Carl O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"As many as one in 20 schoolchildren in Ireland may have autism or similar developmental issues, studies suggest"},"display_date":"2024-11-24T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Autism: Why are so many children being diagnosed these days?","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"UIMK45KN7ZAOBMRH2I7XHBA42E","auth":{"1":"d0486207e9f7573cc8e316a58e94d830d3c032d43f22492abff171fca08a400c"},"focal_point":{"x":4173,"y":1914},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/UIMK45KN7ZAOBMRH2I7XHBA42E.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Your Family"},{"name":"People"},{"name":"Health"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/health/your-family/2024/11/24/autism-why-are-so-many-children-being-diagnosed-these-days/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/health/your-family","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Your Family"}}}},{"_id":"6OF2AHVXXZGEHKDXEYIWUPZJQY","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":242,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/f9eff4b0-2510-4b93-a493-09613b4b5842/versions/1732117016/media/a49e8d295cd229adab5d0322658ae85e_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/24/i-met-paul-mescal-last-week-here-in-trinity-very-cool/","content_elements":[{"_id":"B34DTKFYOJD25MK6LOJE2IJSKQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115740886},"content":"How agreeable are you?","type":"header"},{"_id":"3A2UDFG4NFGBPL62WLWDHC5QFU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115740888},"content":"I was born happy. I think I have a natural state of contentment in my DNA, so I think that makes me agreeable. That does not mean that I don’t have really strong opinions though, and I’m not shy about expressing them.","type":"text"},{"_id":"67XR4HUGIVH3JE7VAAKHOEFVVA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115740889},"content":"What’s your middle name and what do you think of it?","type":"header"},{"_id":"LNJV7MJ2VJFUFPI6ST6PSW55MY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115740890},"content":"Elizabeth. I like it. I think it improves things. It’s after my grandmother on my mother’s side. She died when she was quite young. She had a hard life, but was a great person.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5A2GZEHWXFFYXHAOSMLNBHFEVI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115740891},"content":"Where is your favourite place in Ireland?","type":"header"},{"_id":"REHEYODD75EABBPGOHHA5MRN3Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115740892},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/west-cork/\" target=\"_blank\">West Cork.</a> I think it is a complete contrast to being in the centre of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/dublin/\" target=\"_blank\">Dublin</a>. And it’s just beautiful.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CCX3AGKJ65CN3EWHXDQOZWNYXY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115740893},"content":"Describe yourself in three words.","type":"header"},{"_id":"7CDUUHXPTZEGTOW4AUDG4LFNII","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115740894},"content":"Warm. Creative. Ambitious.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FNKFDWGGCZDBPIHSLEEMSTCEQY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115740895},"content":"When did you last get angry?","type":"header"},{"_id":"MTE2BI6CJNAOPNNGHOLOJMADE4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115740896},"content":"I don’t really get angry. Maybe I need to work on that and get angry a bit more. Things really matter to me, and one of the most important things obviously, for me, is third-level, and how that’s supported and funded. It matters to me a lot, and I’m passionate about it, but I don’t get angry about things. I have really strong feelings about stuff but I typically do something about it rather than let myself get angry.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XJK6LPQ3YJB2XPVLP5DVNOUO24","additional_properties":{"_id":"3WPAWUBGMFHZRH2ZWRW4PHULNA"},"content":"Mattress Mick: I lost my wife to cancer last year, I’d love to have her back","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"SU3TTH7KRJGMFPRF2YYGAZJAVI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115740897},"content":"What have you lost that you would like to have back?","type":"header"},{"_id":"SX44DHNY3FBPTJJVBIQ6NPGAWA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115740898},"content":"My parents. On the day I was elected provost of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/trinity-college-dublin-tcd/\" target=\"_blank\">Trinity </a>in 2021, I really missed them. It would have been lovely if they had been here to be part of it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A2AY3S5AQRASLHFYLTKJRBGWTQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115740899},"content":"What’s your strongest childhood memory?","type":"header"},{"_id":"5VDSTLASKZE45PSAS4OZNNLXQU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115740900},"content":"Being with my sister, Martina, playing together side by side, making up our own imaginary worlds. Building tents and houses in the back garden. She is very close to me in age.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FAZPUQKPU5F5NKXATBNR2SJ6AY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115740901},"content":"Where do you come in your family’s birth order, and has this defined you?","type":"header"},{"_id":"CWBFYVSUCBHCBL57O2FGNTGABI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115740902},"content":"I’m the oldest of four. And that has totally defined me. I tend to take charge of things. Whenever all my siblings get together, we automatically fall into those roles. My youngest brother is 10 years younger than me, and we still think of him as “the baby” of the family.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H55ZXDHLKZHTVCK4E5K5YXM3H4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115740903},"content":"What do you expect to happen when you die?","type":"header"},{"_id":"LFCLEIJYCNGONLHJNC5MVHF2YE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115740904},"content":"I don’t believe in God or a heaven, but my parents did, and I remember how my dad met his death much easier knowing he would see mum again. Maybe I hope he is right.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NORH4W2KKFCINFFOQR7PSBDZLQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115740905},"content":"When were you happiest?","type":"header"},{"_id":"2JOCYFTRZZCVFFQ4UC7DYWEM2E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115740906},"content":"I don’t know why this question is in the past tense. My answer is now. For me, it nearly always is now. I’m a very contented person in the present.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GPLTSDYIDRDE3I33BJEPSQ7OLQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115740907},"content":"Which actor would play you in a biopic?","type":"header"},{"_id":"X2YJPXFBVRCYDKKWM2TLQXEV5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115740908},"content":"Any one of the amazingly talented students in <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/lir-academy/\" target=\"_blank\">The Lir Academy</a> in Trinity. Students from The Lir are doing so well. And you only have to turn on your TV to see them in so many different roles. Speaking of The Lir, I met <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/paul-mescal/\" target=\"_blank\">Paul Mescal </a>last week here in Trinity. Very cool.","type":"text"},{"_id":"W7PGQYBCQRC7JPUXTIQGCNWTIQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"ZFQWUJTGHVEEHG22US4UPEV47U"},"content":"Donna Marie O’Donovan: ‘I shared a secret I shouldn’t have and was racked with guilt’ ","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"ZRQMCDIEEFFJHMDKLWUGC63O2M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115740909},"content":"What’s your biggest regret?","type":"header"},{"_id":"W6YGKPKVYRFFJIEGQESZNGTJ7Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115740910},"content":"I can’t drive. I hate admitting it. I should have learned to drive. I think I’m too chicken to fix it, not to mention I don’t have the time.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PMFXDSMJWBCBDBJA26WZUNNZDA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115740911},"content":"Have you any psychological quirks?","type":"header"},{"_id":"6X7RSLYPHZAFVDDXU3HPXW5F4Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732115740912},"content":"I like moving furniture on a regular basis. If my desk in one place for a while, I like it to be in another place for the next while in the room. I find it very annoying when there isn’t an option to do that and you’re always sitting in the same place. Psychologically, I feel you’re starting afresh if you move your desk.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Jen Hogan"}},"name":"Jen Hogan"}]},"description":{"basic":"Dr Linda Doyle is the first female Provost of Trinity College Dublin. She is a professor of engineering and the arts"},"display_date":"2024-11-24T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Trinity provost Linda Doyle: ‘I met Paul Mescal last week here in Trinity. Very cool’","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"TA3E3XHAMFDEJM44B3HIOZQEO4","auth":{"1":"0e7bb3120b1c164acc1ac74c3d09193b91eb9098009b28229899856a36166f30"},"focal_point":{"x":3941,"y":2485},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/TA3E3XHAMFDEJM44B3HIOZQEO4.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/24/i-met-paul-mescal-last-week-here-in-trinity-very-cool/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"Z2Q63TDVXFCF3J2IDMVGWNG6YU","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":231,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/fc252211-2f2c-48c7-809f-0ecb595745e6/versions/1731938063/media/4489ea4227058301e8e0270edbbb56fc_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/23/one-less-geansai-nollaig-isnt-all-the-planet-wants-for-christmas-but-its-a-start/","content_elements":[{"_id":"B2CD4K7MY5HHBHYU2CO4ESYKUU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731935510241},"content":"Are Christmas jumpers falling out of favour? The fact that garments like these are fuelling the plastic pollution crisis could mean they are at least due a rethink.","type":"text"},{"_id":"C4OFGRGLIFDMXFPEWWVKXHZJGM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731935510242},"content":"A festive knit featuring alpine scenes, candy canes, prancing reindeer, Santa on a moped, baubles, bells and even flashing lights – what’s not to like? You’ll pick up an adult jumper on the high street for about €16 to €20, or kit out a baby for just €6.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FQOT6VOXEVHS7HWWNCSTR5UVQA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731935510243},"content":"At that price, you might wager that the cost per those one or two wears is worth the joke or a social media post.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OV64KNX6FNFK7JI2BE3QRS2JBQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731935510244},"content":"One in three people under 35 buy a new Christmas jumper every year, a survey of 3,000 UK adults by environmental charity <a href=\"https://hubbub.org.uk/research\" target=\"_blank\">Hubbub</a> found. However, only 29 per cent of shoppers know that most Christmas jumpers contain plastic.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3XRDKA3HWVHF7DR4UMRV75XHZE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731935510245},"content":"An analysis of 108 garments from 11 high street and online retailers, including Primark and Asda, found that 95 per cent of jumpers were made wholly or partly of plastic materials, says Hubbub.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IJXA5LGLZBA3NKSTIGUKEQEO3E","additional_properties":{"_id":1731935510246},"content":"Polyester is a kind of plastic usually derived from petroleum. It needs a lot of energy to produce and pollutes the water and air. Polyester jumpers last for years, they’re headed for landfill and they never biodegrade. When it comes to our environmental future, landfilled Christmas jumpers really will be the ghosts of Christmas past.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CKNVGIAL5VAOTDLDQ43OXEW5Q4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731935510247},"content":"The garment has become one of the worst examples of fast fashion, Hubbub says. Two-fifths of the festive tops are worn just once during the Christmas period.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TBUGNCWXHVGQFPI7NE7XIADZJY","additional_properties":{"_id":"ANTIQOFM3NGRXAJF2R5YQVMAQA"},"content":"Dublin Christmas lights switch on as traders nervously optimistic about business","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"YRTOFY4PXZDD3KX52ZDBMI7RMA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731935510248},"content":"Not so long ago, we were all on board with embracing Christmas jumpers wholeheartedly. What could be so wrong with donning a Santa sweater at work, college or school to raise money or spread some festive cheer? There was even a State-sponsored element to it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5MGV2VJA4VEQPMRZTOJJDC3ANM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731935510249},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/new-christmas-jumpers-record-set-in-dublin-1.2884515\" target=\"_blank\">In 2016, a record 1,513 people responded to the call by Dublin City Council to gather on O’Connell Street – wearing a Christmas jumper – for the switching on of the Christmas tree lights</a>. Numbers were up on the council’s previous Geansaí Nollaig event which aimed to get the largest number of people gathered in one place wearing Christmas jumpers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SKVA3FG67VCPPEK4WNACIWRYVI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731935510250},"content":"The 2016 turnout was encouraged by a special Luas incentive offering free travel throughout the day to anyone wearing a Christmas jumper. Ho, ho, ho?","type":"text"},{"_id":"ONID2P3NXRHWVFVOY5JCOFYCEE","additional_properties":{"_id":"PVQ6W2U4RVDVJKUSF5ILSAYAR4"},"content":"From enchanted forests to winter wonderlands: 12 Christmas experiences to try around Ireland","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"7FXNWTAO5RDWJE2BDKYAY6MIMU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731935510251},"content":"Right about now, we used to see teaser pics of the latest Christmas jumper to be worn by a former <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/late-late-show/\">Late Late</a> Toy Show host; that seems to have fizzled out too.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VIH3YA2CBVB43CEANTTNPAUNHU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731935510252},"content":"Eight years on from Dublin City Council’s record Geansaí Nollaig event, things have moved on. The messaging around this year’s <a href=\"https://dublinwinterlights.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">Dublin Winter Lights</a> festival is about joy for sure, but not at the expense of the planet.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CZOU365YE5DXNE2PLCWIZJYNTQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731935510253},"content":"The lights this year will be from more environmentally friendly LEDs, the projections will have low power requirements, and hydrotreated vegetable oil will be used as a fuel source.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GSKGXT7W7RFSRC5OEXZHODRZSU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731935510254},"content":"The power used to light the GPO is comparable to that used in six kettles, with the Custom House projections using the same amount of power as an electric shower. No one is being encouraged to buy a Christmas jumper.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GEIUIFEONZES3HGXQUUFRQOU2I","additional_properties":{"_id":1731935510255},"content":"If you do want to wear one this Christmas, buy one second hand or swap old ones with friends. If there is a Christmas jumper day at your child’s school, organise a swap session where families can donate and swap preloved jumpers. You could go avant-garde and attach some bits and bobs to an existing jumper. One less Christmas jumper isn’t all the planet wants for Christmas, but it’s a start.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Joanne Hunt"}},"name":"Joanne Hunt"}]},"description":{"basic":"We might find them funny, but our festive knits are no joke for the environment"},"display_date":"2024-11-24T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"One less geansaí Nollaig isn’t all the planet wants for Christmas, but it’s a start","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"AIUKYWOZWY2QE46PKWZDF2QOFM","auth":{"1":"432f38ee3c335cadfbb8bb7e6160191999be4d877b209a08c9bee093bb3c2a08"},"focal_point":{"x":692,"y":422},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/AIUKYWOZWY2QE46PKWZDF2QOFM.jpg"}},"subtype":"columnist","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Environment"},{"name":"Climate Crisis"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/23/one-less-geansai-nollaig-isnt-all-the-planet-wants-for-christmas-but-its-a-start/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"PCBGVBBBO5GYZMDCOSGUFFTAYM","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":722,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/f5dfc4e2-5075-4930-80e6-f2d3c2b1d999/versions/1731508168/media/5ea1b7b1a75009af0d4ea61c9ab89d9a_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/24/protestants-in-ireland-weve-gone-after-the-young-generations-weve-listened-and-changed-how-we-do-things/","content_elements":[{"_id":"T3VRJYD7KZE4RLXAPCUX6U5EGM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070824},"content":"This week we learned that <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/social-affairs/2024/11/11/how-multicultural-ireland-is-contributing-to-a-growth-in-the-presbyterian-church/\" target=\"_blank\">multicultural Ireland is contributing to a growth in the Presbyterian Church</a>. But numbers of the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/church-of-ireland/\" target=\"_blank\">Church of Ireland</a> community are reducing.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RNJW7S2DXNCEFKHGFXSIFOYY4M","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070827},"content":"The Rev Rob Jones is rector at Holy Trinity Rathmines in <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/dublin/\" target=\"_blank\">Dublin</a>. There is, he says, “a genuine sense across the West that churches are in decline and they need to do new things to reach out”. He believes “God works in seasons, things being cut back and pruned, and then he rebuilds. I think we’re in a massive paradigm shift which is bigger than anything that has gone maybe since the Reformation.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"NTZMSUPHMFCKJDD4YUO6WQRZF4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070831},"content":"In his view, “we do not need to lament being a minority and we need to learn humbly from other minority groups – a key point – and acknowledge the wrong attitudes that have accompanied being part of the dominant culture. I think that’s a key part of the future, being a creative minority as opposed to an oppressive majority,” he says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H3NAMZT66FAQBFGURQ6JUO6GLU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070832},"content":"“I think this is a key part of the future of the church, a committed group of people who neither control nor abandon the world but engage in it.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"E56BX7OJEFCPRDMVXZSYJGNZKM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070833},"content":"At Holy Trinity Rathmines, “we have pioneered something new. We’ve gone after the young generations. We’ve listened to them and we’ve changed how we do things, not to change the message but to change how we actually do things to reach out to them. We’ve really grown.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"MTRKOCCA5JDSXFHJ57SPI7TONI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070834},"content":"In 2011, Holy Trinity Rathmines was attended by “15 elderly people. Now there are hundreds of young people.” The “pews are gone, liturgy is different, we do lots of dialogue, we don’t do monologues, it’s a different way of doing church.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"EGOPKEGGB5EDTF3L2OJ3MJJA4M","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070835},"content":"They “do lots of stuff outside of a Sunday because I think Sundays are gone now” with the focus “in homes, around meals”, he says. “Part of what we do in Pioneer Ministry is create a place where anyone can belong, first, before they believe anything and before they behave in a certain way. So, for young people, being accepted for what they are is absolutely vital.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"4UTLRSUPNNHRZCGMFRKCNY3PC4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070836},"content":"The younger generation “are flocking away from the church”, yet are “becoming more spiritual”. There was “a deep sense of spirituality in their music. I think their sense of spirituality is in being open to the world around them.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"7FYKCCXM45FABHAO52STRFV4HM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070837},"content":"They are the first generation who are “more interested in spirituality as opposed to organised religion, and it’s fascinating. We’re kind of going back to a time of Patrick, who dealt with a pagan philosophy and people open to something more than themselves. But organised religion wasn’t something they were up to. I think we’re kind of in that time again, of tapping into the spirituality which is so important in the life of our island.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"U3FR4WD4IBG45OCTF7S4TO2N74","additional_properties":{"_id":"AQG7PX2ANVETNFGYM5467YDE6Q"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"USIF7O5LDNHURNNIPTIEYIISBA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070838},"content":"Numbers attending Church of Ireland Sunday services across the island of Ireland “would not fill the seats and stands of the Aviva Stadium, once,” Archbishop of Dublin Michael Jackson has said. On any of the four Sundays on which a census of attendance was taken across the church in 2023, “numbers were around 40,000″, he said, adding that it meant “there is now one church building for every 49 people”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ODRA57ONTZD5XAUV5SDB2EDZKQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070840},"content":"He notes that “between 1.6 and 1.8 million people live in the Greater Dublin Area”, yet the 2023 census found total attendance at Church of Ireland Sunday services in the diocese “barely scrape over the 5,000 mark”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2T33QGE2H5GWLPUJGL26QXOAUA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070841},"content":"Overall, the church’s internal 2023 census of attendance at those Sunday services showed a drop of 30 per cent on a similar census in 2013, he said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XZESOG56VBEFPEWIY4LO4VU3RQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070842},"content":"Jackson presented the figures in his presidential address to the synods of Dublin and Glendalough dioceses last month. “This is who we are and where we are,” he said, with more and more people in suburban parishes “telling me and others that they feel the boat has already sailed”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KAJZQOH34VAWXGMQ2YYJ5FHZMQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070843},"content":"He spoke of “dis-ease and disgruntlement and, even from time to time, defeat” among people in the church, “an organisation that has all the signs of slipping away from them and from everything that they have held dear in their everyday church lives.” This, he said was “not begrudgery. This is not even sentimentality. This is bereavement. This is distress. This is real alienation. This is most worrying.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"GGFLHMUKGJGRXOUHP4IOPGLVXI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070844},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"4MF3LDJ7YFEI7EWC2BR3NMPIFA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070845},"content":"The 2023 Sunday services census to which Jackson referred took place in all Church of Ireland churches across the island last year on February 5th, June 11th, September 17th and November 26th. It found that 40,117 church members in Ireland attended services on February 5th, 42,209 on June 11th, 42,570 on September 17th and 44, 557 on November 26th, making a rough average of about 42,000.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VIVSBRQVGBAZHNG5ARYTDDWOKE","additional_properties":{"_id":"JWGHQSSCXVD47A25GIP5TG2MBM"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"XZ6PDGE44FB3XKXSF3AWH4VLEM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070847},"content":"A similar census was carried out in the church over three Sundays in November 2013. It found average attendance at 58,000 people, or 15.5 per cent of the Church of Ireland population, as defined by the 2011 censuses in the Republic and Northern Ireland.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MD7QQJ2NEFCJBANZYCQTOU35AY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070848},"content":"According to the combined 2022 census in the Republic and the 2021 Northern Ireland census, there are approximately 345,000 Church of Ireland members on the island (124,749 in the Republic, 219,788 in Northern Ireland), meaning attendance of 42,000 at those Sunday services in 2023 amounted to about 13 per cent of its population.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4R6HONRXYJC4FK3SHNFHSR2BYM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070849},"content":"However, even as Church of Ireland attendance at Sunday services continues to decline, its population in the Republic has grown. According to the Republic’s 2022 census, its Church of Ireland population grew by 2 per cent (from 122,612) since the previous census of 2016.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3ZQOWERAZFEDPKVGQOBIPUYNOI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070850},"content":"The 2021 Northern Ireland census showed Church of Ireland membership there had dropped 2.2 per cent to 11.5 per cent of the population, from its 248,821 members in 2011.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BFLIRWBOIRDONK54CEGQ4YQOFM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070851},"content":"On the difference between those who claim Church of Ireland membership and those who attend its Sunday services, church spokesman Peter Cheney says “the overall number of people who currently self-identify as members of the Church of Ireland is likely to be considerably closer to the State census figures”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WWARX7GHLRB3NKQJMOACQPGKSM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070852},"content":"Church of Ireland Dean of Limerick Niall Sloane says the Church of Ireland is not about to disappear. “My own experience is one of growth. I cover the whole of the city of Limerick which includes the cathedral, an urban church and one rural church out in Murroe.” Since 2013, “numbers have doubled”, he says. “I don’t think the Church of Ireland is going to wipe itself out or anything like that.” He continues: “We’ve had a new bishop this past two years and in the short time he’s been here we’ve seen that all our parishes, by Advent Sunday, will be filled.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"IJAAXGYTJNH6PDJIGDOHAAHFNA","additional_properties":{"_id":"J5ED56QKHZB5NFKXHUGITHE3WY"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"EC4AZGNSZ5FEDIEMXCXPNH4ZIM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070854},"content":"The diocese is the largest geographically in Ireland, taking in most of the Wild Atlantic Way from Sligo to Cork. “People are drawn to the west.” During Covid, people “decided they don’t want to be in the rat race of living in a city, with all the expense and all that, so people are going west”, Sloane says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HME4WNR4R5GGJIAXKJXHQH4SLM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070855},"content":"In the summer numbers “significantly grow, places like Spanish Point in Co Clare would have significant numbers, Roundstone in Galway, people holidaying, vacationing, with summer homes, et cetera”. Helping growth in Limerick, he felt, was a liturgy which “is carefully constructed, worship is at the heart of it all but it’s thoughtful, preaching is meaningful, pastoral care is careful”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OA77E7VGCRALHI6NBREJJ5WXF4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070856},"content":"Archdeacon of Armagh Peter Thompson says the Church of Ireland is not in danger of disappearing in Northern Ireland. “Not at all,” he says. Worship has become “more diverse and Sunday morning isn’t the only time people worship. In my parish we have more people working at weekends now – in healthcare, hospitality, retail.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"IOT6O3CCA5DOFH4QIW7RIUQ6AM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070857},"content":"People were “much more mobile”, while attendance at a midweek Wednesday service had “increased by 150 per cent in the last five years, because people aren’t always available on a Sunday”. The census did not provide “the full picture of attendance at worship at all and that’s before we touch on online worship”, he says. Since Covid “we’ve gathered a sizeable number of regular worshippers who are physically unable to be present on a Sunday”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"K3QD7ATDEVBWTGLVEA62MVMN6Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070858},"content":"Canon Gillian Wharton, rector at St Philip and St James’ Church in Booterstown, Co Dublin, says: “There’s a different way in which people now participate in worship and a different dynamic that’s going on. So, even if you are looking back to 2013, I would say now that we would have as many people involved in our parish and attending worship as we have 10 years ago, and in some cases more, but not as often.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"BMFB7XYV6NFXZMBZHZV75YPNOU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070859},"content":"She explains: “Ten years ago we didn’t have the amount of sports activities on a Sunday morning.” That is now “absolutely the case and we have to constantly battle with that”. In her parish, “we would have, I would say, the same number, in fact more people attending and involved, not as often”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5Q4VTHGATRCYTJ2EDWEFMCGEKI","additional_properties":{"_id":"IBO6EGRASBF73LHLLYP3FXFJUU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"QODSZF7KJNAJZMGWXMMSQR6P6M","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070860},"content":"Wharton adds: “We’re not sticking our heads in the sand either, thinking that there isn’t cause to constantly evaluate and review.” People were now “choosing to opt in. They’re making a positive choice.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"FHOECSDZBBBHLOTOEOZERXDYMU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070861},"content":"Hazel Corrigan, honorary secretary to the Church of Ireland General Synods, does not believe there is any cause for alarm in the church over declining numbers. People probably need to look at the issue “a bit wider, in that – and I can see it in my own parish – there are more people working at home, there are so many kids’ sports now, with so many other activities going on. The days of attendance which was obligatory driven by your parents making you go to church, those days are gone.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"QODSZF7KJNAJZMGWXMMSQR6P6M","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070862},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"2ELXJAIC7JDQNDVRRS4IAWIDFE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070863},"content":"The church’s national youth officer Simon Henry recalls how this year the church’s “Summer Madness, Ireland’s largest Christian youth festival, had over 200 young people come to faith this summer for the first time, with the biggest numbers attending that since pre-Covid”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BPCU4UM6ORCTBPBOIKFSU3E2E4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070864},"content":"It was also the case now that “a lot of youth work is not done on a Sunday morning” but “mostly during the week”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EGD3E3NEPBFA7B2NLMAV5OVFJY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070865},"content":"Still, in February 2023, the church launched its Pioneer Ministry, with the aim “of reaching those outside the church in new ways and in different places”, according to its website. It notes how “over the last 50 years, attendance and membership of the Church of Ireland has progressively declined, as has also been observed in many other Christian denominations in western societies”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OGGERMPKRJE5JCRCYY5LJWPONU","additional_properties":{"_id":"BK374CXNGFDKZIELNNU5TOK5UY"},"content":"Catholicism is having a moment: A new generation finds solace in the Confession box and sense of community","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"5A3W734XORBGJM6PBEAEVINAP4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070866},"content":"This, it says, “has resulted in a narrowing of the fringe of people with whom traditional church can connect. There are now more people in our communities who have no engagement with the church and no understanding of the Christian message. New approaches to ministry – pioneer ministries – are needed to cross cultural barriers to enable the Gospel to be shared with people who are well beyond the fringe.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"RNJW7S2DXNCEFKHGFXSIFOYY4M","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070867},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"O6NE6YSYJZBCRA5Y27TL75LNVM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070868},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"BLLUSF33QFA5RBDYBO2LCZ3444","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070869},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"FOEFALEJNJGKRGFTNGJDXZEYZE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070870},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"NTZMSUPHMFCKJDD4YUO6WQRZF4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070871},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"H3NAMZT66FAQBFGURQ6JUO6GLU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070872},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"E56BX7OJEFCPRDMVXZSYJGNZKM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070873},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"MTRKOCCA5JDSXFHJ57SPI7TONI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070874},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"EGOPKEGGB5EDTF3L2OJ3MJJA4M","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070875},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"4UTLRSUPNNHRZCGMFRKCNY3PC4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070876},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"7FYKCCXM45FABHAO52STRFV4HM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731503070877},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"YCDY6C2IB5FUNMX3YVDX7FFP3I","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Patsy McGarry"}},"name":"Patsy McGarry"}]},"description":{"basic":"A younger generation of Protestants ‘are flocking away from the church’ yet ‘becoming more spiritual’"},"display_date":"2024-11-24T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Protestants in Ireland: ‘We’ve gone after the young generations. We’ve listened and changed how we do things’","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"USVFQHQISVDVDADVWAYMSEK5KU","auth":{"1":"0a2a18d8c807ce473d6448d765110bfb0cad751183fc6b5f8686f0105b0a97e6"},"focal_point":{"x":3771,"y":1812},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/USVFQHQISVDVDADVWAYMSEK5KU.JPG"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Ireland"},{"name":"Social Affairs"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/24/protestants-in-ireland-weve-gone-after-the-young-generations-weve-listened-and-changed-how-we-do-things/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"EDMXZD33KNHCFDS6YBDM7ET6AU","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":778,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/7282657b-3d20-42c6-86fe-1c3702c0c50d/versions/1732191872/media/56f97d1775a4d421ebfe2f8b85fbd590_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/travel/2024/11/24/goodbye-to-the-46a-end-of-legendary-dublin-bus-route-made-famous-in-song/","content_elements":[{"_id":"JBMN27ZEVVC3NG7HHKTGCZNX6U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372186},"content":"On an odyssey along the entire route of a bus that’s a cross-section of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/dublin/\" target=\"_blank\">Dublin</a> city and suburbs this week, many passengers don’t know the 46A’s days are numbered. And not everyone knows the 1980 Bagatelle song that made the route famous, but a surprising number do, of all age groups.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CHP5LW2QJNEVNOV75ZTWUQQAZY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372187},"content":"<i>“I remember that summer in Dublin ... / I was singing a song I heard somewhere, called Rock‘n’Roll Never Forgets / When my hummin’ was smothered by a 46A and the scream of a low-flying jet / So I jumped on a bus to Dún Laoghaire, stoppin’ off to pick up my guitar ...”</i>","type":"text"},{"_id":"BZWMQVQFBNAMBC5HF6YL3IM52Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372188},"content":"The bus route may be legendary, it may be handy and cover a large area, but it is not rapid: the 46A bus goes around the world for sport. A Google Maps search on Monday is telling: from <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/dun-laoghaire/\" target=\"_blank\">Dún Laoghaire</a> to Infirmary Road, the 46A route takes 55 minutes via Dart plus bus, while the 46A itself is the last option on the route search, taking a whopping one hour and 37 minutes. Transport for Ireland’s app does not even suggest the 46A to me for that journey.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EFWIKTOJMNELXMIYWG3GYXHVBQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372189},"content":"So I jump on a<i> </i>bus <i>in</i> Dún Laoghaire, to travel the full long and winding route this week, a farewell voyage. It’s 10.30am and wet, a far cry from summer in Dublin. Several people get on at the stop near the Dart station, the bus pulls off and goes through the town, left on to York Road trundling through southside suburbs towards <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/deansgrange/\" target=\"_blank\">Deansgrange</a>, heading for the Stillorgan Road/N11. There’s a busy throughput with people of all ages hopping on and off along the way; mostly solitary, a couple of friends, a bunch of teenage lads go upstairs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IE4GRK5JIJAAJP72XA2IN33PJA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372190},"content":"Niamh Rush takes the 46A to college in <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/institute-of-art-design-and-technology-dun-laoghaire/\" target=\"_blank\">Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art Design and Technology (IADT)</a>, 10 minutes away. She knows it’ll be renamed the E2, but “why don’t they keep this one, and just make it 24 hours?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"RJLEAE6JMFBGLJTVIJX66Q6C2E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372191},"content":"Loretto Connors says she gets the 46A “every day, twice a day”, from Leeson Street to pick up her methadone “fortunately” at the Dún Laoghaire clinic and back. She calls methadone “liquid handcuffs” saying it’s “a fancy name for being put under the thumb. But it keeps you stable.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"RWPHZ2QFBVGELMUFLNVABHV4FA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372192},"content":"Luke is nostalgic. He’s always lived along the route so it’s “a staple of my life. It’s continuity”. His grandmother in Kilmacud even had photos of the 46A. He’s on his way to<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/st-stephen-s-green/\" target=\"_blank\"> St Stephen’s Green</a>. “It’s probably one of the best routes in the country. It’s regular and services a lot of areas.” He’s keen on it going 24 hours: “Bring them in, big-time. Who can afford €50 for a taxi to Dún Laoghaire?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"UA7WNFTUBNCPJOTFDWEBJ7GZJQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372193},"content":"When the 46A becomes the new <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/busconnects/\" target=\"_blank\">BusConnects </a>E2, it’ll run 24 hours, a huge plus for thousands of residents in a European capital in 2024 still without 24-hour public transport. Many of the passengers are delighted about 24-hour service at last, but are dismayed it’s been delayed again, and won’t run over the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/christmas/\" target=\"_blank\">Christmas </a>period.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TZSYOTWLMJAI7FWA74SLB5RBOM","subtype":"youtube","type":"oembed_response"},{"_id":"TP5HFMLP4NHGHG2ENCECUVJHQY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732235627498},"content":"Koketso Metlapeng from South Africa has been in Ireland four years. She knows the 46A is going. “There’s no day I don’t use the 46A.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ROIQVADIXBG7BIHAZ555ODEVZY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732235627499},"content":"Student Shraifa Mohanan gets on at Deansgrange, heading to <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/ucd/\" target=\"_blank\">UCD</a>: It’s supposed to run every six to eight minutes she says but “sometimes it comes late”. A young woman getting off says she gets the 46A “every day, for the job” as a home-carer.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZBRBBGVW5ZB53N7EPYBTOJKR6Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372195},"content":"It’s 10.48am and we’ll turn on to the N11 soon. The bus is moving swiftly as there isn’t much traffic. It stops very frequently, a steady stream getting on and off.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PUGZIFMDKZCATIOPFPGTPMMEAY","additional_properties":{"_id":"BXNHQTIOD5C7HACXNSSUZKDTXM"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"EQIJKLVWANCQZIPBWLYOKCTPCI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372196},"content":"Upstairs Sue Norton moves into the window seat to make space. She’s travelling from Kill Avenue and works at <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/technological-university-dublin/\" target=\"_blank\">Technological University Dublin</a>. She often gets the 46A all the way to Grangegorman campus; with drivers changing in Donnybrook, and various pauses along the way, it can take an hour and 45 minutes. “It’s a bus, not a magic carpet,” she says, laughing. She wanted information on the changes and emailed both <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/dublin-bus/\" target=\"_blank\">Dublin Bus</a> and BusConnects, but is still none the wiser. I tell her what I know (multiple times today I’m an unofficial information service) and she’s relieved the route changes are slight. “A rose by any other name. And that’s marvellous, 24 hours.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"OZLEVBIVJJBI5DHUDTRBGL2Z2Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1732235627503},"content":"There’s a bit of traffic. It’s 11.05am. We’re passing UCD. A few people are chatting, others wearing earphones. The bus is clean, but someone scattered the constituents of a salami sandwich on an upstairs seat.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZN2FLKC7SNBZRNCXUDJKZSHXCU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372198},"content":"Down the back on the upper deck, Jennifer Nelson didn’t know the 46A was going. “That’s shocking. It’s part of living in Dublin.” She got it for years, to school in Muckross in <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/donnybrook/\" target=\"_blank\">Donnybrook</a>, then to <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/trinity-college-dublin-tcd/\" target=\"_blank\">Trinity</a>. She’s delighted its replacement will run 24 hours. She laughs about how it stops for ages sometimes in Donnybrook to change drivers. “Could be two minutes or half an hour. It’s always been this way.” Today there’s no driver change.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BIXXZQTVVFFBPBZM3UKU65FIGM","additional_properties":{"_id":"W7TQIDVEOFBKBPUZVK4VALQ52U"},"content":"Dublin Bus commuters give their views on services: ‘I just wish they were more regular’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"QQ2HDNXY4BHZDFWUFQEHGWNT3Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372199},"content":"Tim O’Hanrahan, a retired doctor from Sligo visiting his daughter near Mount Merrion, regularly gets the 46A. He’s going to the Mater hospital for monthly oncology treatment, which is going very well. “It’s convenient; a great service for me”, and only takes half an hour. He knows Summer in Dublin, laughing as he quotes “a drunk on the bus told me how to get rich. I was glad we weren’t goin’ too far”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BLUO4W3XRJD7TFGUOUAI5BMWE4","additional_properties":{"_id":"YJYAMPZG45DN7HS2V6DRZLCEKY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"VXZAJZYWRZFC3EKFJE3LJYWKFI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372200},"content":"Another passenger has been worried about the 46A ending, as changing buses would be too much hassle going to work. News that it’s basically a name change “may delay my early retirement”, she says, laughing.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QQYL2QYYQJFGZKGW6K5ZSX6TSU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372201},"content":"Downstairs, on Leeson Street, Mairéad O’Flaherty is getting ready to get off. She’s on her way home to Inis Mór after visiting her daughter. “Of all the buses in Dublin this is one I’m aware of, probably because of the song.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"YKDU6EQU25F7DKUWMVEPV7AWQM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372202},"content":"Past Stephen’s Green, at 11.25am the bus turns on to Dawson Street. Outside it’s raining, the street a sea of umbrellas. The thud-thud of bus windscreen wipers punctures the quiet inside. Past Trinity, over O’Connell Bridge, passing the GPO, Henry Street, the Gresham Hotel. As they get off, many call out to the driver: “Thank you!” Later he tells me he can’t hear that well because of the protective side-screen, but through the mirror he sees when people say thanks getting off. “It’s nice.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"SK52BTGB6FDQNBXZULQL7TMXDA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372203},"content":"Thais Perez from Brazil gets on at <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/o-connell-street/\" target=\"_blank\">O’Connell Street</a>, heading to Dublin 7. In Ireland two-plus years, she works as a carer and lots of her clients got 46A all their lives, she says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TLHTD7VW4ZFMPAPKFW6D677WQ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372204},"content":"It’s 11.39am; traffic eases. Up Mountjoy Street, past the Mater, left on to the North Circular Road and through Phibsborough village. Upstairs there should be a great view of the gracious redbrick houses, but it’s impeded by ever-present bus condensation. Stopped outside Technological University Dublin at Grangegorman, drips from a tree above on to the roof make a loud echo.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PLVBY7N6ZRHYPBDK5CM47XEQ4A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372205},"content":"This route is a cross-section of Dublin city, geographically and socially; a sort of public transport Ulysses, its mutating flavours signalled by the changing election posters of the electoral districts we pass through. The E2 bus replacing the 46A on essentially the same route is classed as a “spine”, along city corridors. Spine is a good analogy for the 46A, linking at least four third-level colleges and threading through affluent southside suburbs, Georgian Dublin, the N11 dual-carriageway, city centre, north inner city, the Victorian terraces to the Phoenix Park.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UPXGSLT7GZCSVHP242PCDOFQWM","additional_properties":{"_id":"BRECMF76A5AJHMTKRXTPY3BHRA"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"L3HSD4TRHJEUTHTMCVLSRKWCRU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372206},"content":"Upstairs in the front seat, Lola Thew and Liam Kelly are heading to Phoenix Park for a walk in the rain. They’re a bit sad the 46A is going. He regularly gets it from Phibsborough to Heuston, going home to Kildare. For years she got the 46A from Phibsborough to UCD. “It’s a nice journey. Never too full.” Amazingly given their age, the youthful pair are familiar with the Bagatelle song. “I saw it on Insta,” says Lola.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HX7M2UBWSJB3TMJSKLMRGVJ6EU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372207},"content":"The last few passengers get off. End of the line. It loops: along Parkgate Street and the new courts building, then back up Infirmary Road and on to the North Circular, to retrace its steps back to Dún Laoghaire.","type":"text"},{"_id":"APFKSGGFENBPHE4EEHKGN5IZB4","additional_properties":{"_id":"RKKAYXBSFNH7NEUP36F36SDHLU"},"content":"Readers' letters: The mystery and romance of the 46A","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"CJJ3WOE6GFDW3LCZQ4FFRDXRCQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372208},"content":"The courteous young driver hasn’t heard of the song, but this route is fine, he says, when he’s stopped. He’s only four weeks on the job, and getting used to shift-work. He hadn’t driven a heavy vehicle before, nor driven in the city centre. The training was great and the tutors were very nice, he says. He notices the same passengers getting on and off the bus, sometimes the same day.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VASCMNBGWFGCFOPE63ZE6ZYBYI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732109372209},"content":"At the back, I speak to a man who says, “Call me William the Northsider”. He takes the 46A regularly to Phibsborough. My informal BusConnects info service tells him it may not do the North Circular Road in future. He shrugs. “The doctor says I should be walking more anyway.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"WA3SVO5ZIBCLRLOZYDPEENPUKY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117918378},"content":"The new E spine: BusConnects phase to begin in 2025","type":"header"},{"_id":"SAF4ADRREVB3XO3LX5X6IWPZZ4","additional_properties":{"_id":"GB7RLM623JEWJNHDK4GFQ2YP7E"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"GX7ZZEZFPZBLJHKDWLKPC7GEWE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732235627520},"content":"The 46A route dates from the late 1920s, though there have been a few changes to the service over the years.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4XXVM72PYJA2BBQQPZNUWCJPGM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117918379},"content":"Currently, it begins at the Phoenix Park and ends at Dún Laoghaire, or vice versa depending on what way you’re travelling, with a promised frequency of about every 10 minutes during peak times.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XE5OZJ363VGAVDA46WT5PFIPPQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117918380},"content":"Beginning on Infirmary Road, adjacent to the Phoenix Park, the 46a route travels down the North Circular Road, past St Peter’s Church in Phibsborough and the Mater hospital. It then travels down Blessington Street, past the Garden of Remembrance and the Spire on O’Connell Street, going across the river Liffey to D’Olier Street.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LDURFOHM2VCULHKV3LX342LGSU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117918381},"content":"The route then goes down Nassau Street, Kildare Street, past St Stephen’s Green and on to Leeson Street Lower, Fitzwilliam Place and Leeson Street Upper.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ELG4FBUDDJFJVGAGKVN6UKHKMY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117918382},"content":"It travels past the Royal Hospital in Donnybrook, through the village and past Donnybrook stadium and church, RTÉ's campus and up the Stillorgan Road, past the Radisson Hotel and St John of God Hospital. It also passes Foxrock Church, Deansgrange Cross and IADT Dún Laoghaire. The route ends on Crofton Road in Dún Laoghaire near the Dart station.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YYYZOM7VF5G3RMA5ZQOMJP5G2Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117918383},"content":"From January, the E2 will be in place. It will start at Ikea in Ballymun, travelling on to the Ballymun Road, past the DCU campus and on to Glasnevin before moving into Phibsborough and on to the city centre, through Donnybrook and up the Stillorgan Road, finishing at Dún Laoghaire.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4Z3VADDNHREGRHBH6XR2C2SBFE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117918384},"content":"The E1 will also travel a similar route but will begin in Northwood in Santry, move through the city centre and up the Stillorgan Road, but will then go on to Bray, finishing up at Ballywaltrim in Co Wicklow. Both the E1 and E2 will be 24-hour routes, but neither will serve the area directly surrounding the Phoenix Park or Infirmary Road.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QALOXOIP4ZETVMBP2JTMYGBDFI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117918385},"content":"Under the changes in the new year, the number 11 from Sandyford will be diverted at Parnell Square to run via Phibsborough and the North Circular Road to the Phoenix Park. The 4 route from Monkstown will be diverted at O’Connell Bridge to Heuston Station. The changes are part of the latest phase of the BusConnects project, a reorganisation of Dublin’s bus routes. The E routes are one of several key “spines” through city. The routes, which come under the 6a phase, were due to be rolled out in November but were postponed until after Christmas. – Sarah Burns","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Deirdre Falvey"}},"name":"Deirdre Falvey"}]},"description":{"basic":"The bus memorialised by Bagatelle, which runs from Phoenix Park to Dún Laoghaire, is a cross-section of the city, geographically and socially. It will soon be replaced by a 24-hour service"},"display_date":"2024-11-24T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Goodbye to the 46A: End of legendary Dublin bus route made famous in song","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"D7UNGXJQURF4ZFWOP5QTYE623A","auth":{"1":"438756f291ce480e1a9349feef7c5050f3a000d96d7c19fe2c18298333a9c5ce"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/D7UNGXJQURF4ZFWOP5QTYE623A.JPG"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Travel"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/travel/2024/11/24/goodbye-to-the-46a-end-of-legendary-dublin-bus-route-made-famous-in-song/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/travel","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Travel"}}}},{"_id":"HH5NB5BXJJHJNARPGJQWBNVM7U","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":693,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/26425c1f-2421-4155-9fa0-4d2d35be358c/versions/1731496185/media/4946626d9bfe4b37428226c9920fb067_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/travel/2024/11/24/in-need-of-minibreak-before-or-after-christmas-here-are-16-of-the-best-around-ireland/","content_elements":[{"_id":"Y76K2TF3O5GVJK4A7XEE3GKRLI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569830},"content":"From chilling out at a romantic fireside to full-on festive family fun, let someone else do the work this <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/christmas\" target=\"_blank\">Christmas</a> with an Irish winter minibreak.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SYWQM4CW2ZH5JFR5DHKBQWF3DM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569831},"content":"<mark class=\"hl_yellow\">Before the big day</mark>","type":"header"},{"_id":"MKKMVLKW2VBPJLKQSISF7FIDXE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569832},"content":"Thank goodness Halloween keeps Christmas at bay until the end of October at least, but when you’re ready to dive into the fairy lights, here are some of the best spots to try.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NFYWHOQ36FCYPIUGG3REA2746Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569833},"content":"Galmont Hotel, Galway","type":"header"},{"_id":"GSRKNBK3F5BWBAJWSB2YCWS63U","additional_properties":{"_id":"ZHRFBEINSRC7NNE7GF2EIDELIY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"TKMWGJGZPVDCFDS3LYMMVSMQJM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569834},"content":"Galway throws itself right into the festive action with the surprisingly wonderful Christmas Market on Eyre Square, Santa’s mini train, and the big View Wheel offering glittering vistas of everything – highly recommended for all ages. Add mulled wine and snacks on site, and it’s seriously Christmassy craic. B&B at the nearby and very excellent Galmont Hotel from €219 per room, <a href=\"http://thegalmont.com/\" target=\"_blank\">thegalmont.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"TGQ36ZIOSVGRTO52BB6WL6RBHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569835},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.wineport.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">Wineport Lodge</a>, Westmeath","type":"header"},{"_id":"JTMP6DTGRFEB3M3FC5U5XAWU3E","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569836},"content":"“We must get together” is a frequent Christmas cry. Although billed as a “girls’ getaway”, the Wineport Lodge doesn’t exclude men, so all and any are welcome to its Festive Bubble Break. The name itself should help do a good job of luring your pals to join you. Includes a bottle of chilled bubbles and Irish chocolate truffles on arrival, a four-course dinner, B&B in a lake view room, and a lake side hot tub with (more) bubbles, both in the hot tub, and in your glass before you leave. Available December 1st to 22nd, from €524 for two sharing.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OX2FPKJWIZDYLMRCMNTZE3L6YQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"BJHILNKCN5GMFF2C6OQ27ANT4E"},"content":"Winter walks: Eight picturesque trails with places to eat and drink at the end","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"2GACHTVLKBHWXNO5UX66FDPGCY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569837},"content":"Woodland Suite at the <a href=\"https://www.themontenottehotel.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Montenotte</a>, Cork","type":"header"},{"_id":"KPQMGFWLBJD75FMNREI3XJRZVQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"HBOJWRYLCJD4BN2X2M7TYAT7BA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"DMREBPYC3JGVPGBJOZ42JFIA5I","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569838},"content":"This Winter Escape Package is available on selected dates right through into January, but go before Christmas and you might find the hamper in your room takes care of some of your gifting dilemmas, as it includes a McNutt wool throw, tea blends and Champagne. Perched on the wooded banks overlooking the river Lee, the Montenotte’s new(ish) Woodland and River Suites are a glorious experience in escapist design. Two nights’ B&B, hamper, welcome Champagne, dinner for two on one night, sundowner cocktails and healthclub and on-site cinema access from €770 per night, for a two-night minimum stay. Book just one night without all the bells and whistles, though you’ll still get bubbles on arrival, from €600.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5VAP3OKFTJC4VPXGOQHWP22KPM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569839},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.number31.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">Number 31</a>, Dublin","type":"header"},{"_id":"ONTPUBCULNHYND6REE25RIYT3A","additional_properties":{"_id":"GWPZO7TMRNDUFO7WZ7L6IIYI3I"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"CUBPFLTTA5ACJEJLJBGTJ6OC7U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569840},"content":"A place that makes you feel like you’re in on one of Dublin’s best-kept secrets, Number 31 is a hotel of two parts. One side is a lovely Georgian townhouse, beautifully done up with warm and witty design, while on the other is a modernist gem of a place in what was once the city pad of architect Sam Stephenson (of Central Bank fame), sunken fireside conversation pit and all. Christmas in the Capital gives you bed and very excellent breakfast from €199 per room.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WZAWCHUFP5G5HMHF2PHSB33C5E","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569841},"content":"<mark class=\"hl_yellow\">Christmas</mark>","type":"header"},{"_id":"AAIU4GD4X5GY7PILHQIZ3MFYGQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569842},"content":"Spending Christmas in a hotel is generally either because the extended family member hosting this year simply can’t fit you all in, or because you’ve taken a firm stand against all that prep and catering, and are going to make sure everyone gets taken care of by someone else for a change. On a more serious note, Christmas hotel stays can be a wise way to start some new traditions if you have had a change in your family circumstances during the year.","type":"text"},{"_id":"I7HM6HPEEJDBFGFSME7ZAA3SKE","additional_properties":{"_id":"Q7IUYGEK6BB4DEMZIDUIMCM32M"},"content":"Marseilles is having a moment: The best places to eat and drink around the French city","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"KZ26JNZ7DJA25F4MCEWUYQREDE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569843},"content":"<a href=\"https://ferrycarrighotel.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">Ferrycarrig Hotel</a>, Wexford","type":"header"},{"_id":"DHVRMVNEOFFYHMEADGGHEVMBAU","additional_properties":{"_id":"OFCD75C525B5BDJCDUYRHRSHNE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"NFFXWW4MR5CGBEGTTKH4LJX4RM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569844},"content":"The Ferrycarrig, one of those hotels that manages to make all the disparate family members feel welcome and happy (should you have a disparate family, that is), has a great location on the banks of the Slaney, a short spin from Wexford town. Christmas at the hotel starts on December 24th, and your package covers all meals, including Christmas lunch, plus a visit from Santa himself, €595pps for two nights, €695 for three. Children up to three years old are free, from €185 per child up to eight years old, and €215 per child up to 16 for the two-night package.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LB4GOEMU6JH3PEBMIZQOLG5ZRY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569845},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.parkkenmare.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Park Hotel</a>, Kerry","type":"header"},{"_id":"6L25GQGYMNCELLOWMX3Y644S3I","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569846},"content":"Go full deluxe, and utterly arty at Park Hotel Kenmare, where artists from the hotel’s extensive contemporary collection have been invited to join local artists and create bespoke baubles for the Christmas tree. As these include Sean Scully, Guggi and Dorothy Cross, it’s a lot to imagine. Three nights, starting on Christmas Eve, include cocktails, choral music, all meals, games and quizzes, a visit from Santa and all manner of other marvellous Yuletide treats. Three nights from €3,906 for two.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FC5V4ZKLZZG7JM6HSK35TNWX4Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569847},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.glenloabbey.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">Glenlo Abbey</a>, Galway","type":"header"},{"_id":"HVNYPXFD3ZGYZMW5IC6FYFHWUY","additional_properties":{"_id":"ATO65PVZMBFGNMEGA2QSG5OG7U"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"X7EYZ7H5AVGGRAQFL4Z7TTULSA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569848},"content":"On the outskirts of Galway, as you take the road west, Glenlo Abbey sits you firmly in prime position on its 138-acre estate, on the shores of Lough Corrib. Check in on Christmas Eve with a mulled wine welcome, and enjoy festive themed things to do, including seasonal movies on-site, and serenity walks (handy for the overexcited). Includes music, a quiz, dinner, gifts, Christmas lunch, supper and more less festive activities such as golf. Two nights from €1,200pps, three from €1,650, reduced prices for children.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BRQX4MORIVE4VIUC5T6YFIRWKY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569849},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.cartonhouse.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Carton House</a>, Kildare","type":"header"},{"_id":"2LOQDQGSSFBJZOX6V6GG2DRD3Q","additional_properties":{"_id":"NICYFE4AFVFM5NOIWTKEOPDG2I"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"RRJV3NTA7VE63J7XPQGD56QL6A","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569850},"content":"Head to Kildare for a stay fit for a queen: back in the day, the lords and ladies of Carton House even went so far as creating a lake to amuse Queen Victoria. Today you can stay over Christmas and be regaled with mulled wine and mince pies, a Christmas gift and a stocking full of treats hanging on your door. Then there’s a breakfast buffet, a nice festive stroll round the glorious grounds, and a five-course Christmas lunch, followed by a nice nap, or gentle board games. Evening snacks and live entertainment see the day out. Two nights from €1,240pps.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HJL5KZ422RDKDJQUDTSWCTI73U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569851},"content":"<mark class=\"hl_yellow\">Twixtmas</mark>","type":"header"},{"_id":"5MOSJNEYRVHKBIYPAPPFSDJRB4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569852},"content":"“Twixtmas” must be one of the most hideous marketing terms ever coined for what is one of the nicest times of year. The week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve can feel like time stolen back from the noisy world. Steal your own time here.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2OMQ6SPLVND23PX2Z75BT3TKDA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569853},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.inchydoneyisland.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Inchydoney Island</a> Lodge and Spa, Cork","type":"header"},{"_id":"QNRWG5D22BEDBAYZQMC2KWY4HY","additional_properties":{"_id":"FZDU7WRXPBDWFECBRB4D76E6EM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"N7EWZ4HARFEPXKHBZGKKQLJUH4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569854},"content":"It might be a clever ruse to name a minibreak after less than excellent weather, but there are fewer better places to watch a decent winter storm than west Cork’s Inchydoney Island Lodge and Spa. Their Storm Watcher Package gives you two nights’ B&B, dinner on one evening, a warming Storm Watcher cocktail, complimentary yoga on selected days (check when booking) and indoor seawater therapy pool access, from €299pps, excluding New Year’s Eve.","type":"text"},{"_id":"S6BCYHJP5FB37DEZFLUUPS3FF4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569855},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.merrionhotel.com/\" target=\"_blank\">The Merrion</a>, Dublin","type":"header"},{"_id":"EY4SHLC57VERLJJTPCYBRZFZ2E","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569856},"content":"Bring the family to Dublin, whether for one of the pantos, or other seasonal theatre fun including The Gate’s The Borrowers (from €15, until January 12th), and stay over with interconnecting rooms at The Merrion, with The Winter Family Getaway offering B&B for four, plus free room service dinner for children under 12 for €1,050 on selected nights until January 31st.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NOVTAFWSMZCFHJZDHTGVTHROYM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569857},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.thejohnstownestate.com/\" target=\"_blank\">The Johnstown Estate</a>, Meath","type":"header"},{"_id":"O4SZQCBWJVDVVJPBY3EFLJO6AM","additional_properties":{"_id":"XKYTZIJGDBBWZCRCMJEPSWXBCY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"VAV3NFVGPRCZJNANDHZYEEXRLM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569858},"content":"Meath’s Johnstown Estate has two nights of Post Christmas Chill including strolling round the grounds, lolling in the outdoor hot tub, relaxing by the open fires and indulging in evening entertainment. You’ll get B&B dinner on both nights including one in the hotel’s fine dining restaurant, Fire & Salt, from €680 per room for two. Check in December 27th or 28th.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V3XUGXCEAJGUBGALFN3I7SBFM4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569859},"content":"<a href=\"https://doylecollection.com/\" target=\"_blank\">The Westbury</a>, Dublin","type":"header"},{"_id":"OCFNN77DSNAKTKZ5XRFQY22OMU","additional_properties":{"_id":"FXF4F2ZKIJB4LJTQAYSATN3OKE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"IZMHK4O6PRB3JN2VTISBNRBCKY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569860},"content":"The sales don’t wait till January these days, and you’re in the heart of the action at The Westbury. It’s also a very nice place to sleep over if shopping isn’t a lure for you. The Festive Family Moments package includes B&B for two, plus a family portrait photo session for up to five people beside the hotel’s glitzy Christmas tree, so if you’re not feeling too haggard after the big day, this might be next year’s family card all snapped up. Check in dates December 27th to 29th, from €630 per room.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BBX4TVJYRBGQHPXRYRQOVILJU4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569861},"content":"<mark class=\"hl_yellow\">New Year’s Eve</mark>","type":"header"},{"_id":"7DFXGI7GKVA7JNODTUOJ3AWDFE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569862},"content":"For those of us who frequently peak too soon, here’s a tip: tune in to one of those countries that ring in the new year a couple of hours ahead – Greece, Finland, South Africa for starters – enjoy the celebrations, and be tucked up nicely, ready to wake up when you are good and ready for 2025. Or book a hotel, get your nap in and get ready to countdown to the cheers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4DRIT33KXVCKDLP3AHOGCIX4WU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569863},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.icehousehotel.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">Ice House Hotel</a>, Mayo","type":"header"},{"_id":"JRS2OV2CPJGSNALKVI5RD4ZDIE","additional_properties":{"_id":"UOM5KWCTDBH2XIQHVSHVCHZX4Y"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"42JMAZDLMZF65CFNRZCIZXXT6Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569864},"content":"Don’t just say goodbye to 2024, but start 2025 right at Co Mayo’s Ice House. On the banks of the river Moy, you’re on the spot for fabulous winter walks. At the hotel, there is a five-course dinner, and a New Year toast in bubbles, plus late-night snacks (in case five courses weren’t enough). Book into the Chill Spa for the morning, and get ready to make resolutions in the outdoor baths as a new year dawns. Includes dinner, Champagne toast, snacks and B&B, €600 per room.","type":"text"},{"_id":"P4VVQNQ5SVHAJFIHH7TAHJOU5A","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569865},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.cullodenestateandspa.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Culloden Estate & Spa</a>, Belfast","type":"header"},{"_id":"FY6MQ4ZVA5A4PGSLCLT7X6TBQI","additional_properties":{"_id":"G7QG6EABBVBZBJ4JUUQ2NLWD4I"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"LAEWLMUMBZFGJBBG3S4UUHZAXM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569866},"content":"Set in lovely parkland, just on the outskirts of Belfast the Culloden makes you feel like you’re in another luxurious world. Check in from 3pm with welcome fizz, then get your glad rags on to toddle down for cocktails and canapés, before dinner in Vespers for some fine-dining fun. Then hang out in the lounge to wait for the Piper to come and lead you into the New Year with yet more bubbles. From £290 pps.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ERHQ4ELC7BHBHD2MZIFEIJJPZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569867},"content":"<a href=\"https://radissonblu.ie/royalhotel-dublin\" target=\"_blank\">Radisson Blu</a> Royal Hotel, Dublin","type":"header"},{"_id":"UJ3C26ISKFEE3PZT2QJP745KZU","additional_properties":{"_id":"IONHHKGPAJHX7DZHZKIFFCFTZU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"FB2UCZGZ45AZZCJTW5KJXULCKE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569868},"content":"A stone’s throw from both Christ Church and St Patrick’s Cathedrals, and not too far from Dublin Castle either, you’re in the heart of the New Year action at the Radisson Blu Royal on Golden Lane. Overnight on December 31st lets you make your own plans for turn-of-the-year action, and gives you B&B from €255.50 per room if you sign up to membership when booking.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RLDGGBVCAFCXZCJPRWUJZ3RHXU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569869},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.ashfordcastle.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Ashford Castle</a>, Mayo","type":"header"},{"_id":"UNB263KETNHJ7JGVXGZ55MAUME","additional_properties":{"_id":"3HXNBUSDCFGDBEKS7YJAWQPKWA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"2WRWFDI7HRAWRKLDCVAD7DOFBM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569870},"content":"Celebrate in the manner of movie stars, presidents and minor royalty, all of whom have graced the halls of Ashford Castle before you. They have the photos to prove it, and you’ll find them adorning the walls. They’ll be there, in spirit at least as you check in for mulled wine from noon on New Year’s Eve. Afternoon tea starts at one, and then it’s next stop pre dinner drawingroom drinks before a black-tie dinner, leading you into midnight celebrations with Champagne and dancing. The next day, after a leisurely brunch, your choice of complimentary estate activities includes a history walk, falconry, treasure hut and boat cruise on New Year’s Day and if you have any room left, more dinner. Two nights from €2,162.50pps.","type":"text"},{"_id":"G3EAVURR6ZHQJIGO2UZKPOAZ4E","additional_properties":{"_id":1731497618289},"content":"Hotel gifts","type":"header"},{"_id":"FGKS3TSQAVD6TGPHCHYDUJFF3U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731490569871},"content":"Even if you’re planning to stay put for the season, don’t forget a hotel voucher makes a clever present, adding the gift of expectation to escapism. A good deal all round. Check out gifting options from hotels including goodies from <a href=\"https://www.dromoland.ie/charlotte-and-co/\" target=\"_blank\">Charlotte & Co at Dromoland Castle </a>that range from the luxurious to the quirky, or foodie and wellness gifts, and otherwise highly covetable delights from the <a href=\"https://www.cliffhome.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">Cliff at Lyons</a>.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Gemma Tipton"}},"name":"Gemma Tipton"}]},"description":{"basic":"City break or country escape, treat yourself with a festive stay."},"display_date":"2024-11-24T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Looking for a minibreak before or after Christmas? Here are 16 of the best around Ireland","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"QRH3IETGDRA4XOT5BTRN4CNU3M","auth":{"1":"807251378aba504be44ce82a9144a73a756af2d39e60eb602b1af3ce573f7bc2"},"focal_point":{"x":1250,"y":1070},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/QRH3IETGDRA4XOT5BTRN4CNU3M.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Travel"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/travel/2024/11/24/in-need-of-minibreak-before-or-after-christmas-here-are-16-of-the-best-around-ireland/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/travel","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Travel"}}}},{"_id":"F6OGKEJ5YNBCZACZZOYM4O7MEM","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":112,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/d541a74e-c84d-468e-8811-244e63355a39/versions/1732108646/media/077351d6da7e811667aa14c6c1fce9f4_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/fashion/2024/11/24/standout-jewellery-for-the-christmas-party-season/","content_elements":[{"_id":"66BZVCGUANHSTEPGNVAUGK6SSA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732293156274},"content":"Iris Apfel Peach & Lilac earrings, €48 at A Little Idea","type":"header"},{"_id":"FV6A36DMNFAYHBBPWNDRU5YDUQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"3UPP52SKTNCGXOQ6T3RGHDPISQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"45UJX5UZCZCE7MRECBA4KSOWGE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732293156276},"content":"Carnelian Double Wrap bracelet with 9ct gold clasp and charm, €145 by Natasha Sherling","type":"header"},{"_id":"37LQQG5KC5C2BEJ5EQJCDLOMJU","additional_properties":{"_id":"WDIZQXQF25A6XKOZ56J6OIJZLY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"QISV4Z7BVRCOTPV6GWFSHBTYKU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732293156278},"content":"Drop crystal and pearl brooch, €160 at <a href=\"http://ecrustudios.com/\" target=\"_blank\">ecrustudios.com</a>","type":"header"},{"_id":"65FKWLOSYNDVTCSLNMLL6D7DZ4","additional_properties":{"_id":"J7C3HVNRZJHV3EQBXJHLYGNQNE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"DZNZOC5Z55BEZMUVOM7IF3TQVE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732293156280},"content":"9ct Gold Three Row Black Spinella Wire Ring, €250.00 at MoMuse","type":"header"},{"_id":"RGCD3BDPMFHNRF5T73YENF5DLQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"723MZJQIKJHGXNGENC4QD3C34E"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"NBTV4TWSHFABXE462SOZUPCQDU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732296478118},"content":"Bowerbird blue necklace, €440 by Melissa Curry","type":"header"},{"_id":"ITKMQZGK3NFIRO2OCK6DNOXXTE","additional_properties":{"_id":"Y4X6YABFSZEUHLPXB7XNM47C6Q"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"6IUO27XBBJDGVHJQEMM7AGB34U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732293156284},"content":"9ct Gold Chevalie Çre Coeur Malachite Or Jaune Signet Ring, €1080 Yvonne Léon at Weirs","type":"header"},{"_id":"3OQGQPN3ZVFD3HMRPUBDIPXYE4","additional_properties":{"_id":"UA7EC4NNCNGKRNJEQXJJ3PLBBE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"HLOJROEZANCA7PVRDOJTWCGGZI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732293156286},"content":"Hanabi earrings, €250 by Isabel Marant at Costume","type":"header"},{"_id":"UECGNWX4EZCDBNWUHJ2LXAZA2E","additional_properties":{"_id":"BTCDHUR7D5AWVI7LVNSNJVF7HI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"4JFEZS22A5FG5HEJIWBLOPBE74","additional_properties":{"_id":1732293156288},"content":"9ct gold Chevalie Çre Coeur Turquoise Or Jaune signet ring, €1,080 by Yvonne Léon at Weirs","type":"header"},{"_id":"UVE3NHZKZZDR3BKVUMBNVHJ46E","additional_properties":{"_id":"QVYDP7LGV5DKJNH7BYYB4MPY4M"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"RE776BHDUZDTTL7XOCIS2UZ2LM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732293156290},"content":"Ohlala cuff, €245 by Melissa Curry","type":"header"},{"_id":"H3JXVTDWUBFLLAZWSKYD66GJNU","additional_properties":{"_id":"TLJHGKBMTRAZFOVTEHBVFOPWRY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"MKRR6XUWXBCP3ORJ7CKB5M4GZQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732293156292},"content":"9ct Gold Sky Blue Topaz Ring, €525 at MoMuse","type":"header"},{"_id":"FDTNQZCJWFDWLFA4I65RJOP6NY","additional_properties":{"_id":"YPHQLQBDCNFTBM23ZKVWD2V75U"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"L5LDGIDP6NEQDFDWN7CW2QMKC4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732293156294},"content":"Grace Jones Yellow Lightening Bolt earrings, €42 at A Little Idea","type":"header"},{"_id":"LFHBLD2UMVFHNCX7MBLHSV3LGY","additional_properties":{"_id":"F2G3RKCK2JCEZMYRXZDI24QSCM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"UK246AVBUJDQPFBECSXFQ6YA6Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732293156296},"content":"Earrings, €75 by Nash at Costume","type":"header"},{"_id":"DOF6DD2OXRA5FG2FA3PE2PG7MA","additional_properties":{"_id":"4N7RCVXIZZF3TONRUE7CHKDS5E"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"P5CQC32LV5GLBCCKYXAKJ5SMGQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732293156298},"content":"Thalia Heffernan X Betty and Biddy charm necklace, €25, individual charms €8 each at Betty and Biddy","type":"header"},{"_id":"UX46Q4D73ZBZLOE6DKLRQQPIR4","additional_properties":{"_id":"34GPAQLGGFCJ7CHK7CUUXOFAII"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"GNCRB2W2FNFA3JUKUJUHCBTIVU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732293156300},"content":"Well Done stackable bracelets, €239 by Roxanne Assoulin at Seagreen","type":"header"},{"_id":"LUGM522EK5BCBOI2MTHPTFS4GM","additional_properties":{"_id":"PSBNIYMCJNAMRHAQMMEDYHTQE4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"XY7GUPGDDVCURDE2MDWARSILWE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732293156302},"content":"Serendipity 18ct Gold ring with White Diamonds, €3,900 at MoMuse","type":"header"},{"_id":"XU3X7SCJYZFXRDELTG266RZVHE","additional_properties":{"_id":"AGXNVWBK3JG6HN72V4PA43G7OI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"JU6GU2JFHRHTPML33BHJYWRUJY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732293156304},"content":"9ct Diamond Gold Initial, €399 at Loulerie","type":"header"},{"_id":"TXYVNBDJPFAFNE6CYGEE3J4HDA","additional_properties":{"_id":"7YGDCX3FINGMRLGHXJLFJ6FAW4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"T6PRO7JNPVDGLOAGDWI55NYAJ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732293156306},"content":"9ct yellow gold peridot oval cabochon necklace €1,025 at The Collective","type":"header"},{"_id":"G7T2KZNVGZCGVGQM2544YCN5CA","additional_properties":{"_id":"OTPDIOVLOVCGRO4FVGJG555LKY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"TJ2R5A2HKNAOBMV55CCQGOAINU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732293156308},"content":"Iris Apfel Red & Pink earrings, €48 at A Little Idea","type":"header"},{"_id":"AL4DEDROPZBUHEC6ZQC7MSOMPA","additional_properties":{"_id":"IZXOAGUJ2FDYDK6JXJV3HEIVA4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Suzie Coen"}]},"description":{"basic":"Whether you're looking for precious metals, something personalised or fun costume jewellery, we've got you covered"},"display_date":"2024-11-24T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Standout jewellery for the Christmas party season","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"5SEGEXRFTBE6VHQGPM4HTOFVRU","auth":{"1":"d780134fa6fa6a109788b9bebe1dd0460f1c245286613e300938d0ab76af0029"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/5SEGEXRFTBE6VHQGPM4HTOFVRU.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Fashion"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/fashion/2024/11/24/standout-jewellery-for-the-christmas-party-season/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/fashion","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Fashion"}}}},{"_id":"AS6MPPICARBYFIFVEC27MHGBHI","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":236,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/5469/podcasts/f1bad5f7-7273-411a-902f-0bdc5d9e6888/versions/1731408275/media/2a211ee8e6c3ee005e37032aec95bc79_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/24/sean-moncrieff-ukrainians-in-ireland-must-be-nervous-theres-a-difference-between-a-tough-decision-and-a-cruel-one/","content_elements":[{"_id":"VLHF3MZQXJGSRLGNRTNE6VHY6E","additional_properties":{"_id":1731405530459},"content":"In 2023, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/tv-radio/2023/02/24/sean-moncrieff-the-war-correspondent-bet-you-didnt-see-that-one-coming/\" target=\"_blank\">I was in Ukraine</a>: the trip timed to coincide with the first anniversary of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/russia\" target=\"_blank\">Russia</a>’s attempt to launch a full-scale invasion of that country. Not the first anniversary of the Russo-Ukrainian war, by the way: as any Ukrainian will tell you, the conflict began in 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea. Ukrainians have been living with this for a decade.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YBLFRP5HYVCR3IXCCRP3H7QV5I","additional_properties":{"_id":1731405530460},"content":"And one of the many remarkable aspects of that trip was that, out of the dozens of people I spoke to, not one countenanced the idea of Ukraine losing.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UGZ3JOQKEJFRXKBEMUUEVGPTAU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731405530461},"content":"For them, it was unthinkable. Defeat would fling them back to an era Ukrainians have lived through before, with the country carved up, or large parts of it subjected to a process of intense Russification. Defeat would mean that Ukraine would no longer exist.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EW45HD6DVBCXVIP5E2MZOYYDTA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731405530462},"content":"Although that trip was less than two years ago, it feels like it could have been 20. The world has since become distracted with other horrors, and the initial flowering of goodwill in this country – when Irish families welcomed refugees into their homes – has wilted. Understandably, we’ve grown more concerned with internal problems. Housing. The health service. Migration. The 100,000 Ukrainians in Ireland are <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/life-style/people/2024/07/11/michael-harding-an-irish-man-told-stunned-ukrainian-refugees-we-had-wars-here-but-we-didnt-leave-our-country/\" target=\"_blank\">viewed by some</a> as a burden the State can no longer afford.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZJTIWJKUOJGLJNMEVXXAFFUQW4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731405530463},"content":"There was, perhaps, an initial naive hope that they wouldn’t be here for too long; that the Russian forces would be driven back. That’s become less likely as the war has dragged on, and the election of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/donald-trump/\" target=\"_blank\">Donald Trump</a> may have rendered it close to impossible.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DR6DAMCLLRAFJGLT3JO5FJ34RY","additional_properties":{"_id":"NX7UEV5WGRBRRCDSHQPC72Y5LY"},"content":"Seán Moncrieff: My daughter said I might be mildly traumatised. Her generation likes to throw around the T-word","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"ROF4TTNKDNCW3FMWDIDDC2I3DM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731405530464},"content":"The president elect has been pretty up front about his feelings on Ukraine, calling <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/volodymyr-zelenskiy/\" target=\"_blank\">Volodymyr Zelenskiy</a> “the greatest salesman of all time” (an odd criticism, coming from Trump), and claiming that when he assumes office, he’ll end the war within 24 hours.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZE5ZACDNWBEFLMBFZL4ALGPJGA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731405530465},"content":"He hasn’t outlined how he will do this, other than it will be within the framework of a “deal” – one aimed at saving the US taxpayer billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine. And that word – deal – is one that’s probably making Ukrainians in Ireland and around Europe extremely nervous. Deal means that Russia gets something. And Russia wants a lot. It will want to hang on to Crimea and the Ukrainian territory it already holds. It wants Ukraine to give up on hoping to join Nato and put a ban on the country receiving any foreign military aid.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YYYAE3R5R5EZVNQPUSBMKAH6UY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731405530466},"content":"Thanks to the veto power of Moscow-friendly European countries, Ukraine may never get to join the European Union either: leaving it carved up, isolated, poor and even more vulnerable to Russia, either through another “special military operation” or more insidious means, where Zelenskiy is replaced by a more biddable leader. For many Ukrainians, especially younger ones, that won’t be a “deal”, but the defeat they didn’t want to think about two years ago. The Ukraine they grew up in, for all its flaws, will have become a Russian province.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UZ6GPSXRFVGZBE4V6PGF6YBH5Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1731405530468},"content":"In such a scenario, it’s doubtful that many Ukrainians in Ireland will be mad keen to go back. It’s far more likely that many more will want to leave Ukraine and seek refuge in a Europe that would rather they didn’t come.","type":"text"},{"_id":"U46YWP23CVGQDIECB6JJJJ7XKA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731405530469},"content":"Since his <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/world/us-election/\" target=\"_blank\">election</a>, there’s been a lot of media head-scratching about why so many Americans voted for Donald Trump. And one possible answer is simple cynicism: a cohort of voters have finally seen through the American dream nonsense and opted to vote only out of self-interest. It’s all they have.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TN6WU5QTSNFHDDK4TVEFM34ZJU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731405530470},"content":"With a week to go before <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/election2024/\" target=\"_blank\">voting</a>, you can see that cynicism has crept into our politics too. It’s been there for a while. The mé-féinism. The EU, and Ireland, might close the door to fleeing Ukrainians. Our next government might consider what to do with the Ukrainians already here. Of course, it is their business to make tough decisions. But there’s a difference between a tough decision and a cruel one.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Seán Moncrieff"}},"name":"Seán Moncrieff"}]},"description":{"basic":"With a week to go before Irish general election, you can see that cynicism has crept into our politics"},"display_date":"2024-11-24T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Ukrainians in Ireland must be nervous. There’s a difference between a tough decision and a cruel one","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"5469"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"PWKU2RDEUERGG7FPTTXJZW7FOI","auth":{"1":"7c77d47dc1202b1936531d3118a5c5c488cd0c21a7b622d676a84944f1f8bb4f"},"focal_point":{"x":2120,"y":1220},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/PWKU2RDEUERGG7FPTTXJZW7FOI.jpg"}},"subtype":"columnist","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/24/sean-moncrieff-ukrainians-in-ireland-must-be-nervous-theres-a-difference-between-a-tough-decision-and-a-cruel-one/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"I2SWZRTK5NEWRECOYLQEWAP7GY","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":513,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/c4f03b55-f3a5-42c1-938d-c0e274f08e20/versions/1732017596/media/b8052050f6b2b5bba45f83c51685400d_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/food/2024/11/23/food-historian-regina-sexton-as-an-island-of-farmers-we-have-moved-far-away-from-food-production/","content_elements":[{"_id":"3RPTN3T2TNFU3DV37TOCN25ZYI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731950361841},"content":"So what do you do for a living? There aren’t many people in Ireland who have a job title like Regina Sexton’s: <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/food-month/\" target=\"_blank\">food </a>and culinary historian. She runs the two-year master’s programme at <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/ucc/\" target=\"_blank\">University College Cork</a>, which accepts some 10 mature students at a time. “The name of the course is a bit of a mouthful: food study and Irish food ways,” she says over lunch in <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/cork/\" target=\"_blank\">Cork </a>city centre.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CCUBOWYM3NAMDHIAVUYTQ3BCEE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731950361842},"content":"The vast majority of the (mostly female) student cohort Sexton has had so far have had some previous connection with food. They have included food producers, food writers and those involved in food education through college or secondary schools.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FCC7XYAGRVHUPLYSAGWEFAFSLY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731950361843},"content":"Sexton grew up in Cork city, where her father came from a family of three generations of bakers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GFEIICKSMFHZ7IQZBE2WVMPSFI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731950361844},"content":"“Growing up, we had a leg in the past, with our dad being a baker, and also a leg in modernity. Now I have to explain to students how things are made. Things like how butter is made. That to me should be almost intuitive knowledge, but it’s not. You give a students a jar of cream to shake and it turns into fat and buttermilk, and they are astounded. I suppose that’s an indication of how far away we have now come from food production and that connection with the land, as an island of farmers.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"K2A7CL2ZMJCGXNHSWQL46XWQGA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731950361845},"content":"She studied history at third level, and was particularly interested in a module on the social history of food, looking at ale, cheese and cattle. After her BA, in the 1980s, Sexton went to live and work in France for a period; an experience that had a significant influence on her.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RDTTV6SHV5DO3LV2FTDMYEK6Y4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731950361846},"content":"“France was an eye-opener: coming from Ireland in the 1980s and seeing the difference in the food culture between the two countries,” she says. “You’d go to people’s houses for dinner, and they had conversations around the ingredients. This was all so strange to me. We never spoke about food like that at home. Or even if we did, the conversations were short ones. To them, it was like a food discourse that was very natural.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LJR2ZTZAHZFA5LDAC4GZRTW2LA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731950361847},"content":"“You’d go to someone’s house and they might have chicken for the dinner, so they’d start talking not just about the chicken, but about the varieties of chicken and what kind of a poulet was the one being cooked. This was literally a foreign language to me. I didn’t know what was going on.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ID52MKTETVHJTFBX7JTRBCU3JU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731950361848},"content":"En route to her job teaching English, she passed a cheese shop on a daily basis. “I thought it was crazy that there was a shop for cheese. How could you have a shop just for cheese? All of it was like a foreign exotic land coming from Ireland in the 1980s.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"2L3EPDUJDZBTVFKWPYABRJ6NDA","additional_properties":{"_id":"XFNF5C6TFRFPXFVRKKGSAJ6NUQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"43Z3542XF5FLXCG3N5AWBFOFNE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731950361849},"content":"Sexton decided to go back to Ireland and continue her studies at postgraduate level. She was a contributor to the Oxford Companion to Food, for the Irish food entries; an enormous enterprise edited by Alan Davidson, and originally published in 1999. Along the way, she also did the three-month cookery course at Ballymaloe House.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BOFKTEZA35EIDHF2JJNX2JWURY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731950361850},"content":"“Myrtle Allen was an advocate, and a voice, for small producers from rural Ireland. She reminded me of my dad,” she says. “My dad used to say that a lot of the small bakeries in Ireland would disappear. That was his experience of one element of small regional food production in Ireland, and he was dead right.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"KDDLVAS34BDY7GYS4H2PO4DWGQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731950361851},"content":"From the perspective of a food historian whose focus is on Irish food, she says oats are the most interesting ingredient to her.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HTHAREVEWBDPZEBREYSHVSLSBQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731950361852},"content":"Why?","type":"text"},{"_id":"3KVDMWPMOFBJDFIPLTGWPJ6E5Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1731950361853},"content":"“Oats are one of those ingredients that changes as you go through time. It was one of the big cereals of Gaelic food culture, for bread and for oatcakes. It then got pushed out by the potato to some extent. It coexisted with the potato for a while. Then as wheat became cheaper after the Famine, oats got pushed out. Oats is one ingredient you can drag through time. Porridge is quite a Scottish and Irish thing, but oats is a thing in the rest of Europe that you tend to feed animals rather than to people.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"4N5FGWX24ZGJFDLR7LTZUQDZ5E","additional_properties":{"_id":1731950361854},"content":"She talks about colonisation, and how the British empire affected Ireland’s role in the export of its food.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Y5DFGSSXRFBZFFDXTETOM3P5NQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731950361855},"content":"“When food assumed an export value, it became integral to the colonisation project, and Ireland produced so much beef and butter. The 1600s was the time the British empire was colonising other parts of the world, the big one being America. From the 17th century on, Ireland was treated like a big farm. Ireland became integral in supporting the empire from a beef and a butter perspective, and a lot of it was going to America; to the New World.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"IKHQX6H4KJDNZNS5KVL545OWFE","additional_properties":{"_id":"IG3ITCFDQVFR3CWFDIPEEXLE7M"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"J5XM77XQBBC2ZL6IX5VMPA5LAM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731950361856},"content":"In an era before refrigerators, beef was preserved by salting, thus producing corned beef. It’s the reason Americans still traditionally associate corned beef as an essential St Patrick’s Day Irish foodstuff. It’s fair to say most people living in Ireland would not seek out corned beef to eat on St Patrick’s Day.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TKES2MG3CJD3PMCA6LIMJWQ7EU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731950361857},"content":"“Cork became the centre of all that export activity back then; they built up a reputation for being particularly expert at preserving and salting beef. And we are close to the Golden Vale too, of course. You had cattle being reared in Munster, slaughtered in Cork, and then sent across the Atlantic. That beef fed the slaves in the plantations in America, and those slaves were there to produce sugar and cotton and coffee.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UK4S77HZSZE6LNPQWC5UVMCS3Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1731950361858},"content":"“Then that sugar was coming back into Europe, particularly in the 18th century, because of the huge and growing appetite for sugar in the Old World. It’s a commodity circulation of goods and people, with Ireland and Cork bang in the middle of it.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"AXYD55BM2BATXDQW7WKQ6UMOMA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731950361859},"content":"This commodity circulation led to the introduction of chocolate, coffee, tomatoes and potatoes to Europe.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5BZQFPBTSZHB5BI4SROKCDRENQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"5WDURWIX2FBSPGJND7EJ6PJV3Q"},"content":"‘Health claims on food packaging can’t always be believed’: Nutrition coach Sophie Morris takes us shopping","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"AT5I4YHGIVF2PHKQGQMMXBNIBM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731950361860},"content":"“And for Ireland, the most culturally significant commodity is the potato. Then this brings us to the whole complexity of what happens to the potato cultivation in the 18th century: the population explosion, land changes, the diet being debased for the rural poor, then Famine in the middle of the 19th century. You can tell this political, social and economic story through food. We think we have a choice in the way we build relationships with food, and we do, but so much of it is beyond our control as well. Cattle, beef and milk have been culturally embedded in Ireland for so long.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"3FHYFK543RHXHP4WHDL7BHG3KA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731950361861},"content":"Over time, Sexton has noticed various trends emerge, such as “the diversity of food in Irish supermarkets”. This summer, she went out of her way to visit a Walmart in Colorado, after not being in the US for several years. As on her former visit to a Walmart, Sexton was expecting to see a huge range of unfamiliar food, but was disappointed, describing it as being like a “big Tesco. Ireland has caught up with the US.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"6S6D7UCWEJDQZGNTAVCPO5RR4I","additional_properties":{"_id":"6HUVIZUKUZBKNPWACIXTBVHPEM"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"CGNSPJ2V2JC7LOZSJUJVQNZLM4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731950361863},"content":"Another trend she’s noticed emerging over time is that of wild food and foraging. “That definitely started with Noma”, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/food/restaurants/2023/01/09/we-have-to-completely-rethink-the-industry-noma-and-the-future-of-fine-dining/\" target=\"_blank\">the Copenhagen restaurant</a> that became famous for serving up local and foraged foods to diners. “It made people start to think about the impact of their food choices. Veganism would be part of all that.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GBHOZYM3LNAO5D7VOPYXHI4Y3E","additional_properties":{"_id":"KLNV7GNJKFEVNEUNITGNNOZCEQ"},"content":"Mushroom hunting in Ireland: You really need to know what you’re doing","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"47SOXF5YPBDPRB74DF3WIWUTK4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731950361864},"content":"“A lot of young people are vegan now, and they are vegan for all sorts of different reasons. They are vegan because they might want to be healthy, or because they are motivated by social justice, or environmental justice for animals and people.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"RWGR446UINFLZCUIUTMYRBWSKM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731950361865},"content":"The fact remains that when anything connected with food becomes a trend – whether for altruistic reasons or not – there is then an opportunity to commercialise that trend.","type":"text"},{"_id":"33JHBNAQ3BFMPMIAWP6WA7N3WQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731950361866},"content":"“I feel sorry for these young people,” says Sexton. “Their quest or yearning to make a difference is kind of being hijacked by big businesses and by big food companies, who are giving them all this vegan food. And it’s highly processed, pre-packaged stuff. So many food companies are moving into this space now ... It all always comes back to money in the end.”","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Rosita Boland"}},"name":"Rosita Boland"}]},"description":{"basic":"Cork-based food historian on the exploitation of young people’s good intentions, her home city’s food links to slavery and the importance of oats"},"display_date":"2024-11-23T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Food historian Regina Sexton: As an island of farmers, we have moved far away from food production","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"CVIHGQIAOBDCFD6LMANKTTFK4E","auth":{"1":"8968e66b2835a7a5d43165bfc35e8e16cc80343d87d6d6dc38c844debdd44b5d"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/CVIHGQIAOBDCFD6LMANKTTFK4E.JPG"},"overline_logo":{"_id":"EQFVW4WAERA2HKNNZ2AOL62EW4","auth":{"1":"46d8b1da3837e6d1526a2be93e13f6f08644fb2eb1a98cab96634f2dca231025"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/EQFVW4WAERA2HKNNZ2AOL62EW4.png"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Food"},{"name":"People"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/food/2024/11/23/food-historian-regina-sexton-as-an-island-of-farmers-we-have-moved-far-away-from-food-production/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/food","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Food"}}}},{"_id":"J2DOHL2KTZESVHUCFY54LIRMZ4","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":181,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/968ade8d-a991-42ef-890d-b3a40e0836dc/versions/1732269354/media/44ba3eceff20ef4120ca11cafb18e04a_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/23/bluesky-is-being-touted-as-twitter-before-elon-musk-can-the-good-vibes-last/","content_elements":[{"_id":"WEJT6NVQMVBYZMWTYUGOZFJBHU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732213632196},"content":"What is this Bluesky thing all about?","type":"header"},{"_id":"XMJQMZ7GOVFZXNIZEI5W6SOMHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732213632197},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/bluesky/\" target=\"_blank\">Bluesky </a>is a social media app that looks and feels a lot like Twitter did in its halcyon early days, long before <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/elon-musk\" target=\"_blank\">Elon</a> “first buddy” Musk got his mitts on it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XTYVN6EP4FA2RMBUPYVUPFUHIQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732213632198},"content":"It started out as a Twitter side project but became an independent rival to the renamed <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/x\" target=\"_blank\">X</a>, quietly picking up users every time Musk did something to make X worse.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YBVYPPPW3VGKRPSQM7J7EJAMRI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732213632199},"content":"An “X-odus” sparked by the re-election of Musk’s mate <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/donald-trump/\" target=\"_blank\">Donald Trump</a> has now seen its traffic explode and its user base swell from 13 million in October to more than 21 million. Indeed, newbie users have surged so quickly that it can be tough to spot the arrival of actual real-life friends.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R4NMBVP7VVCRPL3K7CNUVXEDCA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732213632200},"content":"Is Bluesky an echo chamber?","type":"header"},{"_id":"56CUZ5EUEBD2FLZJK6NCLWRURY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732213632201},"content":"An accusation thrown at X users who defect to Bluesky is that they only want to hang out with like-minded souls who reinforce their existing world views. This misses the mark. Most migrants from X are simply trying to flee the nonsense-spewing and often abusive accounts – many of them bots – that were amplified by Musk’s algorithms.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SXFR7LIFBBCLHMCQ66536CXQ5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732213632202},"content":"In any case, for lots of users, social networks are just that: a place to be social.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5KWNBNNGEZBPFHO4VOYQ4P23HE","additional_properties":{"_id":"K6MLDCWXU5AT3FUI2O2Z6P2BP4"},"content":"Bluesky, the non-toxic alternative to X, has had a glow-up. But is the app here to stay?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"KM2L4AKHTZGPJOVQUEQH6TJ4FI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732213632203},"content":"Will Bluesky always be a fun time?","type":"header"},{"_id":"QHTRQGTMTVDS7O73SGVLWXIGKM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732213632204},"content":"Right now, the vibes are good on Bluesky. But the app is still a boutique one. So far, it’s doing a decent enough job resolving its technical growing pains. The longer-term question is how it makes money in future.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FEXXZC4QUFBO7KZUHB227U7KRQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732213632205},"content":"Bluesky – owned by chief executive Jay Graber and her small team – is a public benefit corporation with a mission to give users more control by being open and transparent about how it works.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XTVA7N25AVGRVL55R2BRWEE6BQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732213632206},"content":"It is a for-profit business, however. Graber says she won’t “enshittify” the app with advertising, and she has also made assuring statements on privacy, moderation and AI. Still, it wouldn’t be too surprising if some Bluesky features aren’t always free, or if its honeymoon period expires at some point.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2CRWK4RLZZFATAATZTKN4EBBJE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732213632207},"content":"Isn’t this all sort of exhausting?","type":"header"},{"_id":"NR22PXCGW5C5DN4MKJCDJGPEVA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732213632208},"content":"Social media fatigue is real. On her podcast <a href=\"https://open.spotify.com/episode/1B59CFhivJ2U5pUObGzgBM?si=88c23b7ed93c41e3\" target=\"_blank\">The Rest is Entertainment</a>, the Guardian columnist Marina Hyde this week queried the logic of complaining about how terrible one app can be, then signing up to another one to “start the whole depressing journey all over again”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EFTMEIYM5VBWNMLT75SSCRU7GY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732213632209},"content":"But for many users, the labour involved in setting up somewhere new will be worth the pay-off. The trick is not to get too comfortable.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z2E563MT4VHDRK6R45WMBOLG2M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732213632210},"content":"Not another social network. Is there any escape?","type":"header"},{"_id":"GRVJS53MQFFWRIVBJR4R5SMQKY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732213632211},"content":"It is not compulsory to post every minute of every day on social media – or to be on any app at all. But there is one thing new Bluesky joiners must definitely do: follow <a href=\"https://bsky.app/profile/irishtimes.bsky.social\" target=\"_blank\">@irishtimes.bsky.social</a>.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Laura Slattery"}},"name":"Laura Slattery"}]},"description":{"basic":"Another week, another new social media app. Could this one be a keeper or will it degenerate like its once-enjoyable forerunners?"},"display_date":"2024-11-23T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Bluesky is being touted as ‘Twitter before Elon Musk’. Can the good vibes last?","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"RZWBTDNO4VV2ILVR6ROZQYDDME","auth":{"1":"25f050f1d4a299de4b1f1f95e248c86d339d84d991ac7cf65a7a6b116f420113"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/RZWBTDNO4VV2ILVR6ROZQYDDME.jpg"}},"subtype":"columnist","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Media"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/23/bluesky-is-being-touted-as-twitter-before-elon-musk-can-the-good-vibes-last/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"3PZAY6ZCCFD4BDJJXQIJZA4P5A","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":617,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/8f793c23-9a94-418b-b644-30b241bf7314/versions/1731936409/media/d7c8180028bc5cba46350c93ffb61b44_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/23/sally-rooney-when-are-we-going-to-have-the-courage-to-stop-the-climate-crisis/","content_elements":[{"_id":"56XZ5QYMBVHILMPZOVQNVSTSWE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731930932750},"content":"If fossil fuels keep burning at present rates, we are headed for apocalyptic civilisational collapse. Perhaps even more strangely, there is no longer much serious disagreement about this claim. It’s not just that the scientific consensus is so overwhelming: we can also increasingly see the evidence for ourselves. Deadly <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/weather-events/\" target=\"_blank\">weather events</a> are striking more regularly and more severely everywhere we look. Farmers are experiencing <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/climate-change/\" target=\"_blank\">the impact of rising temperatures</a>, unstable weather patterns and <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/biodiversity/\" target=\"_blank\">biodiversity</a> loss first-hand. Most world leaders are committed to slashing carbon emissions. “There’s no denying the science,” <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/simon-harris/\" target=\"_blank\">Simon Harris</a> tells us, “The planet’s on fire.” But every year, the targets are missed, fossil fuels generate colossal profits, and global carbon emissions continue to grow.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TE26XDNYCNDXVNGDDMIYTV5EKM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117168322},"content":"How can this be? Humanity itself appears to be locked in a grisly death-match, struggling desperately for its very survival. But against what enemy? What is this powerful force fighting humankind to extinction? Some people would have us believe that the answer is ourselves: that we are intrinsically greedy creatures, doomed to destroy whatever we touch. In reality, however, human beings have lived on Earth for hundreds of thousands of years, and have only been emitting dangerous levels of carbon dioxide since the birth of industrialism in the 18th century. Most of the increase in atmospheric carbon is far more recent still. A staggering proportion dates to the last few decades alone – when the danger of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/climate-change/\" target=\"_blank\">climate change</a> was already well understood. If our overheating planet is a result of human greed, then it must be a special kind of greed, a kind that emerged puzzlingly late in the long history of our species and then with a sudden vengeance. But we can give it a better and more specific name: capitalism.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FJF6WZ2LMREDNO3JW2KEAWCO34","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117168323},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"QLAN4RXG7FHBFEAL2T6AF5J2OI","additional_properties":{"_id":"M6CRDQBH35ANTDNOO764EJJNLQ"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"LUQ7RQRG6NACBCWCQDXPVBSXWI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731930932752},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"KHGAMSI6SFACPKWM2V4GVRSDS4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117168326},"content":"Unlike other ways of organising economic life, the capitalist system produces – and is dependent on – exponential growth. Before the era of industrial capitalism, economic output did not tend to change much from decade to decade, or even century to century. The same fields produced roughly the same yields in 1200 as in 1600. The emergence of capitalism changed all that. Today, just as in the era of the steam engine, capitalist economies must grow constantly, and not toward some final state of perfect abundance, but ever onward: more resources, more production, more consumption, always more. Growth means return on investment, and return on investment is the bedrock of the capitalist economy. Those with capital to invest want their investment to grow, not because they are evil or demented, but because that is the basic principle of investment itself. As the political philosopher Kohei Saito explains, capitalism cannot just “slow down”. The drive to growth is the engine of the system. And that engine, like most others, runs on fossil fuels.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7IMCJHQGPNGRLCCAF32HYF3Z5M","additional_properties":{"_id":"J6EZ6IPWN5DHRKIPUTXTDTZZ6I"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"SEQQCKD6CVA73NK35XR4A4NX6A","additional_properties":{"_id":"HUAJ7NT2WBG5VP4L6J6RVSCDGI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"WA4UUA6F3RCRTH3SQOEF7OK3OI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117168327},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"BWXETCCIOJC3BNEQ3FSNPSICMQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117168328},"content":"Of course, this picture is incomplete. Coal, oil and gas are just inanimate substances, with no intrinsic power to act on our economy. In order for fossil fuels to generate profit, people must exchange money for them or for the goods they help to produce. And indeed people do! From long-haul flights to luxury cars to disposable fast fashion, wealthy consumers are more than willing to desecrate our planet for their own entertainment and convenience. But consumption in and of itself, no matter how wasteful, does not produce or depend on exponential growth. If you buy 10 shirts this year, no economic logic impels you to buy 12 or 15 next year. Growth is the principle of the capitalist, not the consumer. And the disparity between the needs of people and the needs of capital is staring us in the face. Here in Ireland, while many families struggle to pay energy bills, private corporate <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/data-centres/\" target=\"_blank\">data</a><a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/data-centres/\" target=\"_blank\"> centres</a> now <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2024/07/23/electricity-consumption-by-data-centres-rises-to-21-eclipsing-urban-households/\" target=\"_blank\">use more electricity than all urban households combined</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3ZVPMQIJSNEYBCQMTQGH2PKR3Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732117168330},"content":"What about democracy? Well, whose? Our political system is not a single global democracy, after all, but a hierarchy of unequal nations. In practice, a handful of voters in US swing states have more power to determine the speed and scale of planetary overheating than billions of other people on Earth. American colonists famously rebelled against the practice of “taxation without representation”. Is environmental devastation without representation any different? Even if carbon emissions were thoroughly democratically determined – which they are not – why would voters in the world’s richest countries have the right to poison the air, sea, soil and rivers for the entire population of Earth? Carbon emitted in the US and Europe wreaks havoc in Pakistan, in Haiti, in Somalia, in the Philippines. But the people of these nations have no right to vote in American or European elections. As a way of arranging our collective political life, that looks less like democracy and more like another political system familiar to us here in Ireland: empire.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GK35EVJJRFHUXJ2ZAZ5YSS4MWE","additional_properties":{"_id":"B627DNKUMBGE3EUTHEVOZ3KLW4"},"content":"Sally Hayden: Climate change is human made, but not all humans have played same role in it","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"SYRUUYCSNNAZTEWGYDLEALRBDI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731930932755},"content":"Carbon molecules, however, know nothing of electoral politics or national sovereignty. The most heavily armed and gruesomely policed borders on Earth are effortlessly disrespected by atmospheric carbon. We may think of ourselves first and foremost as citizens of nations and participants in national democracies. But when it comes to the breakdown of planetary ecosystems, we are all first and foremost inhabitants of this shared Earth. The poorest people in the world – who work in sweatshops, fields and mines to enrich the wealthiest – are, as we know, already suffering the earliest and harshest climate shocks. But make no mistake: this crisis is coming for everyone. Devastating floods like those that have just claimed hundreds of lives in Valencia are growing more frequent and more disastrous. Destructive storms are increasing in regularity and intensity. In 2023 alone, <a href=\"https://www.isglobal.org/en/-/el-calor-causo-47.000-muertes-en-europa-en-2023\" target=\"_blank\">an estimated 47,000 Europeans died as a result of extreme heat</a>. And this is just the beginning.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NBLLD73JLFFN5MLLN5YIMBGKFM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731930932756},"content":"Voters concerned about the future of human life on Earth can still choose to support the few radical left-wing parties that are trying to understand the scale of the challenge, like <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/people-before-profit/\" target=\"_blank\">People Before Profit</a> here in Ireland. Equally, consumers who are worried about the climate can reduce their own impact on carbon emissions by cutting out flights, eating less or no meat, buying fewer unnecessary items, and so on. These are in no way meaningless gestures, but neither are they sufficient to bring the fossil-fuel establishment to its knees. Global ecosystem breakdown and soaring temperatures require us to think outside – and against – the framework of our current political system. If we want the children of today to have a future on this planet, we cannot keep obediently colouring inside the lines.","type":"text"},{"_id":"THSRTPUSFZCD5ICPLWJVC5SQTU","additional_properties":{"_id":"M756I4FN3NG7VJBT2HPTMGCWHM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"Y4E2FBKKMRFOZKX4AMNWWJK2RU","additional_properties":{"_id":"SHGXRWEQDFGXXOTPJWYF6J6NTQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"AHN4K6QMGVAPVIU2ZBEJNUVCH4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731930932757},"content":"So what’s left? Street protests, petitions, public campaigns? Throwing soup in public art galleries? But these are all tactics aimed at shifting public discourse. Multinational corporations are not destroying Earth because it endears them to the public: they are destroying Earth for profit. If we want real change, we have to be willing to threaten those profits – and to learn from the people who have. Here in Co Mayo, activists with the organisation Shell to Sea worked for more than a decade to oppose the construction of a local gas pipeline and refinery by the fossil-fuel giant Shell. <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/news/statoil-stations-to-be-picketed-1.483989\" target=\"_blank\">Starting in 2005, the campaign picketed the construction sites</a>, prevented workers from entering, and even sabotaged infrastructure, tearing up wooden roads laid over the bogland. Protesters were met with violence and intimidation from gardaí and private security contractors, but they persisted. By 2012 it was estimated that the delays caused by community action had tripled the cost of the project overall. Yes, the pipeline was ultimately built. But in a market economy, costly delays alone can make investment less attractive. If one local group of committed activists can cost Shell €1 billion or more, imagine how much a dozen or a hundred such groups could achieve.","type":"text"},{"_id":"J4GWNX4ZXVEJBNTUSQAMTYO2SU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731930932758},"content":"What gives multinational corporations the right to pollute the air we breathe, drain our groundwater and exhaust our planet’s dwindling resources – and deprives us of the right to stop them? One powerful idea: private property. Because the rich own things, and the poor do not, it is legal for the rich to destroy Earth and illegal for the poor to stop them. In his 2021 book How to Blow Up a Pipeline, the Swedish theorist and academic Andreas Malm wrote: “Property does not stand above the earth; there is no technical or natural or divine law that makes it inviolable in this emergency.” Either we confront the system that is threatening our civilisation – or “property will cost us the earth”. Every year, every month, the argument grows more and more difficult to refute. We know what’s already happening around us. And we know what’s coming next. When are we going to have the courage to stop it?","type":"text"},{"_id":"WYWQRSQIGVEYXBKSYX5BNSXSMA","additional_properties":{"_id":"RZZT4HF2TVHSHHO3NVHKK3727A"},"content":"Corrib Gas: Was it worth it? Yes.","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"C2ODYVZIPRDA5GNNGKNNUROGUM","additional_properties":{"_id":"NIS6TCZFXJHZVO3Z7LCZBCLW2Q"},"content":"Corrib gas timeline: 20 years of protests and controversy","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"BZA6WZYXW5ARXEV4VZQVOUAHFU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731930932759},"content":"Perhaps the best-case scenario is that the children of today, and their children, will look back on us in horror, wondering how so many of us – including myself – could have been so quiescent, disorganised and cowardly when we knew that their lives were at stake. Another equally plausible scenario, of course, is that there will not be very many of them left, and they will not have the leisure to look back on us at all.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KBDHYX26W5DXZMWLSVV7AJX55E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732270936522},"content":"Copyright ©2024 Sally Rooney <i>Sally Rooney is a novelist</i>","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Sally Rooney"}]},"description":{"basic":"Capitalism is driving the destruction of our planet. We have to think outside – and against – the framework of our current political system"},"display_date":"2024-11-23T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Sally Rooney: When are we going to have the courage to stop the climate crisis? ","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"B4VOYGCJLVDWNHDMESJSKN4CXY","auth":{"1":"dfe0afa29f5daafd54d65f4bc5e58b76f7297c4fa0778f489a5d191eb8df9277"},"focal_point":{"x":1991,"y":273},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/B4VOYGCJLVDWNHDMESJSKN4CXY.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Environment"},{"name":"Climate Crisis"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/23/sally-rooney-when-are-we-going-to-have-the-courage-to-stop-the-climate-crisis/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"3P54726FF5A25KJZHIFLCG7EPQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":996,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/6f043c9b-15f0-4cf3-a1da-686b6980f563/versions/1731408621/media/a1a38e6ee762738810be6cfcc230489d_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/23/cutting-off-family-members-it-had-never-occurred-to-me-that-you-could-grieve-somebody-who-was-still-alive/","content_elements":[{"_id":"S6Y32FX6ENAB7LM6H66UGN5UDI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747152},"content":"When we think about romantic relationships becoming serious, we often focus on the joyful things: the excitement of moving in together, the fun of dreaming up your ideal wedding, the sense of peace and safety that comes with coming home to a loving partner every night. There are <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/mental-health/\" target=\"_blank\">stressful things</a> too, of course. For Diane, meeting her husband was a life-changing experience, but there was one conversation that she dreaded having with her future mother-in-law: revealing that Diane had chosen to have no relationship with her father.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DJUKIPXWGJAD5FWMDVOPVHHP54","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747153},"content":"For Diane, her parents’ relationship had been turbulent and she had little emotional connection to her father, who Diane felt was never interested in her as a person. When Diane’s parents separated when she was a teenager, she was allowed to choose whether or not to see him – and the choice was easy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3CR623MEL5A5XMOO34EE2P3IRI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747154},"content":"“It sounds so mean to say, but one of the happiest memories I have is when he was out of the house,” says Diane, who is now 33. “I felt like I could finally breathe. So I decided that if I don’t have to see him, I don’t want to. ” Diane’s younger sister still sees their father, who has occasionally reached out to Diane over the years – but his attempts just made Diane feel more certain of her decision.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HBX3BEWW5RB57DDVJCEHJYN5YE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747155},"content":"“He actually reached out before I got married,” says Diane. “He sent me an email, and that made it very easy for me to continue having no contact, because there was no change or recognition for the part he played, and why I decided to have no contact with him. There was a lot of anger and blame on my mom.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"2QSZDBQERZDGJK56GCYIT4H5TM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747156},"content":"Diane now works with students, many of whom are estranged from family members, and she thinks it’s important to share her story and her happiness with her decision, because she understands the shame and stigma that can come with family estrangement. The fear of being viewed as dysfunctional or somehow damaged for not having a relationship with a parent can run deep.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JBZKJCINRJGXDLQY4J7I6UBUAU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747157},"content":"Growing up, Diane was acutely aware of the cultural scripts and stereotypes that can surround young women who don’t have a relationship with their fathers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JPIXUYQKXVALBEILLYUALQCRWE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747158},"content":"“I used to not talk about it, especially when I was bit younger, because there’s a whole idea of women without father figures, having daddy issues and then being like, maybe a bit promiscuous or ‘crazy’ – there’s a definite stereotype of a girl without a stable father figure in her life. So I used to be really tight-lipped about it, because I didn’t want to become that stereotype.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"G2WZQAEMENA75LESBNS73LNJSE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747159},"content":"As Diane had chosen not to see her father, she also feared being judged in a different way: as someone who viewed relationships as disposable. It was this fear of being perceived as flighty or commitment-phobic that made Diane nervous to speak to her partner’s mother about the situation.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OXKKSYQWPJHLLIJX7DHRGSNIZQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747160},"content":"“I felt like I had to explain to her why I didn’t have a relationship with my dad, and that was that was the most nervous I ever felt about talking to someone about it,” says Diane, “because I didn’t want her to think that I’m someone who walks away from relationships really easily, or, you know, didn’t value fathers. I didn’t want her to feel nervous for her son if he was ever going to have a child with me.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"F6RR635CEFDGJHIGGIOLWX5SFU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747161},"content":"While Diane is now happily married with supportive in-laws, her experience of shame and stigma is common among people who have ended a relationship with a family member – though the silence around this topic may be lifting. While estrangements have always occurred in families, it was often unaddressed and unacknowledged, but there has recently been an increase in social discourse around family estrangement or the decision to go ‘no contact’ with a family member.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RLPJ2TY3UBBNDKZAYFOXCYXMBU","additional_properties":{"_id":"APPVK7LODFHQFNJMFKXEW4UHVM"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"625EH7ZBMJFQNAHENCJLRAXUFI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747162},"content":"Karl Melvin is a psychotherapist, researcher and author of the book Navigating Family Estrangement<i>. </i>He has spent more than a decade working with adults who are estranged from one or more family members and delivering training to counsellors and social workers who are seeking a comprehensive understanding of complex family issues. Melvin notes that in countries such as the United States where divorce has been legalised for decades, the awareness of alternative family structures has become socially acceptable, but Ireland is only beginning to acknowledge just how many people have chosen to have no relationship with a family member – though the shame and judgment can still persist.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IXPAPSOCENEM7C7VLMTW2DFYTU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747163},"content":"“We value family,” says Melvin. “Family is incredibly important to how we function, how we view ourselves and view our society. But then if you meet someone whose family status doesn’t conform to those traditional views and values, then it can lead to a person feeling stigmatised, or others treating that person differently. It takes a great deal of wisdom and maturity to be able to look past our own values and family experiences to see that this person made a decision based on something that probably must be very valid. I’ve never seen someone who initiated an estrangement for no reason.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZLI2MMDMCVBHPHTHJRPTBSXHIE","additional_properties":{"_id":"3RXLSWB4ABHF3GUNECQDAUUTOY"},"content":"Ireland’s new dating scene: Finding love the old-fashioned way","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"27CEVSWLQRBOBAOL4PHAK2JLYQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747164},"content":"Perhaps an insight into our increasing awareness around family estrangement lies in the modern term “no contact” – both a novelty and definitive boundary in an era where we are constantly contactable. Melvin describes different types of estrangement, including physical estrangement, where people live very far from each other and don’t see each other often. Before mobile phones and email, physical estrangement may have either led to or hidden emotional estrangement, as contact and connection was more difficult. However, now that mobiles, email and social media give us endless ways of connecting with family members, the decision to cut off all contact can be more obvious and noticeable – as is the lack of attempt at reconciliation.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ASARYIEH3NGJHDF3QSSCP7PMV4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747165},"content":"Fiona is in her 50s and fell out with her brother several years ago, after he started sending insulting and belittling texts to her husband due to differing political beliefs. Fiona describes her brother as having a strong personality. He often made pointed or demeaning “jokes” about others, and he wasn’t used to being challenged or confronted about his hurtful behaviour. When Fiona pushed back, her brother deflected.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GBMLFDYNJBAGHMRM6PJHGTQ4UE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747166},"content":"“I got this Darvo thing they talk about now,” says Fiona, referring to a technique that people can use to avoid accountability. The acronym refers to the process of deny, attack, reverse victim and offender. “It was all thrown back at me. It was all my fault, and a litany of things that I had done wrong over the years. None of it is true. So I blocked him, and I have not heard from him or his wife for nearly three years, and we were all very close.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"A2LHV2MM4FEC7GSGASOG57CZ5Y","additional_properties":{"_id":"CH3AB2YLCVC6VKX54FSU3PWOR4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"IZQQQARG4RECJL7FFWULJUEICY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747167},"content":"For Fiona, cutting off contact was not a decision she made lightly and, as she points out, it’s not a decision she made once, but an ongoing decision she makes again and again. Therapy has helped Fiona feel more comfortable in her decision, but she does sometimes wonder if the ease of blocking a mobile number prevented her from having a more helpful conversation with her brother.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BZOXJPVFJBGZZI4GFYAXXN7KLU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747168},"content":"“Cutting off contact is a very serious thing to do, and looking back on it now, I wonder if I should have picked the phone up instead of texting, and I should have had a row on the phone. I think texting and all of that has changed the way we connect and disconnect – you can have a row with somebody then block them, and it almost isn’t real.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"HWSMPUE3OFCR3BSSXRKXXI4Y5I","additional_properties":{"_id":"L6WC2QI4JJDOPG4QFKMIEQK3CU"},"content":"‘I have not had contact with my siblings for many decades, nor did I attend my parents’ funerals’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"HIGHXE3MAFCUHN6TXRNCIT7Z4M","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747169},"content":"But for Fiona, the deciding factor is that her brother hasn’t tried too hard to get in touch to apologise – something that is more noticeable because of the various avenues of communication available to all of us.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R2A3VPPSYNDLJLRU7DMGE22PBM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747170},"content":"“He could write me a letter,” Fiona says. “He knows where I work, and he could show up after work one day or send me an email. That’s just not good enough, you know?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"EW2XD4QWGRHNNEMD7TKUD2MNJE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747171},"content":"Fiona says that she experiences cycles of anger, sadness and grief, but the main feeling is loss – not just of her brother and his wife, who Fiona considered a friend, but also of her nephews and nieces.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WJUPEEH5YRG5VC4JATOYJ32IBY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747172},"content":"“I have no children of my own, so I would have been very attached to their kids, and seen an awful lot of them when they were small.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"IYWESNVZRNBNVFZ25LDBY3P5JM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747173},"content":"This type of secondary estrangement or inherited estrangement is an often overlooked experience, as going no contact with one person can often lead to losing contact with other family members or friends, which can be incredibly difficult for everyone.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BVNZM3SMLFFTFGGZR7HR6LE53M","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747174},"content":"In Melvin’s book, he describes eight different types of estrangement, one of them being inherited estrangement. “We often see this where someone wasn’t talking to their parents, but that person has kids so those kids don’t have a relationship with their grandparents. They have inherited an estrangement, even though nothing happened between them and the grandparents. Secondary estrangements are quite common, and can often start between one or more family members, and then divisions are formed, and often people insist on loyalty on one side over another.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"SFAV7WJRPVC3LMOEJ6M2ABVEIU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747175},"content":"This type of inherited estrangement is why Amy has now had no contact with her sister for more than a year. Amy’s sister was saving to buy a house and decided to move back into the family home with her parents – without consulting them. When Amy’s sister arrived home with bags and boxes in tow, her parents wouldn’t let her move back in and a row erupted. Amy’s sister felt rejected and stopped speaking to her parents while they, feeling disrespected and taken for granted, felt that she was the one who needed to apologise. For a while, Amy tried to keep in touch with her sister, but her sister started creating more and more distance. “I think because I didn’t take a side, therefore I didn’t take her side,” says Amy. “Bit by bit, she stopped communicating with me, and will now not respond to me at all, which is quite hurtful.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"BXTDL4XXPNF6JJVWZBHWZXG5OE","additional_properties":{"_id":"DKXXXDJIABCNPAIYGBSHTEVBFY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"WKLB635BEFADLIHDTQNPIITFRA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747176},"content":"Amy tried to maintain contact, sending her sister texts here and there – but when Amy’s wedding day came, she felt that her relationship with her sister had reached a Rubicon moment. Her sister did not want to be in the same room as her parents, and so didn’t go to Amy’s wedding. For Amy, this was a huge moment where her sister showed that she was willing to sacrifice their relationship over a fight with her parents.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XJ2JCCMJINB6VD5TLDJZFSUYSM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747177},"content":"“It was quite hard and quite stressful,” says Amy. “My grandmother passed away six months before the wedding, and my sister would have been still talking to me at that time and she was there for the funeral for my granny – but then it was, ‘Oh no, I can’t come to your wedding.’ For me that was a very clear signal as to where the priority was, like ‘you clearly valued my grandmother more than you value your relationship with me’.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"PAMSODKBMNDVJFP5WBHWIFEHJI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747178},"content":"Amy has a complicated relationship with the current rise in rhetoric around people going no contact, saying she understands and respects anyone’s decision to create boundaries with people who aren’t good for them, but also points out how binary narratives can create reductive ideas of villains and victims, where it’s assumed that if someone has cut off contact with family members, then their families must be irredeemable or have treated them terribly, when often there are two sides who have hurt the other – and other family members who have just become collateral damage.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WIPYI52NYFEKLPUMAQEGCPJL4U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747179},"content":"“It definitely feels like there’s a good-versus-bad narrative, and ideas of victimhood,” observes Amy. “And it’s maybe not fair on the people involved. You’re not seeing like a whole person and acknowledging that sometimes, it works both ways. ”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZEUEIOEJGZDZVNKDMG7ZAEOSWE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747180},"content":"For Ben, binary narratives affected him differently when he went no contact with his brother for more than a year. Ben’s brother Adam had a difficult and emotionally abusive relationship with a woman during his 20s that deeply affected him . But when Adam started dating other women, Ben was alarmed by what he saw as controlling behaviour, including harassing ex-girlfriends and concocting elaborate lies to manipulate women into staying with him. Ben tried his best to provide Adam with emotional support while also telling him that his behaviour was unacceptable, believing that his brother needed <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/mental-health/\" target=\"_blank\">mental health</a> support and to healthily process how his past relationship affected him. But when Adam showed no self-awareness or change in behaviour, Ben eventually felt he had no choice but to step away from the relationship.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TZEMD72MU5B75FEH4OBNPWPZAA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747181},"content":"What was difficult for Ben was the sense of blame that he felt for being the disrupter in the family, when Adam’s behaviour was the problem. When society at large and individual families value loyalty over everything else, the person who tries to set boundaries or cuts off contact can often be framed as the troublemaker who is disrupting the family’s peace – an attitude that Ben thinks is particularly pronounced in Ireland, given the country’s history of religious and traditional values.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NT2AMVHVVNBVHPEUKVHDUH5GVE","additional_properties":{"_id":"7KQ2YBSHVFCRXLEVEKF7TYWNQ4"},"content":"Can cutting ties with dysfunctional family members be therapeutic?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"5JJGM5NEG5ETRPTIVZY6OL3AMM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747182},"content":"“The family stuff runs really deep,” says Ben, “We internalise the notion of a family. It’s all about family loyalty, family reconciliation. But what happens when you have to be the conscientious objector? That’s how it was framed, that I was the one causing trouble. How? I’m not harassing anybody! My parents would get very guilt-trippy and like ‘We’re old, my heart could go at any point.’ I’m not the one doing anything wrong, but they’ll do anything for a quiet life.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZW2SHJONINGEZNPEFM4UI752II","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747183},"content":"When families don’t address problematic behaviour or blame those who decide to go no contact with others, it places a burden on the family member who is simply asking for respectful behaviour and accountability, but is treated as the villain. “Your reward is being the outsider,” remarks Ben.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QJS4EJVZV5HL5G2ITEDO7WWNRY","additional_properties":{"_id":"Q5PUAPZABVH23N4BKYH6ODLJGM"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"ARCZHLXZXFAJ3H3F2RRI4NAB7M","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747184},"content":"Reconnecting after estrangement can be difficult, but is not impossible. Family therapy can be helpful; having boundaried communication or going “low contact”; or sometimes individual therapy can help individuals come to terms with their relative’s shortcomings and forge a different type of connection.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WP7U7G3DQ5EUZAWMAYDIBPWRJQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747185},"content":"Corina now lives in Ireland, but emigrated from eastern Europe to America with her mother when she was young. Her parents had broken up when she was five and she was always very close with her mother, but when Corina became a teenager and started asserting her independence, her mother couldn’t cope. Corina’s mother is very religious and when Corina moved away for college and later started dating a woman, her mother would send her long, abusive messages and intensely monitor Corina’s social media. Corina went through periods of going low contact with the mother, blocking her messages for a period just for a reprieve.","type":"text"},{"_id":"G5PH7LCR7RHPDIRBCN65VIDX2A","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747186},"content":"What made it difficult was that her mother could sometimes be loving and supportive – but the inconsistency meant that her affection didn’t feel safe to trust.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IAWPCIP33ZEZVPUXN62C2ILVKI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747187},"content":"“The kindness was the hardest,” says Corina. “It would touch some hope in me about having this relationship with her. When I grieved losing her, I grieved a mother I never had. It had never occurred to me that you could grieve somebody who was still alive. That’s one of the hardest things for people who are in this situation, is that it’s not a socially recognised form of grief.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"AEFIIAVS3ZGZPKG4YYFRCXXVGA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747188},"content":"Over the past few years, Corina has got back in touch with her mother, something that she says has only been possible due to a lot of therapy, acceptance and other loving relationships that bring her joy and validation. There is more distance and boundaries there, but it is a relationship.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SLHPJYODEFBPTFI564Z2RYTFHY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747189},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"C5BH52EDIFAHXL66QEOCYYVXYI","additional_properties":{"_id":"ESTY3VE52RBWLDBU5IWQBQ4DPY"},"content":"Just one family member can throw restrained harmony into disarray","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"B7AQMOIR7VCBDLID32YJXE65TY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747190},"content":"For people who have experienced estrangement, support is available. Melvin’s book offers practical and emotional advice for dealing with estrangement, and the US-based non-profit Together Estranged offers resources and online support groups. While there can be a lot of loss and grief around estrangement, for some people it can a very empowering decision that may not be easy but should be recognised as an important choice for them.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LCA3FZYT2BGGPFRIFGWUZWADPE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747191},"content":"For Diane, she wishes that growing up, she had more people who supported her. “You’re not less of a person because you have decided to have no relationship with a family member,” she says. “I think that takes a lot of courage and guts and a recognition of your boundaries. I really wish more people, you know, maybe said to me, ‘Good on you.’ I wish more people, maybe even if they don’t understand it, or haven’t had that experience, would be able to say ‘I think that what you’re doing is good for you right now, and fair play.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"YREU3SI4ZBET5NZOQMAKOKMJP4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731403747192},"content":"* Some names have been changed.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Roe McDermott"}},"name":"Roe McDermott"}]},"description":{"basic":"In an age of constant communication, the decision to go ‘no contact’ with a family member is more noticeable, but there is still sometimes too much societal judgement of those who take such a serious decision"},"display_date":"2024-11-23T05:55:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Cutting off family members: ‘It had never occurred to me that you could grieve somebody who was still alive’","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"3AX6GYTHVFDJHI4REDRE77FJX4","auth":{"1":"fab3601816aa885f38edb889ee30af26c661dd355291062b7d6154b160874af2"},"focal_point":{"x":4105,"y":1195},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/3AX6GYTHVFDJHI4REDRE77FJX4.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Health"},{"name":"Your Family"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/23/cutting-off-family-members-it-had-never-occurred-to-me-that-you-could-grieve-somebody-who-was-still-alive/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"XVQSP67FCBB3BALXKNXR7VH6UQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":1063,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/5535e8f3-1a15-4d70-9a5a-d479d26862bd/versions/1731498035/media/4fc4587918e08d074c3d816914296f98_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/23/the-dublin-riots-one-year-on-the-city-centre-is-coming-back-to-itself/","content_elements":[{"_id":"WBGJDTSXFJB4XLR6ESWBANSKIM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798663},"content":"Outside the shop Bike Stop Dublin on <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/capel-street/\" target=\"_blank\">Capel Street</a>, its co-owner Cliff Nolan is having a quick smoke. Today his shop bears little sign of what occurred a year ago, when it was looted during <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/dublin-riots/\" target=\"_blank\">the rioting</a> of November 23rd, during an evening when <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/dublin/\" target=\"_blank\">Dublin</a>’s city centre became, for a number of hours, a scene of social unrest, with arson and vandalism in streets in and around <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/o-connell-street/\" target=\"_blank\">O’Connell Street</a>. A bus went on fire on O’Connell Street. Assaults were made on <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/an-garda-siochana/\" target=\"_blank\">gardaí </a>and members of the public.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BXWZAZW7L5C2TMT7KXFBP3VYUY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798664},"content":"“It was just shock. I didn’t know what to think,” says Nolan of that night. “There’s glass everywhere, a lot of the bikes are missing, and things are trashed – till, computer, phone, everything is gone, and some of the customer bikes as well.” He and business partner Pawel Naczke built a barrier and locked themselves into the Bike Stop, fearful of more looting.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4XAJL526XVF2DG5D2TN24FJOPI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798665},"content":"Twelve months on, Nolan and Naczke are among the many <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/dublin/\" target=\"_blank\">Dublin </a>retailers once more preparing for <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/christmas/\" target=\"_blank\">Christmas</a>. On a visit to several businesses across the city centre, it’s clear that many retailers have moved on after the riots. They have learned that there’s a certain resilience to Dubliners, with shoppers quickly proving their support. But they can see clearly too that the city still has its challenges, whether it’s shoplifting, what some see as a high VAT rate, or high rents and rates.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QUMI4IUBPFAQLK46C5PZQXUT2E","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798666},"content":"Memories remain of last December, when the city had to summon up festive cheer during a difficult time. “That was a hard month. Business was down. We couldn’t get stock in on time,” Nolan tells The Irish Times Magazine. Yet 2024 turned out to be one of Bike Stop’s best years since it opened in 2021. “People were making an effort to come to us,” says Nolan. “They’d heard about the riot and stuff like that. And we’ve a lot of return customers.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"MFDCMYSIQJBMNAWRXSNLNS34NM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798667},"content":"For Naczke, the effects of the riots lingered a long time. He also owns Vintage Dublin, a shop crammed with beautiful antique furniture on the floor below Bike Stop. He moved from Poland to Ireland when he was 19. Now 40, he says the riots made him feel stressed and unsafe for months afterwards.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QZEYXXEBUCO7UFUNJP5NSUWOZA","additional_properties":{"_id":"CA4DPU2NARB43FNLYNMHAIERRI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"ZRJSRCCIYNFVTCSQJWW25NUO5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798668},"content":"“It was the first time ever I was thinking: I am an <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/immigration/\" target=\"_blank\">immigrant</a>. I am not born here. I am not from here. And if they want to sacrifice me as an example of ‘another immigrant’, I could be the target. Even though I’m 100 per cent rooted here, I pay heavy taxes, I run shops and I bought a house.” But he adds: “I know what happened doesn’t represent Irish people.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"I6T7Z7LVRZAE5NHQP26KNUTKJI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798669},"content":"Still, he wondered if it was all worth it: working hard in Ireland only to feel unsafe. “Maybe I just go and work in a wine bar in the south of Spain, rather than trying hard,” he remembers thinking. The support of his wife and Nolan helped, as did the outpouring of concern from customers, and over time he began to feel safer in the city. “I definitely see Dublin being a little bit safer. I don’t see many TikTok or X clips about machetes on Talbot Street or tourists being beaten,” Naczke says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NU4U3IZMJ5CDTM6N62LYF6KOOE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798670},"content":"Nolan says Capel Street, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/dublin/2022/05/20/capel-street-becomes-dublins-longest-traffic-free-street-1.4884011/\" target=\"_blank\">which was pedestrianised in 2022</a>, has “an exciting but sometimes nerve-racking energy about it”, with a vibrant nightlife thanks to its restaurants and pubs. While he’s a fan of its new benches, he says they are often used by people drinking, or using drugs. He sees drug dealing openly taking place on the street. While there was a stronger Garda presence in the city centre following the riots, Nolan and all the retailers The Irish Times Magazine speak to say they felt this returned to pre-riots level within a few months. So when asked about his hopes for 2025, Nolan appeals for more gardaí. “Garda on patrol more consistently, and forever, not just for a small period. I think it would make a big difference,” he says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KVLRBAWUJZHCHPEJOXRSMWBYUA","additional_properties":{"_id":"25Q2TSJF7ZA67LU6UGQMJQOOQM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"BQGEGFCYZBED5MDTUIOGPVQ35A","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798671},"content":"A few streets over from Bike Stop Dublin on Lower Liffey Street, beauty therapist Neelu White of Neelu’s Beauty Salon is on a break between clients. Originally from India, she came to Ireland in 1983 with her brother. “I only came here for three weeks,” she laughs. A conversation at the Indian-Irish Cultural Club led to two years of teaching sitar in UCC. (She has a Master’s in classical Indian music and another in English.) She used her free time to do a beauty course, which ended up having a big impact on the eyebrows of Dublin. “I brought threading to Ireland,” she says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FGTPUJBXFFE45L4CL6JX6IH4FI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798672},"content":"She’s still in Ireland 41 years on. While Dún Laoghaire has her heart, as it’s where she first opened her business, White has been based on Lower Liffey Street for two years. During the riots she had to take shelter in a nearby Chinese restaurant along with several other people. “The city centre is coming back to itself,” says White. “We had a rough year. With the riots and a lot of the drugs and <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/homeless-crisis/\" target=\"_blank\">the homeless issue</a>, people were scared. My clients didn’t want to come into the city centre.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"CPON2NMEJFGY5LIQWHWE3YEVQM","additional_properties":{"_id":"4ONNQOHKZJAFDO4I7VE3LS6K7A"},"content":"Dublin riots: Gardaí remove photographs of some ‘persons of interest’ from website after identifying them","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"TZXUI3ERTR722OGR5NNM4NGFZY","additional_properties":{"_id":"ZHYTQFXZZBGRTH2XWEOTATDVTE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"4RFLHNZ465FG7OF7FAIRJAP6FA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798673},"content":"But she gestures to the revamped street outside her premises, saying that since the summer, things have improved. “<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/dublin-city-council/\" target=\"_blank\">Dublin City Council</a> is amazing. Look at the plants on the street – they have made it so beautiful and so inviting. Now there’s such tourism here. People are enjoying coming into town. Before that, people were scared of being attacked.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"FIM3YJMVQJGGLA6RVIVVEKLQH4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798674},"content":"White says she hasn’t experienced racism in Ireland. “If Irish people were [racist], I wouldn’t have any business. I don’t think the Irish people are, but every country has a few bad people,” she says. She describes herself and other people who have moved to Ireland from abroad as guests who should respect the country. “I would say Irish people are very kind, and you have to return to them kindness. I have a son with special needs and I’ve had such support from my clients.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"2TQBUT5IQVGTBIPS4GKAIDNYB4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798675},"content":"But the far-right undertones of the rioting did worry her. “Being coloured was a bit scary, because of what happened and how they behaved. But I had trust in the Irish.” Some of White’s clients are nervous about coming into the city, and are doing more shopping in the suburbs, she says. But many customers have stayed loyal, and walk-ins have begun returning in recent months.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2RC2QRRP2VAYRCJYKCSA4VFXLU","additional_properties":{"_id":"W77EAQI6VBDWFPAVDTOINLWPCA"},"content":"Dublin’s Capel Street named among coolest in the world","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"UPVLHRS22BDEVDRZYCSDP5O5TI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798676},"content":"Like the other business owners, White believes more visible policing would deter criminal activity: recently, someone damaged the outside of her business with a hammer. She’d like measures such as cheaper car-parking fees to make city visits less expensive for clients.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BKN7D65XT5GAPCZCBU5R7KNE54","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798677},"content":"Across the Liffey in Books Upstairs on D’Olier Street, punters are relaxing in the bookshop’s busy cafe. Manager Louisa Earls’s father, Maurice Earls, set up the business with his friend Enda O’Doherty in 1978, and it relocated to D’Olier Street almost a decade ago. She is anticipating a particularly busy time for the shop this Christmas. “November is like the calm before the storm,” she says over coffee.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SSUCVWBSY5ANRGQPLMPAQ4QMLY","additional_properties":{"_id":"TOTWARTPIBAIRDKQJW3XPKLYOY"},"content":"The Liffey is filthy, but can you imagine if it was clean enough to swim in?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"WT6ZLKUI6ZD2FPEPSYXPEP2GEQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798678},"content":"“The day after the riots, it was really, really quiet in the shop, really quiet on the street. That was definitely a scary day. But after a day or two it recovered,” she remembers. “We had a good December, and we were very relieved that people were seemingly after a short time able to feel good about coming to town again.” The shop wasn’t damaged, but a lot of Books Upstairs customers reached out over social media afterwards to show their concern. “It was slightly reminiscent of the conscientious consumerism that was on display during the pandemic,” says Earls.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CQIYGKYF45AKJKMM3XEGBXN72E","additional_properties":{"_id":"BRFYMTHQEVC5FGO2L7U7F4GBWY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"SDDPZZDZYREO5JZPOQIID4WY3I","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798679},"content":"Cost of living is a concern for Books Upstairs. “You’re fearful that if the economy takes a turn, that things might fall apart. And I think we felt that way last year too,” says Earls. “We are just trying to make ourselves as viable and sustainable a business as we can.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"53EH56GAFBBAFM7FWTU3F4TQXI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798680},"content":"Earls believes shoppers are not easily scared off from their annual traditions, whether that be a national one like Christmas shopping in Dublin on December 8th or another family tradition. “Despite what happened, I feel like people were quite keen to say ‘we’re still doing our thing – we’re still doing December the way that we do December’,” says Earls, adding: “A bookshop is a lot of people’s happy place.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"CGHUEKBEXRDWXG5IMZGCGY43AE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798681},"content":"One of the shops badly looted on November 23rd, 2023, was the Asics store across the bridge from Books Upstairs on O’Connell Street Lower. Business partners Sunil Shah and Paul Gallagher, who co-own the Asics store and the Skechers franchise in Dublin, were at a black-tie affair that night in London when word began coming through about the riots. The pair immediately changed their flights home.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6BAVCPGFSZCZNNKHJLVSUY642Q","additional_properties":{"_id":"X24PBZPO45C3DIVLCJUUGBKKSI"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"6G6MRYZLWJBTNFXC5L6WSKOO6Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798682},"content":"“We got there midmorning [the next day] and the first thing we said is: these boys are not beating us. We’ll be open in a week,” says Gallagher. “The staff looked at me and said ‘how will we do that?’. I said I don’t know, but we will.” He was true to his word. “There is a certain resilience in Dublin people that is a hallmark of their character,” says Gallagher. “And I admire that. And I said: Dublin people will be back out shopping next week so we want to be here to have a shop for them next week.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"2SPFKKZR4RF3LPDNZUSCQCXPMY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798683},"content":"That resilience is evident in the figures – Asics is up 20 per cent year-on-year. Like Nolan at Bike Stop, Gallagher puts this partly down to post-riots publicity, which increased knowledge of the specialist shoe store. He also feels that shoppers sent out a message to the gardaí and the Minister of Justice <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/helen-mcentee/\" target=\"_blank\">Helen McEntee</a> about the rioters: “The people of Dublin do not want to be dictated to by these gurriers.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"2PZ6DH7YZNE3TK55QPLFWWT7OA","additional_properties":{"_id":"5Y5YPSMNSFFQVND5OMS2MDWNWY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"DZ5AXEULNRFYPBFC3GP2BLVPLE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798684},"content":"But Gallagher describes shoplifting occurring regularly on O’Connell Street today. “There’s not enough gardaí on the street,” he says, maintaining that people feel there are “no consequences” if they shoplift or get aggressive with staff. He believes that the Government prioritising “over-the-shop” living would help decrease antisocial behaviour. “I was in Amsterdam last week at a Skechers conference and if you look around, every store has beautiful apartments over it,” he says. “Within a mile of O’Connell Street, 40-50 units could be used for over-the-shop accommodation.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"XVUSM2ZYMJGYDB2Q2QGEOZEZ5Y","additional_properties":{"_id":"JZEOY7XISRGV3FWP2GNMWLKMC4"},"content":"‘She is now in her chrysalis’: Girl injured in Parnell Square attack remains non-verbal but is ‘getting stronger’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"R5RVC2WOO5E6FPATBZ7PXF4KCY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798685},"content":"There are several recent or imminent policy changes that retailers feel will affect them, including changes to paid sick leave, the minimum wage increasing to €13.50 from January 1st, and pension auto-enrolment beginning in September 2025. “You can’t put wage increases on businesses where margins are tight and expect everything to come out smelling of roses,” says Gallagher. He’s looking for more Government support for retailers, such as a reduction in the 23 per cent VAT rate. “They need to understand they have all this extra money from Apple, they need to fund businesses,” he says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"53DIAOLDOFCI3BNAFZQ7GYCVIU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798686},"content":"Footfall is down in Dublin city by more than 2 per cent to date this year, though it has improved since June, says <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/richard-guiney/\" target=\"_blank\">Richard Guiney</a>, chief executive officer of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/dublin-town/\" target=\"_blank\">Dublin Town</a>, which aims to promote the city as a retail and hospitality destination. “The feedback we have is the spend per customer isn’t as strong as people would like. So it’s been a bit of a mixed bag, and a lot of traders are feeling under pressure,” he says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CVEG7C4M45AP5APSZFYFLBUNDA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798687},"content":"Dublin Town was worried about retail after the riots, but last December exceeded its expectations. “That was primarily due to a very good Garda presence on the street, a lot of on-street entertainment. People felt good. I think we do need a good Christmas again this year – we would like to see a greater Garda presence,” says Guiney. Dublin Town has made this request to An Garda Síochána and the Government and received “positive feedback”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QUTVRU2PCFB5TBME3E6AXGJKOM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798688},"content":"In a statement to The Irish Times Magazine, An Garda Síochána said that it “is committed to ensuring that people are kept safe” as we approach Christmas. Under what’s called Operation Citizen, it said gardaí across Dublin city continue to conduct high-visibility patrols on foot, bicycle and in Garda vehicles at locations where it’s been identified that antisocial behaviour and public order offences occur. “Enhanced uniformed Garda resources” will also be deployed over the holiday season, it said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H5Z73HAJL5EALL4GNUHE7E4CXA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798689},"content":"“The main core issue is that people don’t feel as safe in Dublin as we would like them to feel,” says Guiney, adding that it’s not just a matter of increasing Garda numbers. “We also need to look at how we assist the more vulnerable members of our society. And the uses of space in Dublin, bringing in new uses, bringing in residential uses, and a holistic approach to planning.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ENPCAVQHYJALXDKR5UN22MS7PY","additional_properties":{"_id":"CDTZAUEZYFDBVIBSN5AUDITXCA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"ACTPODZWHBF5RIFVGUSPCZQB7A","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798690},"content":"In the aftermath of the Dublin riots, a Dublin City Taskforce was established by the Government to look at the measures required to rejuvenate Dublin city centre, north and south. Guiney believes<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/dublin/2024/10/22/taskforce-recommends-10-big-moves-to-revitalise-dublin-city-centre/\" target=\"_blank\"> its 10 “big move” recommendations</a> – which includes the deployment of more gardaí – would transform Dublin if implemented.","type":"text"},{"_id":"44J6PU6KSZHRHIZWCE3NN2DLIU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798691},"content":"The rioting on November 23rd began on the north side of the city centre. “Being honest, I think the north side for many years hasn’t received the love that it deserves. I think if we can get the north side of the city right it will make a very big difference to the whole of the city,” says Guiney, adding: “I think we can better manage some of the social challenges and our support for vulnerable people.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"QUXK4V6EUFDDDNWF26RI5ZANLU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798692},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/temple-bar/\" target=\"_blank\">Temple Bar</a> might be particularly loved by tourists in search of a pint, but it’s also home to many independent retailers. Terence Murphy-Jones runs Big Smoke Vintage and Dublin Vintage Factory with his husband David. On the night of the riots, Big Smoke Vintage in Merchant’s Arch had its windows smashed by rioters. Amid fears of rioting occurring again, Temple Bar’s vintage stores set up a WhatsApp group. “If there are ever problems or if another store runs into something, all of the other stores will be notified,” says Murphy-Jones, who’s been in the vintage business in Dublin for 11 years.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4YSRQISHYBDS5PJWRMTCYCZPJI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798693},"content":"He says things have improved since last November. “You can definitely see people are starting to shop a lot more. Temple Bar has picked back up where it left off.” They were scared, however, that they’d lose customers travelling in from outside of Dublin. “On Saturdays you can see people that we haven’t seen for months. I do think people are putting trust into the city again,” says Murphy-Jones.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F2VV6OR4EVEGDH7WMCTJPUVXN4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798694},"content":"But he says that high rents and rates are an issue for retailers. “They’re the things that are making things close around us.” While he says the minimum wage increase is “brilliant for workers”, he adds: “But it’s also really hard for small independent businesses like myself, because we then need to make what we’re paying them. We need to increase our sales.” He calls for the Government to help small businesses manage this with grants or rate cuts.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PLSN7DUE3RD75JEE7YRDIPGIVE","additional_properties":{"_id":"XZ2KZT7RP5HCREZMGO4USKTOSA"},"content":"Dublin riots: Gardaí release 99 photographs of ‘persons of interest’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"Q6XLNTOLUBH2TH2QPVTQUUL2GY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798695},"content":"Not too far from Temple Bar is the quirky gift and collectables shop Padison and Yule on College Green. Paddy Curran who runs the shop with his wife Alison. He believes the “vibe is good” in the city. “The city’s going in the right direction,” he says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ISLQ4BHLRNARPC3DVSTNLXZ3OU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798696},"content":"But like others, Curran wants to see a greater Garda presence on the streets. “There should be more horses going up and down, guards on bikes,” he says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RZZERJSCZ5A3JBUOIAATBMSMXE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798697},"content":"The cost-of-living crisis has affected people’s ability to spend. “The higher spend isn’t there as much as it used to be,” says Curran. Like other retailers, he feels this could have an impact on Christmas sales. “When they spend, they’ll spend big, but it could be concentrated,” predicts Curran. “The concentration might be down to four or five weeks of high spend, rather than six or eight weeks.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"TNLGTQBU7NBVXPCVQCI6ZNTURE","additional_properties":{"_id":"N762ZMCEFVHIXNM6BPZRFKISRM"},"content":"Urban Ireland: Architects and experts tell us how to stop the decline of Dublin and other Irish city centres","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"CG5PMWBBCZH2ZIVXLC34URB64M","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798698},"content":"Curran also feels there’s not enough differentiation between large retail giants, who might find it easier to absorb the 23% VAT rate, and smaller independent businesses. “And when you’re a small business, that couple of per cent makes a huge difference.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"NOPG37QBGFGZPPMIPIERNSEMZA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798699},"content":"A year on from the Dublin riots, the city still bears scars. But retailers are determined to keep going despite facing growing economic challenges. And even with the calls for more gardaí amid safety fears, the public are showing they want to spend time in the city centre. Research by Dublin Town shows a desire among people “to reclaim their city”, says Guiney.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JP6ZKCX7PRE7DLQ7RRFPYCJGOY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731493798700},"content":"Indeed, a recent event organised by Dublin Town, called Dublin by Night, saw almost 40,000 people enjoying two nights of free outdoor events on both sides of the Liffey. “The atmosphere was terrific – it shows what we can do,” says Guiney.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z76QU76K2JCVNDTRJVI3RZASYI","additional_properties":{"_id":"6L7EMHP6NJD3PHIZUE27J7D4UQ"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"acast_podcast-69685","url":"/"},"subtype":"acast_podcast","type":"custom_embed"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Aoife Barry"}]},"description":{"basic":"As retailers gear up for a busy Christmas season, there are signs people are putting their trust back in the city"},"display_date":"2024-11-23T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The Dublin riots, one year on: ‘I know what happened doesn’t represent Irish people’","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"MHRP765SYRCWLPUB2PL7636C4M","auth":{"1":"13699ada2f71e00327611e386a69e840efb1969acaabceb619e91c5dc94c68a6"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/MHRP765SYRCWLPUB2PL7636C4M.jpg"}},"subtype":"showcase","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Ireland"},{"name":"Dublin"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/23/the-dublin-riots-one-year-on-the-city-centre-is-coming-back-to-itself/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"RTVLC2EW3VEE7HVBRBBSW4ANZA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":144,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/e79a15c7-5132-47b0-ae19-9c88cb56efc4/versions/1731421016/media/f618fa07fb84a61e43542dbb90fb78af_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/gardening/2024/11/23/gardening-qa-my-young-escallonia-hedge-looks-tatty-what-have-i-done/","content_elements":[{"_id":"PLRBIO2HFRCQFE4ARZ7TGRRCHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731414227277},"content":"<b>Q: I’ve always understood that escallonia is supposed to be evergreen, but my young hedge has lost a lot of its leaves and looks pretty tatty. Am I doing something wrong? </b>– <i>Sean K, Co Cork</i>","type":"text"},{"_id":"JDHZKLLGAJF5RGSOJNLOHTQPFQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731414227279},"content":"A: You’re absolutely right to think that escallonia has traditionally been used as an informal, evergreen flowering <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/life-style/gardening/2024/11/16/what-is-the-best-choice-of-hedging-for-my-garden/\" target=\"_blank\">hedge</a> – one of the reasons for its popularity in milder, coastal parts of Ireland, where it can also happily withstand salty sea gales. But unfortunately in recent years it’s fallen victim to a now widespread fungal disease commonly known as escallonia leaf spot that causes it to lose its leaves.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JXD2G3UVVFDSNEEBFYMPLYDLJQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731414227280},"content":"Early signs include dark blotching and yellowing of the foliage, which gradually spreads to many parts of the plant. You’ll often also see tiny greyish-white patches appearing on the leaves where the fruiting bodies of the fungus have developed. Badly affected plants can often, slowly but surely, lose all their foliage from late summer onwards, especially in a wet year, so that by the time late autumn/early winter arrives, it gives every appearance of being a deciduous species.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4KGCJX6KNRAF3PKPUFGI6ZZLEE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732110821380},"content":"New leaves appear in spring, but these can also slowly succumb. Over time, this constant cycle of new growth followed by defoliation weakens the plants, resulting in poor growth and even death. Rainy weather in particular really encourages the rapid spread of the disease, helping the fungal spores to easily move from plant to plant.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VX25ZEYQXBGYLCVXTVADTAEN34","additional_properties":{"_id":"DO7Y6AVOPZA5THH2NKO5RGJHP4"},"content":"Everyday plants that emit the most pleasing perfumes","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"X5NA7UU3OBBRFGS3OC3AKVPOXM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731414227281},"content":"While there’s no cure, you can help to reduce its spread by collecting and carefully disposing of any clippings and fallen leaves as well as handpicking any obviously diseased leaves that remain on the plant and then burning them. But that’s often not an easy task. Providing good growing conditions by avoiding planting in poorly drained soil is another part of the solution, alongside mulching with an organic mulch around the roots in spring and scattering some slow-release organic fertiliser.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EVHBKIMQUFD55OQTZ4IPFDSBDY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731414227282},"content":"A careful pruning regime is also important. When used as a hedging plant, escallonia is traditionally pruned in September/October. But a mid-spring regenerative pruning is also advised if you need to selectively remove any dead branches and encourage their replacement with plenty of new, healthy young growth.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NIF7SV6D6BASTJR4PWTNUSXI5I","additional_properties":{"_id":"FVQ3NNKE4ZGU3AJ2MC27YZFJBI"},"content":"<span class=\"contribly-contribute-v2\" data-client=\"9fc0f2a4-9bf9-4464-8b77-ec351ad0db03\" data-assignment=\"26088556-6bae-4d51-8542-58d3cc9df2c9\" data-display=\"inline\"></span><script type=\"text/javascript\" src=\"https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/contribly-widgets/contribute/contribute-v2.js\"><\/script>","type":"raw_html"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Fionnuala Fallon"}},"name":"Fionnuala Fallon"}]},"description":{"basic":"Unfortunately in recent years, this flowering hedge has fallen victim to a widespread fungal disease commonly known as escallonia leaf spot that causes it to lose its leaves"},"display_date":"2024-11-23T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Gardening Q&A: My young hedge looks tatty - what have I done?","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"HFDBANDDLZDUFGQR7NHJL5LUYM","auth":{"1":"31c6b18a4db8de49bcee254e30f4e835726b347c92c5e659c87772bfae73fb62"},"focal_point":{"x":1767,"y":1580},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/HFDBANDDLZDUFGQR7NHJL5LUYM.jpg"}},"subtype":"analysis","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Gardening"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/gardening/2024/11/23/gardening-qa-my-young-escallonia-hedge-looks-tatty-what-have-i-done/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/gardening","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Gardening"}}}},{"_id":"JZZIM4DFA5DLLEDGGVEAYKYMSQ","additional_properties":{},"canonical_url":"/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly/sorcha-goes-i-make-no-apologies-for-saying-it-honor-you-are-a-danger-to-democracy/","content_elements":[{"_id":"V74LYAD5I5GGHFP5XNDUMKSMTM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772943},"content":"Honor is in an absolute fouler when she gets into the cor.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YW3KQAFMEJHGJDEIMLP6JNU4BQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772944},"content":"I’m there, “Tough day at school?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"N7IR7Y2QW5FOHKVVO7NIGFYO3I","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772945},"content":"“The fock is this?” she goes, waving a sheaf of glossy pages at me and her old dear.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FI72YJTCLJFCTIRZILKKEDNBQA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772946},"content":"And Sorcha – sitting behind the wheel – goes, “It’s a copy of the student magazine, isn’t it? The Mount Anville Gazette?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"PD3XUOUJEJE4VBSQSAFXFYU5VI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772947},"content":"“Exactly,” Honor goes. “And there’s an editorial in it calling me a fascist.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"RMV5SZFKANGYJDXKJLOPD2XVRQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772948},"content":"I’m there, “A fascist? Jesus! Here, what do they do again?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"JTQLNTQTYZFRHDGZYPC3OTLOAA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772949},"content":"“It means an authoritarian,” Sorcha goes. “Someone who’s dictatorial. Autocratic. It means she believes in the suppression of dissent.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"YZJVDLYGGFDBFMURFG6ABWBZOE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772950},"content":"Honor’s there, “Er, does that <i>sound</i> like me?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"6G3MROTL2BDDXB4XLZ6GRUFAYM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772951},"content":"Sorcha doesn’t give her a straight answer. She just goes, “You’ve definitely chosen to be a different <i>kind</i> of Head Girl?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"7IBWLYQ7VVFM7IJZO3UDZKCMEM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772952},"content":"Honor’s there, “Are you saying you’re on Thia Hall’s side?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"KTDZBTNJTNEXTI6EPNWRGGPOKU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772953},"content":"“I’m saying that you’ve spent the last three months dismantling decades-old institutions – like the Student Council.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"6TH4YOPF5NHRTNF3KYL4ASW5UU","additional_properties":{"_id":"RVJX6DU5GRHAXJSXD6RED64MDA"},"content":"‘When they see the copper, the triplets think it’s about them gobbing on the cauliflower and turmeric latte crowd - which I’m not even sure is a crime’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"YTSG4GE2XVG3LEYD4Y22SEOMMY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772954},"content":"“As Head Girl, it’s <i>my</i> job to be the voice of the students of the school? We don’t need some bunch of dweebs claiming they have the right to speak for everyone.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"6FZ7XEH4IZEMJE6FAMFRCBKXDM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772955},"content":"“And I’m making the point that, to some people, that kind of attitude might come across as fascistic. It might appear to some that you’re attempting to subvert democracy.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"JEY246Y2DVDJTHJ72IP5LUSJEU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772956},"content":"Honor’s like, “Excuse me?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"IKCHXYKZVBETJOLAYUXQA27KCI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772957},"content":"“And also attempting to close down free speech,” Sorcha goes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RIPVP2RFNJHYPLJL527B36P2CA","additional_properties":{"_id":"5SLDYCD5V5BAXOHK33SRLUW5RE"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"XKF4LDBTNNFL7AYT2Q3PHYBLKA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772958},"content":"I’m there, “How is that magazine still going, Honor? I thought the old man and Hennessy were going to use their influence to get all the advertisers to pull their money.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"FLU4MCIW2NCBBEDRBXXIFAFVVU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772959},"content":"“That’s a very good point,” Honor goes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CRZGPNCKTJBBNA4TTAZMLIGKJA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772960},"content":"I’m there, “Is it?” delighted with myself. “Fair focks to me so.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"7MVQEJSH4NACPDCCT4PPCS6NCA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772961},"content":"“As in, like, who’s funding Thia?” she goes. “There are literally no ads in this magazine any more. So, like, who’s actually paying to have it printed?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"IDHXDM7UQFAKLED7YEILGPPWJU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772962},"content":"Sorcha goes, “Can we maybe change the subject? Honor, you haven’t told us what you want for Christmas yet.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"T2M2TRNOMJFN5EWDSOF7WLEC24","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772963},"content":"Honor’s there, “Someone is backing her financially – and I’m going to make it my business to find out who it is.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"E2ILVB6GTRD57ATIPGYSRHSWQA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772964},"content":"“Even though I can’t believe we’re talking about Christmas already,” Sorcha goes. “Seems like no time ago that we were in Quinta do Lago. Mind you, it was midterm – so it <i>was</i> no time ago?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"I3I5E2ZU5VGMZEGT7JC6EBDS5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772965},"content":"I’m like, “How are you going to find out who’s bankrolling the girl, Honor?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"QD64OHXILNF2JMD5ZNVVIHPCUM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772966},"content":"And Honor’s there, “I’m going to ask Hennessy to find out. There’s this, like, private <i>investigator</i> he uses?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"UDV5IKOSJBBNDD3FB4GBBSKMOE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772967},"content":"I’m like, “You’re not talking about Flatfoot Frankie, are you?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"NCZSIIVV2RBMTLT5DCVXYZCIOI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772968},"content":"She goes, “Frankie – that’s his name.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"3HQLZAF7F5CSJKTNTPI763L274","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772969},"content":"I’m there, “I can’t believe old Flatfoot is still knocking about. I did port of my transition year work experience with him. He used to get me to name random people and then he’d have their bank account details within, like, half an hour. That’s how I found out that Fionn’s granny left him half-a-million snots in her will. This was back in the day when half-a-million was considered a lot of money.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ERBMOB3YPRA6DNOZ23K32T3PIY","additional_properties":{"_id":"FWXIGZFW7ZFS3MJY62BNODIZTM"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"HPYRG6S3YNFW5MV7WTEKPCIVT4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772970},"content":"That’s when Sorcha suddenly loses it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PZEVJMCYP5DX7MMDQ4T3HI7SFY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772971},"content":"She goes, “Oh my God, <i>why</i> are we still talking about this? I’m trying to talk about Christmas here!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"NEIKSAZP2JHC3HA5HFJFMTX5QE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772972},"content":"I give her a long, sideways look and she’s, like, red in the face.","type":"text"},{"_id":"W4NQQXPMKFAS7IANYQXTQDOKXI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772973},"content":"“Oh! My God!” Honor goes. “It’s you!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"3DOQMWZOMBFJRAHFOFUD3M4ZVY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772974},"content":"Sorcha’s there, “Me? What’s me? Oh my God, what are you talking about?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"NZSSL5ZIWFDABB6KBF7JUS4S6M","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772975},"content":"Honor goes, “You’re the one who’s bankrolling the magazine! Go on – deny it!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"V6EZ33TUL5EIHLEKV5OMBCNGQI","additional_properties":{"_id":"M66ACM26TBC7VEBOCU5BH764DQ"},"content":"‘We’ve no idea what caused the fire. And we’re sticking to that story’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"IW3QDPTZRVATJE2BZN56XVZGAI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772976},"content":"Except Sorcha <i>doesn’t </i>deny it?","type":"text"},{"_id":"C5HSKHTSBFH7NCKGSTYOFXVXME","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772977},"content":"She goes, “I happen to think that a free press is the lifeblood of a healthy body politic.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"XJPVVPUN65CGTMVQ4B7KSR22HM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772978},"content":"I’m there, “Jesus, Sorcha – what kind of talk is that?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"KUBJBKTKJNGRBLG46CVX2JW6MI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772979},"content":"She’s like, “I set up the Mount Anville Gazette for that very reason. And I’m proud to say that it was one of my legacy projects. Because power needs eyes on it at all times.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"3N47553ENVALRN3QH2NI4XI22U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772980},"content":"Honor’s like, “Oh! My! God!” and she storts turning the pages of the magazine madly. “Oh! My focking–”","type":"text"},{"_id":"QJO52OTQCREDXDET4YGNKORUJI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772981},"content":"I’m there, “How much is this actually costing us in terms of shekels, Sorcha?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"4PROFJKQMVC65N4RHV7NK4Z7EE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772982},"content":"Honor goes, “<i>Honor O’Carroll-Kelly’s efforts to close down The MAG are an attempt to subvert democracy and close down free speech</i>,” and she’s, like, reading from it, we’re talking word for word. “<i>A free press is the lifeblood of a health body politic.</i> Oh my God, Thia didn’t write this! You wrote it!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"QK7VS3FIBVHZNKXCMDMMNN5VVE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772983},"content":"Sorcha doesn’t even <i>try</i> to deny it? I would. I’m terrified of Honor.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7UJRKO3EABHDNKHMMHB4V6V4BA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772984},"content":"Sorcha goes, “Thia asked me – as a former Head Girl myself – to write a guest editorial on the age of authoritarianism.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"CTKZ5MABYRAJPC3YUE3M6OCXLA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772985},"content":"Honor’s there, “What, without putting your name to it?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"W5NBD4OL2NAUJA2WWFBYJOLS2I","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772986},"content":"“Yes, such is the climate of fear that <i>you’ve </i>brought about,” Sorcha goes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NG3SBVCZM5HUZLGEN6GAC3HA5I","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772987},"content":"I’m there, “I can’t believe you’ve gone against your own daughter, Sorcha,” loving not being the bad goy for once in my life.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XS3WT7ITSRE2TC43AZODCVEV6Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772988},"content":"Honor’s like, “You compared me to Donald Trump.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"7GT6MDZ6S5DBXOODT7FZJJNRIA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772989},"content":"“I said that a lot of your behaviour – yes – comes across as quite Trumpian,” Sorcha goes. “Refusing to accept the outcome of democratic votes when they don’t go your way. Using the sixth-year ski trip to line your own pockets. Treating anyone who questions the way you use your power as an enemy to be destroyed.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"CWJ7OGABOJCGFIB6CO66M4M6I4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732111184228},"content":"I’m there, “You’re bang out of order, Sorcha – in fairness.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"DU3CIEQDBZGR5DGYL2AVUK7LFI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772991},"content":"Honor goes, “Stop the cor!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"P7PCV5BY7ZEKFKNL24O354H7JM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772992},"content":"Except Sorcha doesn’t. She goes, “I am not stopping the cor. We’re on the Stillorgan Dual Carriageway.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"XTBU6EBULBG4LB4IPFE4G2LEYI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772993},"content":"But Honor throws open the back door while we’re still moving and suddenly the thing is flapping around back there like a fish’s gill.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FXAYV2ZOLBDQFC5SSDDEQAWDRM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772994},"content":"“Stop the focking cor!” she screams.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DYCJFJWERRFOXN23H2TOULNMNU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772995},"content":"Which Sorcha then has no choice <i>but</i> to do?","type":"text"},{"_id":"KV6KNYSIGVHHRIFNUEEN52ICIQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772996},"content":"Sorcha’s like, “What are you going to do? Get the bus the rest of the way?” and she’s really putting it up to her.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A4HFIMMRAFG6VNXPVO5LDKNOGE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772997},"content":"“No,” Honor goes, “I’m going to get an Uber.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"FL2VSB6HKZANXHAJYANKL7YNQI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772998},"content":"Sorcha’s there, “I make no apologies for saying it, Honor, that you are a danger to democracy. Watch the road there as you’re getting out.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"YCVH4EHDPJFG3HVXF3EWDVCFU4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925772999},"content":"But Honor goes, “You’ve made an enemy of me now. Bad move ... <i>Mom</i>!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"3ASQ3OVYA5BNBMADOCCPCZWTEI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925773000},"content":"Honor gets out and slams the door shut.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6YDBOKXUXBE2FIXXQUFDVYYQMY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925773001},"content":"Sorcha’s like, “What’s she going to do to me? Seriously, what can she do?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"IQF7OG3G2VEEJMYQZZIORYIIVE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731925773002},"content":"But she sounds genuinely scared. And from bitter experience, I would say there’s every reason she <i>should</i> be?","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly"}},"name":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly"}]},"description":{"basic":"Honor’s like, ‘You compared me to Donald Trump’"},"display_date":"2024-11-23T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Sorcha goes, ‘I make no apologies for saying it, Honor. You are a danger to democracy’ ","native":""},"label":{},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"3GAWAJSHXJCJTMLZBVZZPFHE3M","auth":{"1":"939f5f1729cf574b098f7dcf7243dd43d4887394f9f9096955a1b33770d3f2f3"},"focal_point":{"x":1217,"y":633},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/3GAWAJSHXJCJTMLZBVZZPFHE3M.jpg"},"podcast":{"embed":{"config":{"duration":373.372,"episodeTitle":"Honor’s like, ‘You compared me to Donald Trump’","imageUrl":"https://assets.pippa.io/shows/61409402444fd951a7f27e60/1673383397461-8f5dc76da6409974bd352dc3e7b7a299.jpeg","showTitle":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly","streamUrl":"https://feeds.acast.com/public/streams/61409402444fd951a7f27e60/episodes/67408b9566b40d0b00640e36.mp3"}}}},"subtype":"podcast","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly"},{"name":"People"},{"name":"Life & Style"},{"name":"Podcasts"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly/sorcha-goes-i-make-no-apologies-for-saying-it-honor-you-are-a-danger-to-democracy/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly","additional_properties":{"original":{"Podcast":{"podcast_logo":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/MH35IEIN5FGYNH7X3SQF3E4LBQ.jpg"}}},"name":"Ross O'Carroll-Kelly"}}}}],"count":10000,"_id":"8f09b261f393e928be93f8c6ca43f63254dcae869c4599fa8ab3146de4ecea46"},"expires":1733295607636,"lastModified":1733295306985}},"story-feed-tag":{"{\"feedOffset\":0,\"feedSize\":3,\"tagSlug\":\"new-to-the-parish\"}":{"data":{"content_elements":[{"_id":"NRH7Q3R3VFGBNDXMZX3DQO7KSU","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":501,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/32412529-57c6-4719-9b84-270394aa7e3c/versions/1732722496/media/bf54c90001c66d9cb03b4d9cd7f318e2_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/12/03/a-californian-woman-in-dublin-irelands-not-perfect-but-i-do-think-as-a-whole-it-is-moving-in-the-right-direction/","content_elements":[{"_id":"6254WK2IJND7JCYN5KWQR5Q4JI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357657},"content":"Morgan Steele first came to Ireland from <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/california/\" target=\"_blank\">California </a>in 2013 on a summer study-abroad programme on Irish <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/stage/\" target=\"_blank\">theatre</a>, as part of her degree. “I think it was only about five weeks, and it just kind of sparked something that ended up changing my life, which is kind of crazy,” says the theatre administrator and producer. “When I went into it, I definitely didn’t think that’s what was going to happen. But I fell in love with the place. And I’ve kept coming back.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"RUSDQELBFBBCPK6TREQFDR4GMM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357658},"content":"Aged 19, she was just keen to travel, and knew little of Ireland other than “the classic, American surface-level knowledge” or of Irish theatre beyond <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/oscar-wilde/\" target=\"_blank\">Oscar Wilde</a>. The summer course, part of her bachelor of arts in theatre and performance from UC Berkeley, was “really well curated”, half in <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/dublin/\" target=\"_blank\">Dublin </a>and half in <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/galway/\" target=\"_blank\">Galway</a>, at the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/galway-international-arts-festival/\" target=\"_blank\">Galway International Arts Festival</a>. “I can’t really put quite a finger on it, but there’s just something about the art I saw that spoke to me.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"HKHUV5K7FVE6PKW7TYKVH2TS44","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357659},"content":"Since then she has had “a bit of a circuitous journey with lots of back and forth to Ireland over the years, for various visa/work permit reasons”, along the way training in theatre company management in Berkeley, working internationally on both nonprofit and commercial productions and as an associate producer for Disney Channel. “There’s been a lot of moving!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"TEVEFGFBIZCE7MKPY52IYJCHIM","additional_properties":{"_id":"AFVOBK6T35E6HKJGZ4EX6RXUY4"},"content":"An Irish man in California: what I did first notice was how people talk about themselves. Compared to the typical older Irish man","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"5ROO7IID45GHVOHFSJCEFZCRGM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357660},"content":"She came back to live here for a year in 2017 on a working holiday visa (similar to a J1 for US citizens). Funnily enough given current events, she applied for that visa the day before the 2016 US election, thinking she would “have something good to look forward to if all hell breaks loose. And I had the best of times.” She worked with independent producer Landmark Productions as assistant company manager on its stage musical Once. “My first time working here, I immediately felt part of the team, not just on that specific project, but in the arts community as a whole, which was very surprising. I’m incredibly grateful for the support I’ve got. I never felt like an outsider or a sense of hierarchy.” She felt she had “full authority to do the thing that you know how to do, which is company management”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EGW3CVUUYFAPTEOYYCKK5FKH74","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357661},"content":"Back in the US again, Covid hit and she lost her company manager job at Berkeley Repertory Theater. “Blessings in disguise, I suppose.” Pondering her future, “I kept thinking, I want to go back to Ireland.” She applied for an MSc in business management at <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/trinity-college-dublin-tcd/\" target=\"_blank\">Trinity College Dublin</a>, “and I’ve been back ever since”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OIKCZECZ2JDTFDMWFYZXP35LKY","additional_properties":{"_id":"Y7ZJ22F6OBD3XM6NUUHLI742TU"},"content":"‘The US has become really divisive. I definitely prefer the quality of life here. I like the people and the possibilities’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"RRWFBRQBFBDTNC5ENC5IBOU7BQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357662},"content":"Since finishing her master’s in 2022 she has worked for Once Off Productions, producer Maura O’Keeffe’s independent producing platform. It works on shows nationally and internationally at all scales, which Steele has relished, first as assistant producer, and now as company manager. “Aside from the team members at Once Off, they’re all so fantastic, but the diverse range of live performance makes it a really exciting place to work. Once Off does primarily theatre, but there is opera, there is dance, there’s music as well. I feel very privileged to be working with them.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"Q3PQOWMMXZESFGO7B6YHLOPFXM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733138216156},"content":"Right now Once Off is working with Dublin’s<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/smock-alley-theatre/\" target=\"_blank\"> Smock Alley Theatre</a> on a <a href=\"https://smockalley.com/a-streetcar-named-desire/\" target=\"_blank\">production of Tennessee Williams’s A Streetcar Named Desire</a>, which runs December 5th-21st. Though she studied the Pulitzer Prize-winning play, where genteel fragility meets brutal reality, and had seen the movie starring Vivien Leigh and Marlon Brando many times, Steele hadn’t seen it onstage. “To be doing an American classic here, it feels quite special. Understandably, most of the classics here are Irish, so to have an American is a bit more uncommon.” As it happens, the show’s producer, Cally Shine, is also American, and “to be on the producing helm with another American, completely by chance” feels appropriate, and “like we’re representing!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"LSYBFMR4GBCXLGYOOHIYZYXVME","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357663},"content":"It’s all a far cry from LA, where she grew up. “It’s such a film city, which is great, and I love it for what it is, but it doesn’t have quite the same offering of live theatre, of that quality.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"6SJ63JXA2FC4XKQ2PXD2P6IQSU","additional_properties":{"_id":"4S4ECR2OCJEYZG2TAHPODRWUQU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"XVKJHR7EU5DDRMB2HWEJ3MOSBA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357664},"content":"While LA is “a car-centric culture”, she says, “I love being able to walk here. And a functional public transit system.” For her personally, “a large part of the quality of life is the arts community”, and she’s heartened by “the mere fact that there is an Arts Council”. Such support and development of the arts “is foreign to me, in a way, as an American”. Arts agencies aren’t “as robust by a long shot back home”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CEFBKJOBSBGPHIG6OA6P2AGZEE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357665},"content":"She is “a bit of a workaholic. With that said, I do have a small but mighty group of people I call my friends. We’re a diverse bunch.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"W5W3QY4Y4BERHFUYZ6DEFS2LDE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357666},"content":"She’s in it for the long haul. “I want to make this work long term now. I love the quality of life here. The only comparison I have is to back home. I love California. There’s always going to be a part of me”, but she’s not happy with the direction the US is taking. “Of course, Ireland’s not perfect, but I do think as a whole Ireland is moving in the right direction.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"R3YW4YPERJBKNOA72URMPQAM64","additional_properties":{"_id":"ZWFVBM4MEZAETDPHMWDFFS7ECQ"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"DRSKXY37CNGO7N4GSPZTIPLCVM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357667},"content":"However, “the cost of living is very high” here. Her partner is based in Los Angeles, so renting as a single person is expensive. For the past two years she has rented a room in a family’s home in a south Dublin suburb. “I don’t think it would work for everybody, but I really get on with them. I got quite lucky. Of course, every now and then I’m like, Oh, I just wish I could have my own place.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"64JHUIMX3ZAVVD5DVQWPGDLXGU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357668},"content":"She’s currently on a 1G visa, covering her for two years after her master’s, and is “figuring out my visa long term. That’s been a bit challenging to navigate. I’m hopeful and positive.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"HGHDK6T73VADNNOXDUQANW53SE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357669},"content":"While inefficiency and red tape involved in getting things done here can be frustrating, “I think the longer I’ve lived here, the more I understand it. In a way, sometimes the inefficiency has its own charm.” The first example that comes to mind is the<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/dublin-bus/\" target=\"_blank\"> Dublin Bus </a>system: scheduled buses often “just don’t show up. When that happens, it is incredibly frustrating. But there’s something darkly comedic about it.” Mind you, “if I were running for the bus right now, I might say something different!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"6P7EZQ5QUZGRHFLDIHJS2LRVGY","additional_properties":{"_id":"LCPHICRGZBCCHJVG7GLBXJVMUQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"IJTGKLUGJZFJHEIZASPNCTABYQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357670},"content":"Her first time opening a bank account was difficult without a utility bill or rental agreement, which are hard to come by in houseshares. “It became this: I don’t know how to get paid. I have a job, I have a PPS number. But in my specific living situation, I don’t have the documents to open a bank account.” Eventually she managed it using a library card. More positively “the cost of healthcare in comparison to the States is mind-blowingly great”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LZT6DXTRW5DVRLOGOGOGZWIFD4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357671},"content":"“I really do love the people and the culture. That’s essentially what kept me coming back. The sense of warmth, and looking out for each other in a way that I didn’t feel as much from strangers in my experience in the States. As a whole, there’s more of a community feeling. I love California, but I could never see myself there long term. I always felt like I was being pulled somewhere else. When I came here, it was, oh, yeah, this is it. It’s felt like a very natural transition for me. I landed here: I understand the culture. I feel like I fit.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"WNQO2WUORRDAJKIY3S5LLC2DFI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732719357672},"content":"<i>We would like to hear from people who have moved to Ireland. To get involved, email </i><a href=\"mailto:newtotheparish@irishtimes.com\"><i>newtotheparish@irishtimes.com</i></a>","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Deirdre Falvey"}},"name":"Deirdre Falvey"}]},"description":{"basic":"Morgan Steele from Los Angeles, California, first moved to Ireland in 2017"},"display_date":"2024-12-03T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"A Californian woman in Dublin: ‘Ireland’s not perfect, but I do think as a whole it is moving in the right direction’","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"PWTZLKGV6NDSPJEXBQXCQZKN2M","auth":{"1":"bb1567c2de361eb277c0088196ffac0c9e569390701c1e3567ca46856766607a"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/PWTZLKGV6NDSPJEXBQXCQZKN2M.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/12/03/a-californian-woman-in-dublin-irelands-not-perfect-but-i-do-think-as-a-whole-it-is-moving-in-the-right-direction/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"6O3MYR7O6JFUJOVVMTJLED5PQQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":464,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/cdc2b91d-85aa-4e7f-b27c-7411d7cf3bdc/versions/1732185270/media/87a02fc909e1298dd78d421750a08420_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/26/an-englishman-on-irish-life-there-is-an-underlying-positivity-in-ireland-certainly-in-comparison-to-your-anglo-saxon-neighbours/","content_elements":[{"_id":"DXXYIGJX5RGDTF3A2RQGB3K63M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732124803370},"content":"Our infrastructure is poor here. We know this and rightly complain about it. So when a very <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/new-to-the-parish\" target=\"_blank\">recent immigrant</a> praises it, you wonder what they’re comparing it with. The UK and Brunei, in this case.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MEKH7USW2NACDKIHWBOIVIC4C4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732124803371},"content":"Barnaby – or Barny – Sandow moved to Ireland this year with his wife, Gwendoline, originally from Normandy, and their 10-year-old daughter, before starting his new job as principal of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/inside-nord-anglia-ireland-s-most-expensive-school-1.3637169\" target=\"_blank\">Nord Anglia International School</a>, in Leopardstown, Dublin. The school, part of an international chain, opened in 2018 and is famously the State’s most expensive day school, with fees from €23,000. The roughly 600 students – 54 nationalities, from age three to 18 – are taught the International Baccalaureate (IB) rather than the Irish school curriculum.","type":"text"},{"_id":"C5U6QZNKTVHNTKKXIOQOIXT6I4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732124803372},"content":"The family lives in a nearby suburb, and Sandow is impressed that “I can come to work on a bicycle every day, and there’s bike lanes all the way to school. I can get on a Luas and I’m in the city centre in 20 minutes.” He loves the easy access to the sea, stopping at Killiney beach for a swim on his way home. He talks about taking a school group of 11-12-year-olds to Ticknock easily on city bus, to walk in the hills, learn and get to know each other. “It’s on our doorsteps, to go and do that. I’m used to having to spend hours in a coach to get children anywhere. Here there are fewer hurdles to going out and doing things that enable you to feel good, and feel well about yourself. My teachers [international, and some returning Irish teachers who’ve taught the IB abroad] come in after the weekends talking about the cultural things they’ve seen, the concerts they’ve been to.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"4WKCC2GA75F4VHW3LYXAAABF74","additional_properties":{"_id":1732124803373},"content":"No matter how great all this is, some aspects of living here are challenging. “I’m acutely aware there’s a <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/housing-crisis/\" target=\"_blank\">housing crisis</a>.” He knows they were lucky compared with others. Gwendoline, with the help of an agent, eventually found a house to rent. But it was down to the wire. “We signed the night the removal trucks were turning up in London.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"3RBHEO5G4BHCTCWD4GTIELQ25E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732124803374},"content":"Barny, who is originally from Bristol, met Gwendoline when they both worked at Abingdon, a very traditional British school. Later, when their two boys were small, the family moved to Brunei, their interest piqued by memories of a former student from the tropical southeast Asian oil-rich sultanate, which is a former British colony. They lived there for 14 years, working in an international school. “It was a fabulous place to bring the boys up. I learned to surf in the South China Sea, and we ran through the rainforest. Gwendoline turned into a real eco-warrior and led an agro-forestry project. We had phenomenal opportunities to grow and learn and bring up our children in a wonderful, safe, secure environment.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"RXXFNTHV4BB7DLB73JXR5MEQ4Y","additional_properties":{"_id":"Q4DOCPDBYVANJNAGGYNEKYWQH4"},"content":"‘It’s bowled me over how Irish people look after each other. And they work bloody hard’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"SXGWDO5V7JFR3DHRIZ4GNCEOCY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732124803375},"content":"But it was “a long time to be away from friends and family” and they returned to the UK, and another international school, in Surrey, in August 2019, right before Covid-19 hit. Post-Brexit, the UK’s demographics had changed, which did not sit well with his sense of purpose, “about promoting intercultural understanding and communicating across boundaries”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VNESNIEPNFH3VNM3MDDYNBDUBQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732124803376},"content":"But he was happy there when he was approached by Nord Anglia in Dublin. Part of the appeal was proximity to the Holyhead ferry: he grew up spending summers on Anglesey in north Wales, and it later became their family base as they travelled.","type":"text"},{"_id":"N4UGNERJRJBR3HSWW3BJBEHBN4","additional_properties":{"_id":"7ICXT42R3RBSLG5EGENRXMYV5A"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"I4KYP3RMWFHCTCYHAILIZLHAHU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732124803377},"content":"After that emotional draw, he “learned more about the opportunities, and the Irish economy” realising there were “really exciting opportunities” professionally. A visit to the school sealed the deal. They were “acting as parents”, wondering “is this the place we’d like to put our little girl?” The answer was yes. She’s happy at school, and “we are super happy with the way that she is being challenged to think. We’re critical customers.” Their two older boys have just started university in the UK.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LOC7ESX5SFG5POJZCV3L5AZULA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732124803378},"content":"Our perception of an expensive international school may be that it exists in an elite bubble, educating families who are passing through. His line to counter this, “in a collaborative way”, is “we’re an international school with an Irish heart”. He feels Irishness and Irish values “permeate the community and the way people do things around here”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CCWQR2R4BRARRNFIRJOSQY3SQI","additional_properties":{"_id":"CLNOEUO4MFGOPIBFMZPYXRQC4A"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"7Q5KHP36XFA5VCEUBUPNHZNIHA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732124803379},"content":"Americans are the biggest student demographic, but number two is Irish families, “becoming aware of an alternative”. Many of the parents are here with large international firms, looking for “international transferability”. But more than a third of its students go on to Irish universities.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GB6XRT3ILBGV7MIOCHJAC6RHWA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732124803380},"content":"Of life in Ireland, Sandow says “the welcome is exceptional”. Having travelled extensively, “the way people are interested in you, are open to having a conversation, open to passing the time of day. And there is an underlying positivity which shines through, certainly in comparison to your Anglo-Saxon neighbours.” He must be flattering us. Positive? Sure, aren’t we always moaning?","type":"text"},{"_id":"3SRMWKV6GNAQZKLTWSWYMSDTHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732124803381},"content":"“You ask someone how they are and they say ‘grand’. And I understand that grand is a word with a great deal of nuance, that it doesn’t necessarily mean everything is rosy. But you start off saying things are pretty positive.” He mentions casually greeting a stranger, “How are you doing?” And the reply: “Couldn’t be better.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"KKXTPBHKBJDUTGACQWMMDH7T3U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732188018323},"content":"“I promise you, there is an underlying belief in the power of the positive here. And that’s what you’re seeing in a business context, too, that there are opportunities over here and people are open to things.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"G63EKPS4FVGQJAZQG3SLYKYBC4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732124803382},"content":"Gwendoline teaches languages, and science through outdoor learning and sustainability, and has also trained in permaculture. She’s taking a gap year, and has been writing a children’s book about what we can learn from nature, and has “found real allies over here in different communities, like Festina Lente” therapy for children through horses.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HA63HSX7YBCVTIMQXYCD7MMSBE","additional_properties":{"_id":"ODMM6VYVS5CMJHCQ3A7W2IXSHU"},"content":"‘People label Ireland as conservative, but it is very forward-thinking’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"KKOSU3R3IVGCJDFUOINW5LWRBY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732124803383},"content":"Barny says she’s observed drivers are kinder here than in France, especially in car parks, and that she’s “enjoyed getting to know the culture through the radio, and loves the way that people talk to each other”, noting people have “differences of opinion, but it’s done in a respectful way”. They have both picked up on the Irish tendency for self-deprecation, alongside a pride: “You know, it’s always raining, but we actually quite like where we live.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"BCYBANVRXVDE7IPXNR2YEVASMY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732124803384},"content":"He’s painting a very rosy picture. “We’ve lived in the tropics, and my ears are a whole lot colder the last few mornings coming in here than they would have been. But at the same time, I thoroughly enjoy not having a shirt full of sweat after 30 minutes standing in the car park welcoming parents in the morning.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZYV6IP64KNCPLHT6JAVZ2J46FI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732124803385},"content":"He says “enjoying where you are, and reframing positively the experiences you have, is a really important part of any of our wellbeing. There is a sense of responsibility, as anyone who’s leading a community, to be doing that with a smile and enjoying life and making people feel positive at the beginning of every day when they see me on the front doorstep of the school.”","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Deirdre Falvey"}},"name":"Deirdre Falvey"}]},"description":{"basic":"Barnaby Sandow recently moved to Ireland from England with his wife, Gwendoline"},"display_date":"2024-11-26T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"An Englishman on Irish life: ‘There is an underlying positivity in Ireland, certainly in comparison to your Anglo-Saxon neighbours’","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"ETLNR2SLEFAMVBFZGMDRVEPJJQ","auth":{"1":"c5e4424a2ace8f8f77dda85d03aa02e5b54e1139c7d6c718a3167b94eebfc6a9"},"focal_point":{"x":4970,"y":2280},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/ETLNR2SLEFAMVBFZGMDRVEPJJQ.JPG"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/26/an-englishman-on-irish-life-there-is-an-underlying-positivity-in-ireland-certainly-in-comparison-to-your-anglo-saxon-neighbours/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"SD5UZSHQMZBV5AOG434WZD34N4","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":463,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/bf183977-e230-49a6-9750-42e4dae0219e/versions/1731575927/media/bbc06ceab96bd1819d17d2e5565f59a8_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/19/from-afghanistan-to-ireland-we-had-no-choice-while-we-were-sitting-on-the-plane-everybody-was-crying/","content_elements":[{"_id":"K22AP7K3RZDL5NIB5KP4MGQUKE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731500328936},"content":"Twenty-one-year-old Marwa Zamir from <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/afghanistan/\" target=\"_blank\">Afghanistan </a>is busy and productive, she’s a doer, a worker, a joiner.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LCSRLDH5GJEXJOLGHNQTVZ5L7U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731500328937},"content":"She is just back to the family home in <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/lucan/\" target=\"_blank\">Lucan</a>, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/dublin/\" target=\"_blank\">Co Dublin</a>, after a day at <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/maynooth-university/\" target=\"_blank\">Maynooth University</a>, where she is in third-year law. Her usual bus was cancelled and it was a circuitous route and 1½ hours to get home. But one of the differences with Afghanistan, she says later, is our “good” public transport.","type":"text"},{"_id":"S6AF3QWT6FGXNHO3XJLI23FB3E","additional_properties":{"_id":1731500328938},"content":"To us, Afghanistan may not have much to recommend it, but her parents were reluctant to leave, having been refugees in neighbouring countries themselves during Afghanistan’s long wars. “They never wanted for us to experience that kind of living abroad or being a refugee because they knew how it affected their education or wellbeing, living without their families.” Her father used to work for the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/united-nations-un/\" target=\"_blank\">UN</a>. They could have relocated but opted not to.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SGKYIJYCHRC7FLBDLEYK6M7SHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731500328939},"content":"Eventually, “in 2016, they had no choice, and they had to. There was a bomb blast near my school in Kabul. We couldn’t stop going to school, because my parents really value education.” Ireland was the first country they got a visa for, she says. It was also English-speaking; near the UK, where they have family; and “it wasn’t very busy. It would be easier for us to start a new life.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"2KHPHH4IIBGNNMWPNZPXWAM4XY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731500328940},"content":"Her childhood memories are happy, of a large extended family. Life was lived indoors “because of security”. But every weekend they packed up and went to their holiday home 40km outside Kabul: movies, cooking, games, swimming. “It was a simple life that we had.” That life is gone now. The extended family has scattered.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QX4WEU57PRDZ7P2XRH64MJOUVQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731500328941},"content":"“While we were sitting on the plane, everybody was crying. I think I was the only one who was excited. Maybe because I understood now that I will be in a society where there wouldn’t be any barriers, going to school would be normal. I can have a career. I can go to college. But my siblings were very young. They were sad about leaving their friends, missing my family back home.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"BGUZQMUJK5FH5II7KK4YCOVJC4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731500328942},"content":"Her mother and the four children came to Ireland and their father stayed behind.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A33RMTLT7VAJTODBUEAHCVCM5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731500328943},"content":"But he was “forcefully evacuated” in 2021 during the fall of Afghanistan, and moved to England, where he has a charity foundation. They visit often, and he’s “very supportive of every aspect of our life”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"D4JNO6A5OZBWPK2M5DRF3B7UNE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731500328944},"content":"The family spent most of their savings staying in a hotel for two months, then renting a house in Dublin.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TW3VSZ27F5DVNFJKONHDEZ6G54","additional_properties":{"_id":1731500328945},"content":"When her mother decided they would like to stay in Ireland, they decided to apply for asylum. “My mum just loves Ireland, and we’re just bonded with it. It became part of our identity.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZBJ3T776MBF3RDTRXPLXJK5BH4","additional_properties":{"_id":"EBDL7PUHZFDQZPSW54ECIT3V3Y"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"7QNJZXSDQBEBTEVEQ4UOXGGK2Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1731500328947},"content":"They were accommodated in <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/direct-provision/\" target=\"_blank\">direct provision</a> for three years in Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo, where they went to school. They were granted asylum in late 2019, and were “desperate” to move. The four children tried to find a house to rent, near colleges in the capital. As the oldest, Zamir led the search and the move. It sounds a lot for a teenager. “No it was fun; we were all happy to get out.” They moved to Lucan in January 2022, just before lockdown, when she was 16. Her sister is now also at Maynooth University, and her brothers are in secondary school.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F4A6NHJTSNAIFDJOX2UOD57VL4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731500328948},"content":"She learned some English watching movies as a child. She also learned Hindi; Bollywood is very popular in Afghanistan. At school in Kabul they studied English but the quality of teaching was poor. She had hardly any English when they arrived here. “I started from zero. When you’re in a position where you have to”, you learn quickly, she says. “You have to come out of your comfort zone. You can’t be shy any more.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"IFZYDKGRYFHTRPUOBZZAEFPMTU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731500328950},"content":"Her mother “knew creating a home in a new society takes a lot of time and it’s hard. She is our support system. I think she’s very brave for what she has done all alone by herself. I think she’s happy what she sacrificed. She’s happy that at least now me and my sister have a normal life. She’s happy for us, because she always wanted to go to college and become a teacher, but she couldn’t, because with so much travelling because of the war, when she was 23 she still didn’t finish school. She got married and all that. She’d never had the chance to have things we do.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"3IFNBAOFAZBYRLXLVO6NC3KLDU","additional_properties":{"_id":"LUI2BHO555HRLNEYG3FA34SHKQ"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"F43M6QVBRNDADDWUZENYDXMS7I","additional_properties":{"_id":1731500328951},"content":"In school “back home, we had tall buildings, guards at the front door. We didn’t have any trips.” School days were shorter, 7-10am. We would start with a prayer, then the national anthem and do probably an essay or a topic. Their teachers would check they were not wearing nail varnish or jewellery.” In Irish schools “it’s different. I think schools are not really strict here. We respect teachers, but back home there’s a different level of respect that students have for teachers. They were more strict on homework, on marking. Here, as long as you pass, teachers are happy with you. I think maths was easy here.” But syllabus content is bigger here, and language teaching here is more effective: “You learn a language properly.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"RMHQCRMDT5HLZM4I2COWDAOVEU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731500328954},"content":"During summer in lockdown, she joined an Irish Refugee Council youth group, and when she was 18 became a youth leader. “I started liking advocacy. I started joining so, so, so many things. The list is very long!” She’s the youngest member of the UNHCR’s Refugee Advisory Board. She was recently appointed to the Young Ireland advisory council.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GCJMAREGQFBCDAYJM6HJY723C4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731500328957},"content":"She’s in third year of an LLB Bachelor of Laws at Maynooth. “I love human rights and international criminal law, so I would love to do something in this sector.” Legal language was a challenge. “First year was a total disaster. I thought I’m the only one, because English is not my first language. Then I see my Irish friends also struggle. And I’m like, okay, then it’s not me. It’s the legal language.” She made her own English-to-English dictionary, with explanations of words she comes across.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KXSGKVWMYBDYNBCITGYN2IFCD4","additional_properties":{"_id":"K5J3YWI4ZZEAVDXD46JEXMAI54"},"content":"My friend phoned from the airport saying ‘the Taliban is on its way. Pack your bags, life has ended for us’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"JCSLLGUXWZDLHHZKPDKTWVEO4A","additional_properties":{"_id":1731500328958},"content":"She was very proud to be named Law Student of the Year 2024 at the Dye and Durham Irish Law Awards. She describes putting her award on display at home, happy to have one after her brother had won so much.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OXGZITYNIJBEDFWYPWINHPYWJI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731500328960},"content":"She occasionally attends EU conferences. “Whenever I’m asked, where are you from? I always say, I’m Afghan-Irish. I represent both countries, and both countries are my identity. I was born in Afghanistan, but Ireland became home.”","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Deirdre Falvey"}},"name":"Deirdre Falvey"}]},"description":{"basic":"Marwa Zamir moved to Ireland in 2016 when she was 13. She says she was the only one in her family who was excited"},"display_date":"2024-11-19T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"From Afghanistan to Ireland: ‘We had no choice. While we were sitting on the plane, everybody was crying’","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"P7TJMX3WC5CZXJUREY4GUD6ZQU","auth":{"1":"56fc1af9280091dd2404d557e6f6f7bd8f290f2f7cab4fe651a97a8098da027a"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/P7TJMX3WC5CZXJUREY4GUD6ZQU.JPG"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2024/11/19/from-afghanistan-to-ireland-we-had-no-choice-while-we-were-sitting-on-the-plane-everybody-was-crying/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}}],"count":234,"_id":"f1bfec432c5b03596567d7e0fa65e3316eb38ae13f078d52023f617e065f5024"},"expires":1733295607176,"lastModified":1733295307064}},"most-popular":{"{\"feature\":\"numbered-list\",\"section\":\"\",\"size\":5}":{"data":{"content_elements":[{"_id":"AAGTMLVP4RHNVNJ6KZZRGZ2SWE","headlines":{"basic":"My brother is doing the Trump dance"},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"WJWR4NI45CG6MIX66WPSEZX6TU","auth":{"1":"a114cc709b6772f6aec7abe7209d38097cf7464da7ebdb2c666d9608593bcc43"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/WJWR4NI45CG6MIX66WPSEZX6TU.jpg"}},"websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_url":"/world/americas/2024/11/30/my-brother-is-doing-the-trump-dance/"}}},{"_id":"2ORVN2SFUZFMLCC6AQ2244RIHU","headlines":{"basic":"Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall’s son on his parents: ‘Kids were second to their drinking and partying’"},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"QJMIYZ25Q5GTXPT6K7EOZJZXDE","auth":{"1":"ffb6ade9a585f16e9b32af07b0b1857814be4edbce7af0434735ebb1c5b5126e"},"focal_point":{"x":2044,"y":1487},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/QJMIYZ25Q5GTXPT6K7EOZJZXDE.jpg"}},"websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_url":"/culture/film/2024/12/03/humphrey-bogart-and-lauren-bacalls-son-on-his-parents-kids-were-second-to-their-drinking-and-partying/"}}},{"_id":"YN4BD3I3URAGTEUUNYOBU4QM3U","headlines":{"basic":"‘A beautiful girl, full of life, full of energy’: Tributes paid to eight-year-old girl killed in New Ross as man arrested"},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"MA3QKPOYQBHSNBPO2SNE5XHDMA","auth":{"1":"2003f7bb4067be3abfcdfc07997ab2e6a2980d1c40812bac8b3a13bfc14a082a"},"focal_point":{"x":232,"y":248},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/MA3QKPOYQBHSNBPO2SNE5XHDMA.jpg"}},"websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_url":"/crime-law/2024/12/03/a-beautiful-girl-full-of-life-full-of-energy-tributes-paid-to-eight-year-old-girl-killed-in-new-ross-as-man-arrested/"}}},{"_id":"TH776QCSPFCEDF5HMXXRVC2PAA","headlines":{"basic":"RIP.ie removes condolences page for Padraig Nally over anti-Traveller comments"},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"UZJGMSSFQVB5PKXCRAUDAQ5GTU","auth":{"1":"552d525927e47a256d8f405d981a4d705b06ef44ed3d0b503f67b6b90706c5bd"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/UZJGMSSFQVB5PKXCRAUDAQ5GTU.jpg"}},"websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_url":"/ireland/2024/12/03/ripie-removes-condolences-pages-for-padraig-nally-over-anti-traveller-comments/"}}},{"_id":"BXEPDKVSYFDEVPQ2LN7U6FG64Y","headlines":{"basic":"Ireland has ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ chance to fuel EU hydrogen network "},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"MQCRQDNY4ND73NLL2OILFAXQSA","auth":{"1":"b290ce9c522c8f6e5705e70b09a0f6312fbc622c215ff47f69d1d98fb2408387"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/MQCRQDNY4ND73NLL2OILFAXQSA.jpg"}},"websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_url":"/business/2024/12/03/ireland-has-once-in-a-lifetime-chance-to-fuel-eu-hydrogen-network/"}}}],"_id":"e3224fc45549e1e1e95be3ff0141019c9a87f3fa5888b4ca45ed9c17a4b713c7"},"expires":1733295426195,"lastModified":1733295123876}}};Fusion.layout="right-rail-advanced";Fusion.metas={"page-type":{"value":"section","html":true}};Fusion.outputType="default";Fusion.template="page/pBQHX86Q0zkD0BOQs";Fusion.tree={"collection":"layouts","type":"right-rail-advanced","props":{"collection":"layouts","type":"right-rail-advanced","id":"right-rail-advanced","childProps":[{"collection":"sections","id":0},{"collection":"sections","id":1},{"collection":"sections","id":2},{"collection":"sections","id":3},{"collection":"sections","id":4},{"collection":"sections","id":5},{"collection":"sections","id":6},{"collection":"sections","id":7},{"collection":"sections","id":8}]},"children":[{"collection":"sections","props":{"collection":"sections","id":0},"children":[{"collection":"chains","type":"@wpmedia/header-nav-chain-block/header-nav-chain-block","props":{"collection":"chains","type":"@wpmedia/header-nav-chain-block/header-nav-chain-block","id":"c0fxjDQmvfHY5En","customFields":{"hierarchy":"hamburger-menu","signInOrder":null,"logoAlignment":"center","horizontalLinksHierarchy":null,"showHorizontalSeperatorDots":true,"leftComponentMobile1":"menu","leftComponentDesktop1":"queryly","leftComponentCustomIndexDesktop1":null,"leftComponentDesktop2":"menu","rightComponentMobile1":"custom","rightComponentCustomIndexMobile1":3,"rightComponentDesktop1":"custom","rightComponentCustomIndexDesktop1":1,"rightComponentDesktop2":"custom","rightComponentCustomIndexDesktop2":3,"menuComponentMobile1":"custom","menuComponentCustomIndexMobile1":2,"menuComponentMobile2":"queryly","menuComponentCustomIndexMobile2":null,"menuComponentDesktop1":"none","menuComponentDesktop2":"none","desktopNavivationStartHeight":null,"shrinkDesktopNavivationHeight":null,"ariaLabel":null,"ariaLabelLink":null,"leftComponentCustomIndexMobile1":null,"leftComponentCustomIndexDesktop2":null,"menuComponentCustomIndexDesktop1":null,"menuComponentCustomIndexDesktop2":null},"displayProperties":{}},"children":[{"collection":"features","type":"@wpmedia/htmlbox-block/htmlbox","props":{"collection":"features","type":"@wpmedia/htmlbox-block/htmlbox","id":"f0f1j0n1myTR7B9-0-0-0","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"HTML":"<iframe scrolling=\"no\" id=\"fw-desktop\" data-src=\"https://lw.foreca.com/v3/en/site/irishtimes/widget/?name=Dublin&id=102964574\" style=\"width: 85px; height: 40px; border:0; margin: 0; display: flex; align-items: center;\"></iframe>","pbInternal_cloneId":"f0f1j0n1myTR7B9"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"subscribe-button/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"subscribe-button/default","id":"f0fcuF3rugfL8OV-0-0-1","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"customTopHtml":"<iframe scrolling=\"no\" id=\"fw-mobile\" data-src=\"https://lw.foreca.com/v3/en/site/irishtimes/widget/?name=Dublin&id=102964574\" style=\"width: 85px; height: 40px; border:0; margin: 0;\"></iframe>"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"signin-subscribe/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"signin-subscribe/default","id":"f0fe6HNJvtOK8J1-0-0-2","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"loggedInNavigationTitle":"Logged-in-navigation"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}}]},{"collection":"features","type":"@wpmedia/alert-bar-block/alert-bar","props":{"collection":"features","type":"@wpmedia/alert-bar-block/alert-bar","id":"f0fLbrbBvfHY59h","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"ariaLabel":null},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}}]},{"collection":"sections","props":{"collection":"sections","id":1},"children":[{"collection":"features","type":"global/ads-block","props":{"collection":"features","type":"global/ads-block","id":"f0fwlWOLvfHY5aU","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"adType":"970x250|970x90|728x90|320x50","lazyLoad":true,"displayAdLabel":true,"reserveSpace":false},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"@wpmedia/section-title-block/section-title","props":{"collection":"features","type":"@wpmedia/section-title-block/section-title","id":"f0fpAjjPvfHY5qu","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"sectionContentConfig":{"contentService":"site-service-hierarchy-it","contentConfigValues":{"hierarchy":"section-page-subnavs","sectionId":"/life-style"}},"inheritGlobalContent":false},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"divider/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"divider/default","id":"f0fbWSXSvfHY5bW","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"chains","type":"flex-chain","props":{"collection":"chains","type":"flex-chain","id":"c0fpSsIfwfHY55o","customFields":{"layout":"[[6,3,3],[12,6,6],[]]","column1":1,"column2":1,"column3":3,"column4":0,"column5":0,"showDividersDesktop":true,"showDividersTablet":true,"showDividersMobile":true},"displayProperties":{}},"children":[{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","id":"f0fPMODWvfHY5xh","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-query","contentConfigValues":{"query":"(taxonomy.primary_section._id:\\/life-style*) AND -(subtype:\"Columnist\" OR subtype:\"Opinion\" OR subtype:\"Analysis\")","size":6,"offset":0,"feedSize":6,"feedOffset":0}},"allowSpeechKit":false,"overlineAlignment":"Left","showCloseButton":true,"fontSize":"Medium","headlineWeight":"Bold","headlineTextAlignment":"text-align_left","showHeadline":true,"showOverline":false,"showByline":true,"showDateTime":false,"showImageDesktop":true,"imageRatioDesktop":"3:2","imagePositionDesktop":"top","showImageMobile":true,"imageRatioMobile":"3:2","imagePositionMobile":"top","paywallStatus":"premium","offsetOverride":0,"showDescription":true,"bottomDividerMobile":true,"bottomDividerTablet":true,"bottomDividerDesktop":false,"isPremiumContent":false,"sizeOverride":1,"lastBottomDividerTablet":true,"lastBottomDividerMobile":true},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","id":"f0f0LT30wfHY5hQ","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-query","contentConfigValues":{"query":"(taxonomy.primary_section._id:\\/life-style*) AND -(subtype:\"Columnist\" OR subtype:\"Opinion\" OR subtype:\"Analysis\")","size":6,"offset":0,"feedSize":6,"feedOffset":0}},"offsetOverride":1,"allowSpeechKit":false,"overlineAlignment":"Left","showCloseButton":true,"fontSize":"Medium Small","headlineWeight":"Bold","headlineTextAlignment":"text-align_left","showHeadline":true,"showOverline":false,"showByline":false,"showDateTime":false,"showImageDesktop":true,"imageRatioDesktop":"1:1","imagePositionDesktop":"right","showImageMobile":true,"imageRatioMobile":"1:1","imagePositionMobile":"left","paywallStatus":"premium","bottomDividerMobile":true,"showDescription":false,"isPremiumContent":false,"sizeOverride":5,"bottomDividerDesktop":true,"bottomDividerTablet":true,"lastBottomDividerTablet":true,"lastBottomDividerMobile":true},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","id":"f0fysNt9wfHY52O","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-sections","contentConfigValues":{"includeSections":"/podcasts/the-womens-podcast","feedSize":5,"feedOffset":0}},"allowSpeechKit":true,"overlineAlignment":"Left","showCloseButton":true,"fontSize":"Small","headlineWeight":"Bold","headlineTextAlignment":"text-align_left","showHeadline":true,"showOverline":true,"showByline":false,"showDateTime":false,"showImageDesktop":true,"imageRatioDesktop":"1:1","imagePositionDesktop":"right","showImageMobile":true,"imageRatioMobile":"1:1","imagePositionMobile":"left","paywallStatus":"premium","offsetOverride":0,"bottomDividerDesktop":true,"bottomDividerTablet":true,"bottomDividerMobile":true,"showDescription":false,"pbInternal_clipboardId":"f0fzK05GqYs9aTH","isPremiumContent":true,"sizeOverride":1},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","id":"f0fESPrcwfHY54S","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-sections","contentConfigValues":{"includeSections":"/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly","feedSize":5,"feedOffset":0}},"allowSpeechKit":true,"overlineAlignment":"Left","showCloseButton":true,"fontSize":"Small","headlineWeight":"Bold","headlineTextAlignment":"text-align_left","showHeadline":true,"showOverline":true,"showByline":false,"showDateTime":false,"showImageDesktop":true,"imageRatioDesktop":"1:1","imagePositionDesktop":"right","showImageMobile":true,"imageRatioMobile":"1:1","imagePositionMobile":"left","paywallStatus":"premium","offsetOverride":0,"bottomDividerDesktop":false,"bottomDividerTablet":true,"bottomDividerMobile":true,"showDescription":false,"pbInternal_clipboardId":"f0fzK05GqYs9aTH","pbInternal_cloneId":"f0f32kIz8YNF90Q","isPremiumContent":true,"lastBottomDividerDesktop":false,"lastBottomDividerTablet":true,"lastBottomDividerMobile":true,"sizeOverride":1},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"global/ads-block","props":{"collection":"features","type":"global/ads-block","id":"f0fleAdpwfHY5cr","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"adType":"Fluid","lazyLoad":true,"displayAdLabel":true,"reserveSpace":false},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}}]},{"collection":"features","type":"divider/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"divider/default","id":"f0fFpJrlwfHY5BR","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"pbInternal_duplicateId":"f0fqB7dg4Di12kI"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"header/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"header/default","id":"f0fDNMewwfHY5tK","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"text":"OUR WRITERS ","size":"Small","lightFontWeight":true},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"chains","type":"flex-chain","props":{"collection":"chains","type":"flex-chain","id":"c0fsFUYHwfHY5P8","customFields":{"layout":"[[4,4,4],[12,12,12],[]]","column1":1,"column2":1,"column3":1,"column4":1,"column5":1,"lazyLoadApp":true,"showDividersDesktop":true},"displayProperties":{}},"children":[{"collection":"features","type":"our-writers/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"our-writers/default","id":"f0fIaphzwfHY5Cg","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-query","contentConfigValues":{"query":"(credits.by.slug:\"hilary-fannin\" OR credits.by.slug:\"sean-moncrieff\" OR credits.by.slug:\"roisin-ingle\" OR credits.by.slug:\"brianna-parkins\" OR credits.by.slug:\"michael-harding\" OR credits.by.slug:\"keith-duggan\" OR credits.by.slug:\"emer-mclysaght\" OR credits.by.slug:\"rosita-boland\" OR credits.by.slug:\"catherine-cleary\" OR credits.by.slug:\"fionnuala-fallon\") AND (subtype:\"Columnist\")","size":5,"offset":0}},"displayOrientation":"row","offsetOverride":0,"sizeOverride":1,"displayColumnPromoImage":false},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"our-writers/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"our-writers/default","id":"f0fkG2QCwfHY5TH","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-query","contentConfigValues":{"query":"(credits.by.slug:\"hilary-fannin\" OR credits.by.slug:\"sean-moncrieff\" OR credits.by.slug:\"roisin-ingle\" OR credits.by.slug:\"brianna-parkins\" OR credits.by.slug:\"michael-harding\" OR credits.by.slug:\"keith-duggan\" OR credits.by.slug:\"emer-mclysaght\" OR credits.by.slug:\"rosita-boland\" OR credits.by.slug:\"catherine-cleary\" OR credits.by.slug:\"fionnuala-fallon\") AND (subtype:\"Columnist\")","size":3,"offset":0}},"displayOrientation":"row","offsetOverride":1,"sizeOverride":1,"pbInternal_cloneId":"f0fhtDnwKZUu9es"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"our-writers/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"our-writers/default","id":"f0fQoOBFwfHY5P9","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-query","contentConfigValues":{"query":"(credits.by.slug:\"hilary-fannin\" OR credits.by.slug:\"sean-moncrieff\" OR credits.by.slug:\"roisin-ingle\" OR credits.by.slug:\"brianna-parkins\" OR credits.by.slug:\"michael-harding\" OR credits.by.slug:\"keith-duggan\" OR credits.by.slug:\"emer-mclysaght\" OR credits.by.slug:\"rosita-boland\" OR credits.by.slug:\"catherine-cleary\" OR credits.by.slug:\"fionnuala-fallon\") AND (subtype:\"Columnist\")","size":3,"offset":0}},"displayOrientation":"row","offsetOverride":2,"sizeOverride":1,"pbInternal_cloneId":"f0fq4UqQuHYu9xY"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}}]},{"collection":"features","type":"divider/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"divider/default","id":"f0fQr714xfHY5M4","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"pbInternal_cloneId":"f0fucKH5gmaZvX"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"global/ads-block","props":{"collection":"features","type":"global/ads-block","id":"f0fKrY37xfHY5XC","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"adType":"970x250|970x90|728x90|300x250","lazyLoad":true,"displayAdLabel":true,"reserveSpace":false,"pbInternal_cloneId":"f0ftFwTFfn6fwU"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"divider/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"divider/default","id":"f0fp54caxfHY5Qg","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"pbInternal_cloneId":"f0f8DgldwpMexG"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"header/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"header/default","id":"f0fpy3KOwfHY5BQ","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"text":"PEOPLE","size":"Small","pbInternal_clipboardId":"f0fJUc8TpN9vbSC","link":"/life-style/people","lightFontWeight":true},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"chains","type":"flex-chain","props":{"collection":"chains","type":"flex-chain","id":"c0f4WgTnD3J787z","customFields":{"layout":"[[3,5,2,2],[12,12,6,6],[12,12,6,6]]","column1":1,"column2":1,"column3":1,"column4":1,"column5":0,"lazyLoad":false,"showDividersTablet":true,"showDividersDesktop":true,"linkText":"","linkUrl":"","lazyLoadApp":false,"showDividersMobile":true,"pbInternal_cloneId":"c0f4WgTnD3J787z"},"displayProperties":{}},"children":[{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","id":"f0fOV7mPC3J78x5","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-query","contentConfigValues":{"query":"(taxonomy.primary_section._id:\"/life-style/people\") AND -(subtype:\"Columnist\") AND -(taxonomy.tags.slug:new-to-the-parish)","size":5,"offset":0,"feedSize":5,"feedOffset":0}},"allowSpeechKit":false,"overlineAlignment":"Left","showCloseButton":true,"fontSize":"Medium Small","headlineWeight":"Bold","headlineTextAlignment":"text-align_left","showHeadline":true,"showOverline":false,"showByline":false,"showDateTime":false,"showImageDesktop":true,"imageRatioDesktop":"3:2","imagePositionDesktop":"top","showImageMobile":true,"imageRatioMobile":"3:2","imagePositionMobile":"top","paywallStatus":"premium","lazyLoad":false,"offsetOverride":0,"bottomDividerDesktop":false,"bottomDividerTablet":true,"bottomDividerMobile":true,"showDescription":false,"sizeOverride":1},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","id":"f0fOKRr1D3J78a1","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-query","contentConfigValues":{"query":"(taxonomy.primary_section._id:\"/life-style/people\") AND -(subtype:\"Columnist\") AND -(taxonomy.tags.slug:new-to-the-parish)","size":5,"offset":0,"feedSize":5,"feedOffset":0}},"allowSpeechKit":false,"overlineAlignment":"Left","showCloseButton":false,"fontSize":"Medium Small","headlineWeight":"Bold","headlineTextAlignment":"text-align_left","showHeadline":true,"showOverline":false,"showByline":false,"showDateTime":false,"showImageDesktop":true,"imageRatioDesktop":"16:9","imagePositionDesktop":"top","showImageMobile":true,"imageRatioMobile":"3:2","imagePositionMobile":"top","paywallStatus":"premium","lazyLoad":false,"offsetOverride":1,"bottomDividerDesktop":false,"bottomDividerTablet":true,"bottomDividerMobile":true,"pbInternal_cloneId":"f0ftVNQ88QP728Q","showDescription":false,"sizeOverride":1},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","id":"f0fir8x5D3J78KU","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-query","contentConfigValues":{"query":"(taxonomy.primary_section._id:\"/life-style/people\") AND -(subtype:\"Columnist\") AND -(taxonomy.tags.slug:new-to-the-parish)","size":5,"offset":0,"feedSize":5,"feedOffset":0}},"allowSpeechKit":false,"overlineAlignment":"Left","showCloseButton":true,"fontSize":"Medium Small","headlineWeight":"Bold","headlineTextAlignment":"text-align_left","showHeadline":true,"showOverline":false,"showByline":false,"showDateTime":false,"showImageDesktop":true,"imageRatioDesktop":"1:1","imagePositionDesktop":"top","showImageMobile":true,"imageRatioMobile":"3:2","imagePositionMobile":"top","paywallStatus":"premium","lazyLoad":false,"offsetOverride":2,"bottomDividerDesktop":false,"bottomDividerTablet":false,"bottomDividerMobile":false,"pbInternal_cloneId":"f0fyTDvs9tut2tu","showDescription":false,"sizeOverride":1},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","id":"f0fCxBJaD3J78LW","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-query","contentConfigValues":{"query":"(taxonomy.primary_section._id:\"/life-style/people\") AND -(subtype:\"Columnist\") AND -(taxonomy.tags.slug:new-to-the-parish)","size":5,"offset":0,"feedSize":5,"feedOffset":0}},"allowSpeechKit":false,"overlineAlignment":"Left","showCloseButton":true,"fontSize":"Medium Small","headlineWeight":"Bold","headlineTextAlignment":"text-align_left","showHeadline":true,"showOverline":false,"showByline":false,"showDateTime":false,"showImageDesktop":true,"imageRatioDesktop":"1:1","imagePositionDesktop":"top","showImageMobile":true,"imageRatioMobile":"3:2","imagePositionMobile":"top","paywallStatus":"premium","lazyLoad":false,"offsetOverride":3,"bottomDividerDesktop":false,"bottomDividerTablet":false,"bottomDividerMobile":false,"pbInternal_cloneId":"f0fKaGMFAwez6q9","showDescription":false,"sizeOverride":1},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}}]},{"collection":"features","type":"divider/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"divider/default","id":"f0fGNugQZgvh8a0","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"pbInternal_cloneId":"f0fGNugQZgvh8a0"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"header/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"header/default","id":"f0fyXPZcxfHY5I8","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"text":"NEW TO THE PARISH","size":"Small","pbInternal_cloneId":"f0fy1c44DRr693q","link":"/tags/new-to-the-parish","lightFontWeight":true},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"chains","type":"flex-chain","props":{"collection":"chains","type":"flex-chain","id":"c0fGOAEpxfHY5KQ","customFields":{"layout":"[[4,4,4],[12,12,12],[]]","column1":1,"column2":1,"column3":1,"column4":0,"column5":0,"lazyLoad":false,"showDividersTablet":true,"showDividersDesktop":true,"linkText":"","linkUrl":"","pbInternal_cloneId":"c0fBJUz129V59Uj","pbInternal_clipboardId":"c0fKcT2MtF7PcPP","showDividersMobile":true,"lazyLoadApp":false},"displayProperties":{}},"children":[{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","id":"f0fTtjlgxfHY5Yt","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-tag","contentConfigValues":{"tagSlug":"new-to-the-parish","feedSize":3,"feedOffset":0}},"allowSpeechKit":false,"overlineAlignment":"Left","showCloseButton":true,"fontSize":"Medium Small","headlineWeight":"Bold","headlineTextAlignment":"text-align_left","showHeadline":true,"showOverline":false,"showByline":false,"showDateTime":false,"showImageDesktop":true,"imageRatioDesktop":"3:2","imagePositionDesktop":"top","showImageMobile":true,"imageRatioMobile":"3:2","imagePositionMobile":"top","paywallStatus":"premium","lazyLoad":false,"offsetOverride":0,"bottomDividerDesktop":false,"bottomDividerTablet":true,"bottomDividerMobile":true,"showDescription":false},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","id":"f0f6eVsjxfHY5dD","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-tag","contentConfigValues":{"tagSlug":"new-to-the-parish","feedSize":3,"feedOffset":0}},"allowSpeechKit":false,"overlineAlignment":"Left","showCloseButton":true,"fontSize":"Medium Small","headlineWeight":"Bold","headlineTextAlignment":"text-align_left","showHeadline":true,"showOverline":false,"showByline":false,"showDateTime":false,"showImageDesktop":true,"imageRatioDesktop":"3:2","imagePositionDesktop":"top","showImageMobile":true,"imageRatioMobile":"3:2","imagePositionMobile":"top","paywallStatus":"premium","lazyLoad":false,"offsetOverride":1,"bottomDividerDesktop":false,"bottomDividerTablet":true,"bottomDividerMobile":true,"showDescription":false,"pbInternal_cloneId":"f0fUAMtPE4QiEJ"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"global/ads-block","props":{"collection":"features","type":"global/ads-block","id":"f0fmbpNfIV6p5Ag","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"adType":"Fluid","lazyLoad":true,"displayAdLabel":false,"reserveSpace":false},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}}]},{"collection":"features","type":"divider/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"divider/default","id":"f0fw0FvtxfHY5kk","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"header/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"header/default","id":"f0f8SQ2wxfHY5xi","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"text":"TRAVEL","size":"Small","lightFontWeight":true,"link":"/life-style/travel"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"chains","type":"flex-chain","props":{"collection":"chains","type":"flex-chain","id":"c0fuPEmoEunh1wY","customFields":{"layout":"[[3,5,2,2],[12,12,6,6],[12,12,6,6]]","column1":1,"column2":1,"column3":1,"column4":1,"column5":0,"lazyLoad":false,"showDividersTablet":true,"showDividersDesktop":true,"linkText":"","linkUrl":"","lazyLoadApp":false,"showDividersMobile":true,"pbInternal_cloneId":"c0fuPEmoEunh1wY"},"displayProperties":{}},"children":[{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","id":"f0fmBGDKDunh1n6","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-query","contentConfigValues":{"query":"(taxonomy.primary_section._id:\"/life-style/travel\")","size":5,"offset":0,"feedSize":5,"feedOffset":0}},"allowSpeechKit":false,"overlineAlignment":"Left","showCloseButton":true,"fontSize":"Medium Small","headlineWeight":"Bold","headlineTextAlignment":"text-align_left","showHeadline":true,"showOverline":false,"showByline":false,"showDateTime":false,"showImageDesktop":true,"imageRatioDesktop":"3:2","imagePositionDesktop":"top","showImageMobile":true,"imageRatioMobile":"3:2","imagePositionMobile":"top","paywallStatus":"premium","lazyLoad":false,"offsetOverride":0,"bottomDividerDesktop":false,"bottomDividerTablet":true,"bottomDividerMobile":true,"showDescription":false,"sizeOverride":1},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","id":"f0fSzbeZDunh1Wh","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-query","contentConfigValues":{"query":"(taxonomy.primary_section._id:\"/life-style/travel\")","size":5,"offset":0,"feedSize":5,"feedOffset":0}},"allowSpeechKit":false,"overlineAlignment":"Left","showCloseButton":false,"fontSize":"Medium Small","headlineWeight":"Bold","headlineTextAlignment":"text-align_left","showHeadline":true,"showOverline":false,"showByline":false,"showDateTime":false,"showImageDesktop":true,"imageRatioDesktop":"16:9","imagePositionDesktop":"top","showImageMobile":true,"imageRatioMobile":"3:2","imagePositionMobile":"top","paywallStatus":"premium","lazyLoad":false,"offsetOverride":1,"bottomDividerDesktop":false,"bottomDividerTablet":true,"bottomDividerMobile":true,"pbInternal_cloneId":"f0ftVNQ88QP728Q","showDescription":false,"sizeOverride":1},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","id":"f0fwpvu5Eunh1e8","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-query","contentConfigValues":{"query":"(taxonomy.primary_section._id:\"/life-style/travel\")","size":5,"offset":0,"feedSize":5,"feedOffset":0}},"allowSpeechKit":false,"overlineAlignment":"Left","showCloseButton":true,"fontSize":"Medium Small","headlineWeight":"Bold","headlineTextAlignment":"text-align_left","showHeadline":true,"showOverline":false,"showByline":false,"showDateTime":false,"showImageDesktop":true,"imageRatioDesktop":"1:1","imagePositionDesktop":"top","showImageMobile":true,"imageRatioMobile":"3:2","imagePositionMobile":"top","paywallStatus":"premium","lazyLoad":false,"offsetOverride":2,"bottomDividerDesktop":false,"bottomDividerTablet":false,"bottomDividerMobile":false,"pbInternal_cloneId":"f0fyTDvs9tut2tu","showDescription":false,"sizeOverride":1},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","id":"f0fonVv9Eunh11m","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-query","contentConfigValues":{"query":"(taxonomy.primary_section._id:\"/life-style/travel\")","size":5,"offset":0,"feedSize":5,"feedOffset":0}},"allowSpeechKit":false,"overlineAlignment":"Left","showCloseButton":true,"fontSize":"Medium Small","headlineWeight":"Bold","headlineTextAlignment":"text-align_left","showHeadline":true,"showOverline":false,"showByline":false,"showDateTime":false,"showImageDesktop":true,"imageRatioDesktop":"1:1","imagePositionDesktop":"top","showImageMobile":true,"imageRatioMobile":"3:2","imagePositionMobile":"top","paywallStatus":"premium","lazyLoad":false,"offsetOverride":3,"bottomDividerDesktop":false,"bottomDividerTablet":false,"bottomDividerMobile":false,"pbInternal_cloneId":"f0fKaGMFAwez6q9","showDescription":false,"sizeOverride":1},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}}]},{"collection":"features","type":"divider/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"divider/default","id":"f0frEWmZPEQF1ax","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"pbInternal_duplicateId":"f0frEWmZPEQF1ax"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"header/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"header/default","id":"f0fc2ltVyfHY5Ka","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"text":"GARDENING","size":"Small","pbInternal_cloneId":"f0fYac0FOM1pdst","link":"/life-style/gardening","lightFontWeight":true},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"chains","type":"flex-chain","props":{"collection":"chains","type":"flex-chain","id":"c0f20jjTtsXXvg","customFields":{"layout":"[[3,3,3,3],[6,6],[6,6]]","column1":1,"column2":1,"column3":1,"column4":1,"column5":null,"lazyLoad":false,"showDividersTablet":true,"showDividersDesktop":true,"linkText":"","linkUrl":"","pbInternal_cloneId":"c0f20jjTtsXXvg","lazyLoadApp":false,"showDividersMobile":true},"displayProperties":{}},"children":[{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","id":"f0fRcmf1tsXXfj","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-query","contentConfigValues":{"query":"(taxonomy.primary_section._id:\"/life-style/gardening\")","size":5,"offset":0,"feedSize":5,"feedOffset":0}},"allowSpeechKit":false,"overlineAlignment":"Left","showCloseButton":true,"fontSize":"Small","headlineWeight":"Bold","headlineTextAlignment":"text-align_left","showHeadline":true,"showOverline":false,"showByline":false,"showDateTime":false,"showImageDesktop":true,"imageRatioDesktop":"3:2","imagePositionDesktop":"top","showImageMobile":true,"imageRatioMobile":"3:2","imagePositionMobile":"top","paywallStatus":"premium","lazyLoad":false,"offsetOverride":0,"bottomDividerDesktop":false,"bottomDividerTablet":true,"bottomDividerMobile":true,"showDescription":false,"sizeOverride":1,"lastBottomDividerMobile":true,"lastBottomDividerTablet":true},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","id":"f0fGDxMttsXXRf","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-query","contentConfigValues":{"query":"(taxonomy.primary_section._id:\"/life-style/gardening\")","size":5,"offset":0,"feedSize":5,"feedOffset":0}},"allowSpeechKit":false,"overlineAlignment":"Left","showCloseButton":true,"fontSize":"Small","headlineWeight":"Bold","headlineTextAlignment":"text-align_left","showHeadline":true,"showOverline":false,"showByline":false,"showDateTime":false,"showImageDesktop":true,"imageRatioDesktop":"3:2","imagePositionDesktop":"top","showImageMobile":true,"imageRatioMobile":"3:2","imagePositionMobile":"top","paywallStatus":"premium","lazyLoad":false,"offsetOverride":1,"bottomDividerDesktop":false,"bottomDividerTablet":true,"bottomDividerMobile":true,"showDescription":false,"sizeOverride":1,"lastBottomDividerMobile":true,"lastBottomDividerTablet":true,"pbInternal_cloneId":"f0fCnO2Fd2M01pH"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","id":"f0fJBRQAtsXX8Q","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-query","contentConfigValues":{"query":"(taxonomy.primary_section._id:\"/life-style/gardening\")","size":5,"offset":0,"feedSize":5,"feedOffset":0}},"allowSpeechKit":false,"overlineAlignment":"Left","showCloseButton":true,"fontSize":"Small","headlineWeight":"Bold","headlineTextAlignment":"text-align_left","showHeadline":true,"showOverline":false,"showByline":false,"showDateTime":false,"showImageDesktop":true,"imageRatioDesktop":"3:2","imagePositionDesktop":"top","showImageMobile":true,"imageRatioMobile":"3:2","imagePositionMobile":"top","paywallStatus":"premium","lazyLoad":false,"offsetOverride":2,"bottomDividerDesktop":false,"bottomDividerTablet":false,"bottomDividerMobile":false,"showDescription":false,"sizeOverride":1,"lastBottomDividerMobile":false,"lastBottomDividerTablet":false,"pbInternal_cloneId":"f0fprdMlJj7m6Wv"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","id":"f0fzRIWFtsXXuC","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-query","contentConfigValues":{"query":"(taxonomy.primary_section._id:\"/life-style/gardening\")","size":5,"offset":0,"feedSize":5,"feedOffset":0}},"allowSpeechKit":false,"overlineAlignment":"Left","showCloseButton":true,"fontSize":"Small","headlineWeight":"Bold","headlineTextAlignment":"text-align_left","showHeadline":true,"showOverline":false,"showByline":false,"showDateTime":false,"showImageDesktop":true,"imageRatioDesktop":"3:2","imagePositionDesktop":"top","showImageMobile":true,"imageRatioMobile":"3:2","imagePositionMobile":"top","paywallStatus":"premium","lazyLoad":false,"offsetOverride":3,"bottomDividerDesktop":false,"bottomDividerTablet":false,"bottomDividerMobile":false,"showDescription":false,"sizeOverride":1,"lastBottomDividerMobile":false,"lastBottomDividerTablet":false,"pbInternal_cloneId":"f0fik9N7U7nT7lR"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}}]},{"collection":"features","type":"divider/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"divider/default","id":"f0fk3y8oyfHY5E1","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"global/ads-block","props":{"collection":"features","type":"global/ads-block","id":"f0fBMSocQVNe1gM","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"adType":"970x250|970x90|728x90|300x250","lazyLoad":true,"displayAdLabel":true,"reserveSpace":true},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"divider/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"divider/default","id":"f0fYfhCfK7GH7Bv","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"pbInternal_cloneId":"f0fYfhCfK7GH7Bv"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"header/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"header/default","id":"f0fv1GzDyfHY52K","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"text":"FASHION","size":"Small","link":"/life-style/fashion","lightFontWeight":true},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"chains","type":"flex-chain","props":{"collection":"chains","type":"flex-chain","id":"c0fWrQ7PyfHY5X8","customFields":{"layout":"[[3,5,2,2],[12,12,6,6],[12,12,6,6]]","column1":1,"column2":1,"column3":1,"column4":1,"column5":0,"lazyLoad":false,"showDividersTablet":true,"showDividersDesktop":true,"linkText":"","linkUrl":"","lazyLoadApp":false,"showDividersMobile":true},"displayProperties":{}},"children":[{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","id":"f0ftGNqGyfHY5Kg","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-query","contentConfigValues":{"query":"(taxonomy.primary_section._id:\"/life-style/fashion\")","size":5,"offset":0,"feedSize":5,"feedOffset":0}},"allowSpeechKit":false,"overlineAlignment":"Left","showCloseButton":true,"fontSize":"Medium Small","headlineWeight":"Bold","headlineTextAlignment":"text-align_left","showHeadline":true,"showOverline":false,"showByline":false,"showDateTime":false,"showImageDesktop":true,"imageRatioDesktop":"3:2","imagePositionDesktop":"top","showImageMobile":true,"imageRatioMobile":"3:2","imagePositionMobile":"top","paywallStatus":"premium","lazyLoad":false,"offsetOverride":0,"bottomDividerDesktop":false,"bottomDividerTablet":true,"bottomDividerMobile":true,"showDescription":false,"sizeOverride":1},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","id":"f0fBInzJyfHY5EQ","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-query","contentConfigValues":{"query":"(taxonomy.primary_section._id:\"/life-style/fashion\")","size":5,"offset":0,"feedSize":5,"feedOffset":0}},"allowSpeechKit":false,"overlineAlignment":"Left","showCloseButton":false,"fontSize":"Medium Small","headlineWeight":"Bold","headlineTextAlignment":"text-align_left","showHeadline":true,"showOverline":false,"showByline":false,"showDateTime":false,"showImageDesktop":true,"imageRatioDesktop":"16:9","imagePositionDesktop":"top","showImageMobile":true,"imageRatioMobile":"3:2","imagePositionMobile":"top","paywallStatus":"premium","lazyLoad":false,"offsetOverride":1,"bottomDividerDesktop":false,"bottomDividerTablet":true,"bottomDividerMobile":true,"pbInternal_cloneId":"f0ftVNQ88QP728Q","showDescription":false,"sizeOverride":1},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","id":"f0fNRvqMyfHY5tX","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-query","contentConfigValues":{"query":"(taxonomy.primary_section._id:\"/life-style/fashion\")","size":5,"offset":0,"feedSize":5,"feedOffset":0}},"allowSpeechKit":false,"overlineAlignment":"Left","showCloseButton":true,"fontSize":"Medium Small","headlineWeight":"Bold","headlineTextAlignment":"text-align_left","showHeadline":true,"showOverline":false,"showByline":false,"showDateTime":false,"showImageDesktop":true,"imageRatioDesktop":"1:1","imagePositionDesktop":"top","showImageMobile":true,"imageRatioMobile":"3:2","imagePositionMobile":"top","paywallStatus":"premium","lazyLoad":false,"offsetOverride":2,"bottomDividerDesktop":false,"bottomDividerTablet":false,"bottomDividerMobile":false,"pbInternal_cloneId":"f0fyTDvs9tut2tu","showDescription":false,"sizeOverride":1},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","id":"f0fKaGMFAwez6q9","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-query","contentConfigValues":{"query":"(taxonomy.primary_section._id:\"/life-style/fashion\")","size":5,"offset":0,"feedSize":5,"feedOffset":0}},"allowSpeechKit":false,"overlineAlignment":"Left","showCloseButton":true,"fontSize":"Medium Small","headlineWeight":"Bold","headlineTextAlignment":"text-align_left","showHeadline":true,"showOverline":false,"showByline":false,"showDateTime":false,"showImageDesktop":true,"imageRatioDesktop":"1:1","imagePositionDesktop":"top","showImageMobile":true,"imageRatioMobile":"3:2","imagePositionMobile":"top","paywallStatus":"premium","lazyLoad":false,"offsetOverride":3,"bottomDividerDesktop":false,"bottomDividerTablet":false,"bottomDividerMobile":false,"pbInternal_cloneId":"f0fKaGMFAwez6q9","showDescription":false,"sizeOverride":1},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}}]},{"collection":"features","type":"divider/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"divider/default","id":"f0fAz2oLxfHY5jE","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"header/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"header/default","id":"f0fqvQoizfHY5yb","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"text":"FINE ART & ANTIQUES","size":"Small","link":"/life-style/fine-art-antiques","lightFontWeight":true},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"chains","type":"flex-chain","props":{"collection":"chains","type":"flex-chain","id":"c0fUHJzwzfHY5zk","customFields":{"layout":"[[3,3,3,3],[6,6],[6,6]]","column1":1,"column2":1,"column3":1,"column4":1,"column5":null,"lazyLoad":false,"showDividersTablet":true,"showDividersDesktop":true,"linkText":"","linkUrl":"","pbInternal_cloneId":"c0fs6fmNEn2r94y","lazyLoadApp":false,"showDividersMobile":true},"displayProperties":{}},"children":[{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","id":"f0fIdeklzfHY5lm","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-query","contentConfigValues":{"query":"(taxonomy.primary_section._id:\"/life-style/fine-art-antiques\")","size":5,"offset":0,"feedSize":5,"feedOffset":0}},"allowSpeechKit":false,"overlineAlignment":"Left","showCloseButton":true,"fontSize":"Small","headlineWeight":"Bold","headlineTextAlignment":"text-align_left","showHeadline":true,"showOverline":false,"showByline":false,"showDateTime":false,"showImageDesktop":true,"imageRatioDesktop":"3:2","imagePositionDesktop":"top","showImageMobile":true,"imageRatioMobile":"3:2","imagePositionMobile":"top","paywallStatus":"premium","lazyLoad":false,"offsetOverride":0,"bottomDividerDesktop":false,"bottomDividerTablet":true,"bottomDividerMobile":true,"showDescription":false,"sizeOverride":1,"lastBottomDividerMobile":true,"lastBottomDividerTablet":true},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","id":"f0fCnO2Fd2M01pH","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-query","contentConfigValues":{"query":"(taxonomy.primary_section._id:\"/life-style/fine-art-antiques\")","size":5,"offset":0,"feedSize":5,"feedOffset":0}},"allowSpeechKit":false,"overlineAlignment":"Left","showCloseButton":true,"fontSize":"Small","headlineWeight":"Bold","headlineTextAlignment":"text-align_left","showHeadline":true,"showOverline":false,"showByline":false,"showDateTime":false,"showImageDesktop":true,"imageRatioDesktop":"3:2","imagePositionDesktop":"top","showImageMobile":true,"imageRatioMobile":"3:2","imagePositionMobile":"top","paywallStatus":"premium","lazyLoad":false,"offsetOverride":1,"bottomDividerDesktop":false,"bottomDividerTablet":true,"bottomDividerMobile":true,"showDescription":false,"sizeOverride":1,"lastBottomDividerMobile":true,"lastBottomDividerTablet":true,"pbInternal_cloneId":"f0fCnO2Fd2M01pH"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","id":"f0fprdMlJj7m6Wv","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-query","contentConfigValues":{"query":"(taxonomy.primary_section._id:\"/life-style/fine-art-antiques\")","size":5,"offset":0,"feedSize":5,"feedOffset":0}},"allowSpeechKit":false,"overlineAlignment":"Left","showCloseButton":true,"fontSize":"Small","headlineWeight":"Bold","headlineTextAlignment":"text-align_left","showHeadline":true,"showOverline":false,"showByline":false,"showDateTime":false,"showImageDesktop":true,"imageRatioDesktop":"3:2","imagePositionDesktop":"top","showImageMobile":true,"imageRatioMobile":"3:2","imagePositionMobile":"top","paywallStatus":"premium","lazyLoad":false,"offsetOverride":2,"bottomDividerDesktop":false,"bottomDividerTablet":false,"bottomDividerMobile":false,"showDescription":false,"sizeOverride":1,"lastBottomDividerMobile":false,"lastBottomDividerTablet":false,"pbInternal_cloneId":"f0fprdMlJj7m6Wv"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","id":"f0fik9N7U7nT7lR","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-query","contentConfigValues":{"query":"(taxonomy.primary_section._id:\"/life-style/fine-art-antiques\")","size":5,"offset":0,"feedSize":5,"feedOffset":0}},"allowSpeechKit":false,"overlineAlignment":"Left","showCloseButton":true,"fontSize":"Small","headlineWeight":"Bold","headlineTextAlignment":"text-align_left","showHeadline":true,"showOverline":false,"showByline":false,"showDateTime":false,"showImageDesktop":true,"imageRatioDesktop":"3:2","imagePositionDesktop":"top","showImageMobile":true,"imageRatioMobile":"3:2","imagePositionMobile":"top","paywallStatus":"premium","lazyLoad":false,"offsetOverride":3,"bottomDividerDesktop":false,"bottomDividerTablet":false,"bottomDividerMobile":false,"showDescription":false,"sizeOverride":1,"lastBottomDividerMobile":false,"lastBottomDividerTablet":false,"pbInternal_cloneId":"f0fik9N7U7nT7lR"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}}]},{"collection":"features","type":"divider/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"divider/default","id":"f0fcqTGSyfHY5oI","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"pbInternal_cloneId":"f0flwFtLQTWp6DN"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"chains","type":"flex-chain","props":{"collection":"chains","type":"flex-chain","id":"c0fEFMgqgNJS81o","customFields":{"linkText":"","linkUrl":"","layout":"[[4,4,4],[12,12,12],[]]","column1":1,"column2":2,"column3":2,"column4":0,"column5":0,"showDividersDesktop":true,"showDividersTablet":true,"showDividersMobile":true},"displayProperties":{}},"children":[{"collection":"features","type":"global/ads-block","props":{"collection":"features","type":"global/ads-block","id":"f0fVGvkwVHGO84L","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"adType":"Fluid","lazyLoad":true,"displayAdLabel":false,"reserveSpace":false},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"Newsletter-Signup/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"Newsletter-Signup/default","id":"f0fewzQXdulP8qX","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"inheritGlobalContent":false,"sectionId":"/food","customHeadline":"Newsletter Title","customDescription":"Newsletter Description","customImage":"","customActiveCampaign":"","imagePos":"left"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"Newsletter-Signup/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"Newsletter-Signup/default","id":"f0fD6am2QfGQ84J","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"inheritGlobalContent":false,"sectionId":"","customHeadline":"The Gloss","customDescription":"Keep up to date with the glossiest fashion news, looks and trends for you and your home. Make sure you never miss a copy of The Gloss","customImage":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/25FGI4R7IRBOFIIF35WMQY7HCQ.jpg","customActiveCampaign":47,"imagePos":"left","pbInternal_cloneId":"f0fD6am2QfGQ84J"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"Newsletter-Signup/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"Newsletter-Signup/default","id":"f0ffUuzgj2JQ8Fo","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"inheritGlobalContent":false,"sectionId":"/abroad","customHeadline":"Newsletter Title","customDescription":"Newsletter Description","customImage":"","customActiveCampaign":"","imagePos":"left","pbInternal_cloneId":"f0ffUuzgj2JQ8Fo"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"Newsletter-Signup/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"Newsletter-Signup/default","id":"f0f4BKUjTOFh7im","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"inheritGlobalContent":false,"sectionId":"","customHeadline":"Something for the Weekend","customDescription":"Sign up to be the first getting the offers, competitions, and a sneak preview of what's coming up over the weekend","customImage":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/CIXY47VSPBC2RGG5EGS4NJHSDY.jpg","customActiveCampaign":466,"imagePos":"left","pbInternal_cloneId":"f0f4BKUjTOFh7im"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}}]},{"collection":"features","type":"divider/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"divider/default","id":"f0fpD81GoMTV81J","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"pbInternal_cloneId":"f0fpD81GoMTV81J"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"header/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"header/default","id":"f0fPnCR4yfHY5Ts","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"text":"THE WOMEN'S PODCAST","size":"Small","lightFontWeight":true,"link":"/podcasts/the-womens-podcast"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"chains","type":"flex-chain","props":{"collection":"chains","type":"flex-chain","id":"c0fmpGtSspVq52a","customFields":{"layout":"[[3,3,3,3],[6,6],[6,6]]","column1":1,"column2":1,"column3":1,"column4":1,"column5":0,"lazyLoad":false,"showDividersTablet":true,"showDividersDesktop":true,"linkText":"","linkUrl":"","pbInternal_cloneId":"c0fmpGtSspVq52a","lazyLoadApp":false,"showDividersMobile":true},"displayProperties":{}},"children":[{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","id":"f0f791L3spVq5Yz","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-sections","contentConfigValues":{"includeSections":"/podcasts/the-womens-podcast","feedSize":5,"feedOffset":0}},"sizeOverride":1,"allowSpeechKit":true,"overlineAlignment":"Left","showCloseButton":true,"fontSize":"Small","headlineWeight":"Bold","headlineTextAlignment":"text-align_left","showHeadline":true,"showOverline":false,"showByline":false,"showDateTime":false,"showLiveStoryTimeline":false,"liveStoryEntriesCount":4,"showImageDesktop":true,"imageRatioDesktop":"3:2","imagePositionDesktop":"top","showImageMobile":true,"imageRatioMobile":"1:1","imagePositionMobile":"top","paywallStatus":"premium","lastBottomDividerDesktop":false,"lastBottomDividerTablet":true,"lastBottomDividerMobile":true,"isPremiumContent":true,"offsetOverride":1,"bottomDividerTablet":true,"bottomDividerMobile":true},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","id":"f0fARlDvspVq5v8","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-sections","contentConfigValues":{"includeSections":"/podcasts/the-womens-podcast","feedSize":5,"feedOffset":0}},"sizeOverride":1,"allowSpeechKit":true,"overlineAlignment":"Left","showCloseButton":true,"fontSize":"Small","headlineWeight":"Bold","headlineTextAlignment":"text-align_left","showHeadline":true,"showOverline":false,"showByline":false,"showDateTime":false,"showLiveStoryTimeline":false,"liveStoryEntriesCount":4,"showImageDesktop":true,"imageRatioDesktop":"3:2","imagePositionDesktop":"top","showImageMobile":true,"imageRatioMobile":"1:1","imagePositionMobile":"top","paywallStatus":"premium","lastBottomDividerDesktop":false,"lastBottomDividerTablet":true,"lastBottomDividerMobile":true,"isPremiumContent":true,"offsetOverride":2,"bottomDividerTablet":true,"bottomDividerMobile":true,"pbInternal_cloneId":"f0fKylDWVLUX4Nb"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","id":"f0fPRe5BspVq5RF","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-sections","contentConfigValues":{"includeSections":"/podcasts/the-womens-podcast","feedSize":5,"feedOffset":0}},"sizeOverride":1,"allowSpeechKit":true,"overlineAlignment":"Left","showCloseButton":true,"fontSize":"Small","headlineWeight":"Bold","headlineTextAlignment":"text-align_left","showHeadline":true,"showOverline":false,"showByline":false,"showDateTime":false,"showLiveStoryTimeline":false,"liveStoryEntriesCount":4,"showImageDesktop":true,"imageRatioDesktop":"3:2","imagePositionDesktop":"top","showImageMobile":true,"imageRatioMobile":"1:1","imagePositionMobile":"top","paywallStatus":"premium","lastBottomDividerDesktop":false,"lastBottomDividerTablet":false,"lastBottomDividerMobile":false,"isPremiumContent":true,"offsetOverride":3,"bottomDividerTablet":false,"bottomDividerMobile":false,"pbInternal_cloneId":"f0fAUKf4ipXX4iN"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","id":"f0f0DajFspVq5wT","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-sections","contentConfigValues":{"includeSections":"/podcasts/the-womens-podcast","feedSize":5,"feedOffset":0}},"sizeOverride":1,"allowSpeechKit":true,"overlineAlignment":"Left","showCloseButton":true,"fontSize":"Small","headlineWeight":"Bold","headlineTextAlignment":"text-align_left","showHeadline":true,"showOverline":false,"showByline":false,"showDateTime":false,"showLiveStoryTimeline":false,"liveStoryEntriesCount":4,"showImageDesktop":true,"imageRatioDesktop":"3:2","imagePositionDesktop":"top","showImageMobile":true,"imageRatioMobile":"1:1","imagePositionMobile":"top","paywallStatus":"premium","lastBottomDividerDesktop":false,"lastBottomDividerTablet":false,"lastBottomDividerMobile":false,"isPremiumContent":true,"offsetOverride":4,"bottomDividerTablet":false,"bottomDividerMobile":false,"pbInternal_cloneId":"f0fD435xxwAx8km"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}}]},{"collection":"features","type":"divider/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"divider/default","id":"f0fsXCXAyfHY5DE","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"pbInternal_cloneId":"f0fVI7CfIjgY81f"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"header/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"header/default","id":"f0fT5JqryfHY5vr","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"text":"ROSS O'CARROLL-KELLY","size":"Small","pbInternal_cloneId":"f0fbR4lKyQTQ8s5","link":"/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly","lightFontWeight":true},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"chains","type":"flex-chain","props":{"collection":"chains","type":"flex-chain","id":"c0fRLArxyfHY5Qk","customFields":{"layout":"[[3,3,3,3],[6,6],[6,6]]","column1":1,"column2":1,"column3":1,"column4":1,"column5":0,"lazyLoad":false,"showDividersTablet":true,"showDividersDesktop":true,"linkText":"","linkUrl":"","pbInternal_cloneId":"c0ft5jhS60Nk9NE","lazyLoadApp":false,"showDividersMobile":true},"displayProperties":{}},"children":[{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","id":"f0fNPhLuyfHY571","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-sections","contentConfigValues":{"includeSections":"/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly","feedSize":5,"feedOffset":0}},"sizeOverride":1,"allowSpeechKit":true,"overlineAlignment":"Left","showCloseButton":true,"fontSize":"Small","headlineWeight":"Bold","headlineTextAlignment":"text-align_left","showHeadline":true,"showOverline":false,"showByline":false,"showDateTime":false,"showLiveStoryTimeline":false,"liveStoryEntriesCount":4,"showImageDesktop":true,"imageRatioDesktop":"3:2","imagePositionDesktop":"top","showImageMobile":true,"imageRatioMobile":"1:1","imagePositionMobile":"top","paywallStatus":"premium","lastBottomDividerDesktop":false,"lastBottomDividerTablet":true,"lastBottomDividerMobile":true,"isPremiumContent":true,"offsetOverride":1,"bottomDividerTablet":true,"bottomDividerMobile":true},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","id":"f0fKylDWVLUX4Nb","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-sections","contentConfigValues":{"includeSections":"/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly","feedSize":5,"feedOffset":0}},"sizeOverride":1,"allowSpeechKit":true,"overlineAlignment":"Left","showCloseButton":true,"fontSize":"Small","headlineWeight":"Bold","headlineTextAlignment":"text-align_left","showHeadline":true,"showOverline":false,"showByline":false,"showDateTime":false,"showLiveStoryTimeline":false,"liveStoryEntriesCount":4,"showImageDesktop":true,"imageRatioDesktop":"3:2","imagePositionDesktop":"top","showImageMobile":true,"imageRatioMobile":"1:1","imagePositionMobile":"top","paywallStatus":"premium","lastBottomDividerDesktop":false,"lastBottomDividerTablet":true,"lastBottomDividerMobile":true,"isPremiumContent":true,"offsetOverride":2,"bottomDividerTablet":true,"bottomDividerMobile":true,"pbInternal_cloneId":"f0fKylDWVLUX4Nb"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","id":"f0fAUKf4ipXX4iN","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-sections","contentConfigValues":{"includeSections":"/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly","feedSize":5,"feedOffset":0}},"sizeOverride":1,"allowSpeechKit":true,"overlineAlignment":"Left","showCloseButton":true,"fontSize":"Small","headlineWeight":"Bold","headlineTextAlignment":"text-align_left","showHeadline":true,"showOverline":false,"showByline":false,"showDateTime":false,"showLiveStoryTimeline":false,"liveStoryEntriesCount":4,"showImageDesktop":true,"imageRatioDesktop":"3:2","imagePositionDesktop":"top","showImageMobile":true,"imageRatioMobile":"1:1","imagePositionMobile":"top","paywallStatus":"premium","lastBottomDividerDesktop":false,"lastBottomDividerTablet":false,"lastBottomDividerMobile":false,"isPremiumContent":true,"offsetOverride":3,"bottomDividerTablet":false,"bottomDividerMobile":false,"pbInternal_cloneId":"f0fAUKf4ipXX4iN"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","id":"f0fD435xxwAx8km","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-sections","contentConfigValues":{"includeSections":"/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly","feedSize":5,"feedOffset":0}},"sizeOverride":1,"allowSpeechKit":true,"overlineAlignment":"Left","showCloseButton":true,"fontSize":"Small","headlineWeight":"Bold","headlineTextAlignment":"text-align_left","showHeadline":true,"showOverline":false,"showByline":false,"showDateTime":false,"showLiveStoryTimeline":false,"liveStoryEntriesCount":4,"showImageDesktop":true,"imageRatioDesktop":"3:2","imagePositionDesktop":"top","showImageMobile":true,"imageRatioMobile":"1:1","imagePositionMobile":"top","paywallStatus":"premium","lastBottomDividerDesktop":false,"lastBottomDividerTablet":false,"lastBottomDividerMobile":false,"isPremiumContent":true,"offsetOverride":4,"bottomDividerTablet":false,"bottomDividerMobile":false,"pbInternal_cloneId":"f0fD435xxwAx8km"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}}]},{"collection":"features","type":"divider/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"divider/default","id":"f0fpqkfoa9wJ46r","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"pbInternal_cloneId":"f0fpqkfoa9wJ46r"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"global/ads-block","props":{"collection":"features","type":"global/ads-block","id":"f0fsMbr4TRFD4pH","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"adType":"970x250|970x90|728x90|300x250","lazyLoad":true,"displayAdLabel":true,"reserveSpace":false},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"divider/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"divider/default","id":"f0fht5hRQFFJ4kz","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"pbInternal_cloneId":"f0fht5hRQFFJ4kz"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}}]},{"collection":"sections","props":{"collection":"sections","id":2},"children":[]},{"collection":"sections","props":{"collection":"sections","id":3},"children":[{"collection":"chains","type":"flex-chain","props":{"collection":"chains","type":"flex-chain","id":"c0fwpk3WT4Zs62J","customFields":{"linkText":"","linkUrl":"","layout":"[[12],[12],[]]","column1":1,"column2":0,"column3":0,"column4":0,"column5":0,"lazyLoadApp":true},"displayProperties":{}},"children":[{"collection":"features","type":"@wpmedia/results-list-block/results-list","props":{"collection":"features","type":"@wpmedia/results-list-block/results-list","id":"f0f9ohCGpwar6yp","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"listContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-sections","contentConfigValues":{"includeSections":"/life-style","feedSize":20,"feedOffset":0}},"showHeadline":true,"showImage":true,"showDescription":false,"showByline":false,"showDate":false},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}}]}]},{"collection":"sections","props":{"collection":"sections","id":4},"children":[{"collection":"chains","type":"sticky-chain","props":{"collection":"chains","type":"sticky-chain","id":"c0f3bTqwbq093CP","customFields":{"stickyItem":3},"displayProperties":{}},"children":[{"collection":"features","type":"header/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"header/default","id":"f0fdtA37suth74f-4-0-0","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"text":"MOST READ","link":"/most-read/","size":"Small","lightFontWeight":true},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"@wpmedia/numbered-list-block/numbered-list","props":{"collection":"features","type":"@wpmedia/numbered-list-block/numbered-list","id":"f0fT6eSZkVlD6qv-4-0-1","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"listContentConfig":{"contentService":"most-popular","contentConfigValues":{"size":5,"section":""}},"showHeadline":true,"showImage":true},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"global/ads-block","props":{"collection":"features","type":"global/ads-block","id":"f0fvYtLWRYJ38bq-4-0-2","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"adType":"300x250|300x600","lazyLoad":true,"displayAdLabel":true,"reserveSpace":false},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}}]}]},{"collection":"sections","props":{"collection":"sections","id":5},"children":[{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"flex-promo/default","id":"f0fOh0oP5WBb5k7","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"itemContentConfig":{"contentService":"story-feed-sections","contentConfigValues":{"includeSections":"/life-style","feedSize":50,"feedOffset":0}},"sizeOverride":null,"itemsPerPage":50,"allowSpeechKit":false,"overlineAlignment":"Left","showCloseButton":true,"fontSize":"Medium Small","headlineWeight":"Bold","headlineTextAlignment":"text-align_left","showHeadline":true,"showDescription":true,"showOverline":false,"showByline":false,"showDateTime":false,"showLiveStoryTimeline":false,"liveStoryEntriesCount":4,"showImageDesktop":true,"imageRatioDesktop":"16:9","imagePositionDesktop":"left","showImageMobile":true,"imageRatioMobile":"16:9","imagePositionMobile":"right","paywallStatus":"premium","bottomDividerDesktop":true,"bottomDividerTablet":true,"bottomDividerMobile":true,"lastBottomDividerDesktop":true,"lastBottomDividerTablet":true,"lastBottomDividerMobile":true},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}}]},{"collection":"sections","props":{"collection":"sections","id":6},"children":[]},{"collection":"sections","props":{"collection":"sections","id":7},"children":[{"collection":"chains","type":"flex-chain","props":{"collection":"chains","type":"flex-chain","id":"c0fyRCymAfHY5Rs","customFields":{"layout":"[[12],[12],[]]","column1":2,"column2":0,"column3":0,"column4":0,"column5":0},"displayProperties":{}},"children":[{"collection":"features","type":"divider/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"divider/default","id":"f0fJRcvZHCYp5hP-7-0-0","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"header/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"header/default","id":"f0fo9BQ2IF9q5vY-7-0-1","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"size":"Small","text":"YOU MAY ALSO LIKE...","lightFontWeight":true},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}}]},{"collection":"chains","type":"flex-chain","props":{"collection":"chains","type":"flex-chain","id":"c0fBOXsQAfHY5np","customFields":{"lazyLoad":false,"lazyLoadApp":false,"layout":"[[4,4,4],[12,12,12],[]]","column1":2,"column2":2,"column3":3,"column4":0,"column5":0,"showDividersDesktop":true},"displayProperties":{}},"children":[{"collection":"features","type":"@wpmedia/medium-manual-promo-block/medium-manual-promo","props":{"collection":"features","type":"@wpmedia/medium-manual-promo-block/medium-manual-promo","id":"f0fnfpfiKxrw1Yy-7-1-0","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"headline":"Crosswords & Puzzles","description":"Crosswords & puzzles to keep you challenged and entertained","imageURL":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/QF3X7Z2CJNEZHPDUSBJU7N52M4.png","linkURL":"/crosswords-puzzles/","showHeadline":true,"showImage":true,"showDescription":true,"imageRatio":"3:2"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"@wpmedia/htmlbox-block/htmlbox","props":{"collection":"features","type":"@wpmedia/htmlbox-block/htmlbox","id":"f0fBjMyQ3IsI2BJ-7-1-1","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"HTML":"<div align=\"center\">\n <iframe src=\"https://www.recruitireland.com/embed/search/jobs \"\n width=\"100%\"\n height=\"380px\"\n frameBorder=\"0\"\n loading=\"lazy\"\n style=\"min-width: 300px; max-width: 450px; display: block\">\n </iframe>\n</div>","pbInternal_cloneId":"f0fBjMyQ3IsI2BJ"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"@wpmedia/htmlbox-block/htmlbox","props":{"collection":"features","type":"@wpmedia/htmlbox-block/htmlbox","id":"f0fbmafAKxrw1C4-7-1-2","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"HTML":"<b><center>The Irish Times ePaper</center></b>"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"@wpmedia/htmlbox-block/htmlbox","props":{"collection":"features","type":"@wpmedia/htmlbox-block/htmlbox","id":"f0fEw5REKxrw1d1-7-1-3","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"HTML":"<style>\n a.epaper-link {\n text-decoration: none;\n }\n\n .epaper-bg {\n background-color: #f1f1f1;\n width: 100%;\n margin: auto;\n padding: 2px;\n }\n\n .epaper {\n width: 100%;\n height: 530px;\n margin: 20px auto;\n background-image: url(\"https://irishtimes-irishtimes-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/WoiCg-HuQT0vbRYhs9ZZLxsEyBc=/arc-photo-irishtimes/eu-central-1-prod/public/SFHQMXWUAJB6THFBFIMLCTEGPE.png\");\n background-position: center;\n background-repeat: no-repeat;\n background-size: contain;\n animation: epaper--animation 30s ease forwards 5;\n opacity: 0;\n }\n\n @keyframes epaper--animation {\n 0% {\n opacity: 1;\n }\n\n 3% {\n opacity: 1;\n }\n\n 7.5% {\n background-image: url(\"https://irishtimes-irishtimes-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/WoiCg-HuQT0vbRYhs9ZZLxsEyBc=/arc-photo-irishtimes/eu-central-1-prod/public/SFHQMXWUAJB6THFBFIMLCTEGPE.png\");\n opacity: 0;\n }\n\n 7.6% {\n background-image: url(\"https://irishtimes-irishtimes-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/o1nhqi_gxGQqIGONiXa2Gh5bgQs=/arc-photo-irishtimes/eu-central-1-prod/public/H2CCKPCMV5HI3DMOFUHTAUMTLE.png\");\n opacity: 0;\n }\n\n 12% {\n opacity: 1;\n }\n\n 25% {\n opacity: 1;\n }\n\n 30.5% {\n background-image: url(\"https://irishtimes-irishtimes-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/o1nhqi_gxGQqIGONiXa2Gh5bgQs=/arc-photo-irishtimes/eu-central-1-prod/public/H2CCKPCMV5HI3DMOFUHTAUMTLE.png\");\n opacity: 0;\n }\n\n 30.6% {\n background-image: url(\"https://irishtimes-irishtimes-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/uXAw0csJa4oy9GEtudqVFYJz7xs=/arc-photo-irishtimes/eu-central-1-prod/public/3HMM3WSTX5EGJDLXI7DC67ANCQ.png\");\n opacity: 0;\n }\n\n 35% {\n opacity: 1;\n }\n\n 55% {\n opacity: 1;\n }\n\n 60.5% {\n background-image: url(\"https://irishtimes-irishtimes-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/uXAw0csJa4oy9GEtudqVFYJz7xs=/arc-photo-irishtimes/eu-central-1-prod/public/3HMM3WSTX5EGJDLXI7DC67ANCQ.png\");\n opacity: 0;\n }\n\n 60.6% {\n background-image: url(\"https://irishtimes-irishtimes-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/pY4nBgIYPKMSvjqcnzXqjMk52Gg=/arc-photo-irishtimes/eu-central-1-prod/public/WYQ7LHQVD5AYXKU3CEQADTD44Y.png\");\n opacity: 0;\n }\n\n 65% {\n opacity: 1;\n }\n\n 85% {\n opacity: 1;\n }\n\n 90.5% {\n background-image: url(\"https://irishtimes-irishtimes-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/pY4nBgIYPKMSvjqcnzXqjMk52Gg=/arc-photo-irishtimes/eu-central-1-prod/public/WYQ7LHQVD5AYXKU3CEQADTD44Y.png\");\n opacity: 0;\n }\n\n 90.6% {\n background-image: url(\"https://irishtimes-irishtimes-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/WoiCg-HuQT0vbRYhs9ZZLxsEyBc=/arc-photo-irishtimes/eu-central-1-prod/public/SFHQMXWUAJB6THFBFIMLCTEGPE.png\");\n opacity: 0;\n }\n\n 95% {\n opacity: 1;\n }\n\n 100% {\n opacity: 1;\n }\n }\n</style>\n\n<div class=\"epaper-bg\">\n <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/epaper\"\n class=\"epaper-link\" target=\"_blank\">\n <div class=\"epaper\"></div>\n </a>\n</div>","pbInternal_cloneId":"f0ffBDyzX4Hz4Oo"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"@wpmedia/medium-manual-promo-block/medium-manual-promo","props":{"collection":"features","type":"@wpmedia/medium-manual-promo-block/medium-manual-promo","id":"f0f8FsFvKxrw1uX-7-1-4","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"headline":"The Gloss","description":"Read the digital edition of The Gloss magazine now","imageURL":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/ZZMAPNLL3ZBPTEDVTIA3THWE3U.jpg","linkURL":" https://digitaleditiondemo.irishtimes.com/irishtimesdemo/219/","newTab":true,"showHeadline":true,"showImage":true,"showDescription":true,"imageRatio":"3:2"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"@wpmedia/medium-manual-promo-block/medium-manual-promo","props":{"collection":"features","type":"@wpmedia/medium-manual-promo-block/medium-manual-promo","id":"f0f61LEvtXxN2Bb-7-1-5","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"headline":"Gloss Interiors ","description":"Stay ahead of the trend with the Autumn edition","imageURL":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/XJ5Y4OGJXNGAFFGK3SM5GNMST4.jpg","linkURL":"https://digitaleditiondemo.irishtimes.com/irishtimesdemo/210","showHeadline":true,"showImage":true,"showDescription":true,"imageRatio":"3:2"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"@wpmedia/medium-manual-promo-block/medium-manual-promo","props":{"collection":"features","type":"@wpmedia/medium-manual-promo-block/medium-manual-promo","id":"f0fG4hZJKxrw1u7-7-1-6","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"headline":"Family Notices","description":"Weddings, Births, Deaths and other family notices","imageURL":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/6RIXRYTX4RC4FOGBX6TGGNZHDU.jpg","linkURL":"https://notices.irishtimes.com/","showHeadline":true,"showImage":true,"showDescription":true,"imageRatio":"3:2"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}}]},{"collection":"features","type":"divider/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"divider/default","id":"f0fRldD7QKpl6is","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"global/ads-block","props":{"collection":"features","type":"global/ads-block","id":"f0fNLJDrDpHxaX0","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"adType":"970x250|970x90|728x90|300x250","lazyLoad":true,"displayAdLabel":true,"reserveSpace":false},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"divider/default","props":{"collection":"features","type":"divider/default","id":"f0fFS4aOIVpwaXc","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"pbInternal_cloneId":"f0fFS4aOIVpwaXc"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}}]},{"collection":"sections","props":{"collection":"sections","id":8},"children":[{"collection":"chains","type":"flex-chain","props":{"collection":"chains","type":"flex-chain","id":"c0fS6sEdBfHY5uE","customFields":{"layout":"[[12],[12],[]]","column1":4,"column2":1,"column3":1,"column4":1,"column5":1,"showDividersTablet":null,"showDividersMobile":null,"lazyLoad":null,"lazyLoadApp":null,"linkText":null,"linkUrl":null,"showDividersDesktop":null},"displayProperties":{}},"children":[{"collection":"features","type":"@wpmedia/htmlbox-block/htmlbox","props":{"collection":"features","type":"@wpmedia/htmlbox-block/htmlbox","id":"f0fbv2KMxkeL6rG-8-0-0","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"HTML":"<style>\n/*Override copyright*/\n.copyright-column p,\n.copyright,\n/*Footer*/\nfooter .footer-header,\nfooter .footer-section ul,\n[aria-label=\"our-partners\"],\n[aria-label=\"our-partners\"] span,\n.b-links-bar span,\nfooter span {\n font-family: Roboto, sans-serif;\n color: #575757;\n}\n\n/* Change the order in the footer*/\nfooter .legacy-footer-row {\n position: relative;\n}\n\n/*Hide the logo from the footer*/\nfooter .primaryLogo,\nfooter hr {\n display: none!important;\n}\n\n/* Hide the top border in the footer*/\nfooter .section-separator {\n border-top: none;\n}\n\nfooter .socialBtn-container,\nfooter .socialBtn-container a {\n border: none;\n}\n\n/*Copyright*/\n.copyright-column {\n width: 82%!important;\n}\n\n.copyright-column p {\n text-align: right!important;\n}\n\n.copyright {\n font-size: small;\n padding: 0;\n}\n\n/* Style our partners*/\n[aria-label=\"our-partners\"] {\n background-color: #f1f1f1;\n padding-top: 0.75rem;\n padding-bottom: 0.75rem;\n margin-bottom: 1rem;\n}\n\n[aria-label=\"our-partners\"] hr,\n {\n display: none;\n}\n\n[aria-label=\"our-partners\"]:before {\n font-size: small;\n content: 'Our partners: ';\n font-weight: bold;\n color: #575757;\n text-transform: uppercase;\n}\n\n\n/*Mobile styles*/\n@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {\n footer {\n margin-bottom: 0 !important;\n }\n\n footer .layout-section>* {\n margin-bottom: 0;\n }\n\n .legacy-footer-row {\n display:flex;\n flex-direction: row;\n /*background-color:#f1f1f1;*/\n width: 100vw;\n position: relative;\n left: -20px;\n padding-top: 2rem;\n }\n\n .footer-header {\n text-align: center;\n }\n\n .footer-item {\n text-align: center;\n font-size: 14px;\n }\n\n [aria-label=\"our-partners\"] {\n display: block;\n text-align: center;\n color: #000;\n margin-bottom: 0;\n }\n\n [aria-label=\"our-partners\"]:before {\n text-align: center;\n display: block;\n }\n\n [aria-label=\"our-partners\"] .b-links-menu {\n display: flex;\n flex-direction: column;\n text-align: center;\n visibility: hidden;\n height: 40px;\n }\n\n\n [aria-label=\"our-partners\"] .b-links-menu a {\n visibility: visible;\n }\n\n .apps {\n padding-top: 0.75rem;\n border-top: 2px solid #000;\n border-bottom: 2px solid #000;\n padding-bottom: 1rem;\n }\n[aria-label=\"our-partners\"] .c-separator\n {\n --separator-content: var(--c-separator-content, none);\n display: block;\n margin-bottom: 0.2rem;\n}\n .static-footer-links {\n background-color: #333;\n padding: 1rem;\n display: block !important;\n margin-bottom: 0 !important;\n }\n\n .static-footer-links .static-footer-links-item {\n border-right: none;\n }\n\n .static-footer-links a {\n color: #fff !important;\n border-right: none;\n padding: 0.5rem;\n }\n\n}\n\n</style>"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"@wpmedia/footer-block/footer","props":{"collection":"features","type":"@wpmedia/footer-block/footer","id":"f0flUJg92ynm6Pm-8-0-1","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"navigationConfig":{"contentService":"site-service-hierarchy","contentConfigValues":{"hierarchy":"footer"}},"lazyLoad":false},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"@wpmedia/htmlbox-block/htmlbox","props":{"collection":"features","type":"@wpmedia/htmlbox-block/htmlbox","id":"f0fcSRSNS9zi6b4-8-0-2","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"HTML":"<div class=\"apps text-align_center\" style=\"margin:0 auto;text-align:center;\">\n <span class=\"font_bold\" style=\"display:block;\"><b>Download the app</b></span>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://apps.apple.com/ie/developer/the-irish-times-ltd/id365544597\">\n <img alt=\"Download on the App Store\" src=\"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/BJJKNJJHDJDGDDODHEER7FDH44.png\" width=\"108\" height=\"34\" loading=\"lazy\"></a>\n \n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=The+Irish+Times+Ltd\">\n <img alt=\"Download on Google Play\" src=\"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/T2XGUGDSUZCOZAYIQEKG2TWML4.png\" width=\"108\" height=\"34\" loading=\"lazy\"></a>\n</div>\n<style>\n.apps img{\nmargin-top:0.55rem;\n}\n.apps span{position:relative;display:block;margin-bottom:0;padding-bottom:0;color:#575757;font-size:1rem; }\n</style>"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}},{"collection":"features","type":"@wpmedia/links-bar-block/links-bar","props":{"collection":"features","type":"@wpmedia/links-bar-block/links-bar","id":"f0fUmIxk2ynm6t2-8-0-3","contentConfig":{"contentService":"","contentConfigValues":{},"inherit":true},"customFields":{"navigationConfig":{"contentService":"site-service-hierarchy-it","contentConfigValues":{"hierarchy":"our-partners","sectionId":""}},"ariaLabel":"our-partners"},"displayProperties":{},"localEdits":{},"variants":{}}}]}]}]};Fusion.spa=false;Fusion.spaEnabled=false;</script><script type="application/javascript"> setTimeout(function () { var permutiveSdk = permutive || window.permutive; if (permutiveSdk) { var cookieArr = document.cookie.split(';'); for (var i = 0; i < cookieArr.length; i++) { var cookiePair = cookieArr[i].split('='); if ('blaize_tracking_id' === cookiePair[0].trim()) { var blaizeTrackingIdCookie = decodeURIComponent(cookiePair[1]); permutiveSdk.identify(blaizeTrackingIdCookie); break; } } } }, 100); setTimeout(function () { var permutiveSdk = permutive || window.permutive; if (permutiveSdk) { permutiveSdk.segments(function (segments) { var retrieveSegmentsXhr = new (XMLHttpRequest || ActiveXObject)('MSXML2.XMLHTTP.3.0'); retrieveSegmentsXhr.open('POST', '/plugins/public/permutive/update-segments', true); retrieveSegmentsXhr.setRequestHeader('Content-type', 'application/json'); retrieveSegmentsXhr.withCredentials = true; retrieveSegmentsXhr.send(JSON.stringify(segments)); }); } }, 1000); </script></body></html>