In brief: Celebrate EU Talent Day with art and culture events across the country
PEOPLE of all ages are invited to celebrate EU Talent Day on Saturday, April 9. The event provides a great opportunity to celebrate Irish talent in all its forms. Events in Dublin include a picnic at Dublin Zoo, followed by a tour; a Viking discovery tour at the National Museum, and family events at the National Gallery
In tandem with Talent Day, National Gifted Education Awareness Day, Friday, April 8, aims to promote awareness among teachers of the needs of Exceptionally Able children.
Education Minister Ruairi Quinn welcomed both initiatives. "We must nurture and support talent and giftedness if we are to meet the challenges which face today's society," he said. "This is a great opportunity to recognise and celebrate talent in many disciplines, and to promote an inclusive education system which meets all our students' needs."
Apprentices prepare to show off skills
THE National Skills Competition kicks off in Dublin and Cork tomorrow, with apprentices from all over the country competing in 21 different trades.
The winner in each trade will represent Ireland in October at WorldSkills London 2011, the prestigious bi-annual event dubbed the 'Olympics for tradespeople'.
Hosted by Snickers Workwear, the National Skills Competition takes place at the Dublin and Cork Institutes of Technology from April 4-8.
Expert advice on living with diabetes
THE Diabetes Federation of Ireland's National Spring Meeting is at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Athlone next Sunday at 2pm. Expert speakers will provide information on living with diabetes at the meeting, which is free.
Obesity rates treble in two decades
OVER the past 20 years, obesity has increased more than three-fold in men and 1.7-fold in women in Ireland, claims a new national survey. Almost 26 per cent of men are now obese, up from eight per cent in 1990. The rate of obesity in women is 21 per cent, up from 13 per cent.
New label donates proceeds to Japan
A DUBLIN-based digital record label start-up business is to donate all proceeds of its first release to relief efforts in Japan. VKRS Dissonance will release its first EPs this weekend and will donate all proceeds from its first two releases to the Japanese Red Cross Society (JRCS).
Phantom Plant EP and Exigent EP, available to purchase from vkrsradio.com, cost €1 each.
Originally published in
