There are many animals that reach a great age. Tortoises and turtles are especially long-lived. In his lovely 1948 book ‘Over the Reefs’, Cork-born writer and artist Robert Gibbings (whose father was rector of St. Multose Church in Kinsale) told of a radiated tortoise called Tu’i Malila that lived as […]
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Growing up in rural West Cork in the fifties, practically every housewife kept a flock of hens. Domestic hens are direct descendants of wild Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus) and grey Junglefowl (Gallus sonneratti) from southern Asia. These domesticated birds have spread to every corner of the earth. There are hundreds […]
It’s very difficult to change a perception of anything once it becomes established in popular culture. It always seems to me that Irish people like that we have some link and heritage with the Vikings. They come from an era that was pre Anglo-Norman, who of course became the permanent […]
by Holly Cairns TD Too often, it takes women speaking out about their own trauma and experience of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence before the Government or institutions of the State take any action. Time and time again we hear of the appalling behaviour of those in a position of […]
July seems to be the month that summer takes a break. All the cloudy weather is very frustrating but at least there’s what I call the five o’clock phenomenon when the sun seems to make an appearance and shines like it’s been out all day. We have a couple of […]
One of the highlights of any trip to China is the Great Wall. To enjoy it, you must see those sections far away from Beijing, where there will be fewer tourists and less commercialism. Unfortunately, when I first lived in China, nearly twenty years ago, my visit to the Great […]