Lifestyle

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The man who ran off with the circus

As a child growing up in Taghmon in the late 1950s and early 1960s, there was no greater thrill for a young Fintan Furlong than seeing the circus pull into town. As the caravans, crew and animals pulled into what was known as Keating's field and began setting up, they would be keenly watched by a young Fintan who took everything in, getting up early to be sure he saw everything before heading off to school.

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Simple ways to keep your pet's skin healthy

Skin disease is one of the most common reasons for pets visiting the vet, accounting for around one in four visits to vet clinics. The most common form of skin disease is itchiness. Other types of skin disease include skin growths, sore ears, and areas of baldness.

Rubbing a dock leaf on a nettle sting works

In folk medicine, there is a widely held belief that following a nettle sting, a dock leaf rubbed on the affected part brings instant relief and a lasting cure. Some people even have rhymes to repeat while rubbing. Is the traditional folk cure an old wives tale or has it a basis in fact?

The top ten this week in 2006: Gnarls Barkley enjoy nine-week run at the top

'Crazy' has the distinction of being the first single to top the UK charts purely on download sales.

Top films to watch on television this week

Wednesday: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) ITV2, 6.35pm - When we catch up with Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint), they are still on the hunt for horcruxes, the objects in which Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) has hidden parts of his soul to render him immortal. Unfortunately, the dark lord has worked out what they're up to and amasses his followers for one final showdown at Hogwarts school.

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Justine O'Mahony: 'The vaccine is the only way out of this, so let's not put others at risk'

This week heralded a sense of freedom or something close to it. The kids are back in school, (that in itself makes me giddy with excitement!), we are allowed travel within our county or up to 20 km and we can meet up with another household just not in our own back gardens.

Laughter is the best medicine

One of the things we have all been missing out on during the last year of social distancing and meeting less in person is laughter. It has so many powerful benefits for your health. Laughter stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles. It increases your intake of oxygen-rich air and the endorphins that are released by your brain. It activates and relieves the stress response in your body.

Carnozin - looking after your stomach

The stomach can cause all sorts of problems. Gastritis for example is inflammation of the lining of the stomach. You can have an acute attack, or chronic gastritis. It can be caused by Helicobacter pylori, medication, or substances such as alcohol that can damage the lining of the stomach mucosa.

Welcome a new and improved Pollinator Plan

The very ambitious Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021 was published on 23 March. It enshrines in law an interim target of a 51% reduction in emissions to be achieved by the end of this decade.

The top ten chart this week in 1968: A famous Eurovision song that was pipped at the post

'Congratulations' did not win the 1968 Eurovision Song Contest, but it's better known than most that did.

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Pets need a good night's sleep as much as we do

Sleep is an interesting topic. My father was a psychologist who used to work in a sleep laboratory, so I was brought up with an insider's knowledge of the topic. I learned at an early age that when you dream, your eyes move rapidly behind your closed eyelids (so-called Rapid Eye Movement or REM sleep). I learned that we all have sleep needs, and if those needs aren't met, we can end up with poor health - psychologically and physically.

Exploding the myth of multi-tasking

It is Tuesday morning. You are on a work zoom call and intermittently checking and responding to emails. You get a text from one of your children about a problem they spoke to you about yesterday. A new urgent email arrives that you have to answer immediately. Something comes up on the zoom that you want to respond to. You remember a bill you need to pay today. Modern life has lots of interruptions and distractions.

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Justine O'Mahony: 'Sitting eating in the garden in April? This pandemic is making us bonkers!'

This pandemic has caused us all to go slightly doolally if you ask me. I find myself doing the strangest things to get my kicks. Case in point: I am currently sitting in a 24 square metre hole in the back garden. The reason I know it's 24 square metres is because Himself has being giving me a blow-by-blow account of his gardening progress.

A death metal style take on world social upheaval

Now established as one of the premier German death metal bands, Endseeker, have just recorded the album that could firmly establish them as one of the genre's foremost acts on a global level.

Sharon is hoping to inspire others with latest challenge

Gorey's Sharon Osborne has been an inspiration to many, both for her stunning fashion designs and for having overcome many challenges.

Keep an eye out for amazing Irish brands

Holos skincare range is made on my own doorstep, just up the road in Enniscorthy. As well as their popular face oils, serums, and eye creams, they have some other interesting products.

Top films to watch on TV this week

Wednesday: Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) Film4, 9pm - Posh English Charles (Hugh Grant) seems destined always to be the best man at weddings and never the groom. However, he finally finds the stirrings of true romance after a one-night stand with beautiful American Carrie (Andie MacDowell).

The top ten this week in 1966: A classic No.1 featuring the great Scott Walker

'The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine (Anymore)' had a very low-key baptism, the silky vocals of Frankie Valli taking it to number 128 in the US charts in the autumn of 1965.

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How owners can help vets to assess pain in their pets

Pain is one of the most unpleasant experiences for all sentient creatures - from humans, to dogs and cats, to mice and rats, to fish and birds. In humans, the self-reporting of pain is the gold standard for pain assessment but this simply isn't possible in animals.

Exercise, fresh air and your wellbeing

The longer brighter days are an invitation to get outdoors and move more. In Ireland, we, and particularly those of us living in rural areas, are lucky to have so much green space and high quality fresh air.

Ready to start planning a family?

Have you come to a point in your life where you're ready to start planning a family?

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Justine O'Mahony: 'Over time I've realised that Himself is a true master of the bull**** craft'

I've learnt quite a lot about Himself during this past year of Lockdown, restrictions and enforced proximity to family and loved ones.

Scientists fear the Gulf Stream is slowing down

We are warned by earth scientists that the Gulf Stream is slowing down. That great river in the North Atlantic Ocean that sends warm water from the tropics to our shores to keep our climate mild in winter is losing force. It is slowing and it is carrying less water.

'I feared he would have a worse life than his siblings but I was so wrong'

When Lorraine Boland was expecting her third child she got news that every parent fears.

Retro Chart: a UK one-two for Dublin's Lynch family

Success was very sweet for one Dublin family when Irish bands occupied the top two slots in the UK charts for one week in the spring of 1999. B*Witched's line-up included twins Edele and Keavy Lynch, younger sisters of Boyzone's Shane.

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Justine O'Mahony: 'Thanks to Himself, we now feed birds, squirrels... and the odd rat'

Himself has turned into a cross between David Attenborough and Diarmuid Gavin. Not only are we feeding the entire bird population of the South East, we are feeding the local squirrels and an odd rat or two.

Have you seen any tropical parrots lately?

The Parakeet is a bird that cannot easily be confused with any wild bird found in Ireland. It is a slim-bodied parrot, green in colour with a bright red, parrot-like bill and a very long and very narrow tail. It is more than twice the size of any of our native greenish finches and has a very different, upright body shape and stance.

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'There are many reasons why animals can feel itchy. The key to solving the problem is by working out the initial cause'

A reader contacted me to ask what to do about their itchy dog. They've treated for fleas, but their one year old pet is still itching. How could there still be a problem?

Help pain relief with A. Vogel's Atrogel

March is here and what a great month to get out into the garden or back to outdoor fitness. This of course will bring some of you great joy to be doing the things you love to do outdoors. But if you've been over enthusiastic you could end up with sore muscles and stiff shoulders after hours spent doing what you love.

Spring Equinox - a time for renewal

At the equinox, the Earth's two hemispheres receive the sun's rays equally. The word equinox comes from the Latin aequus (equal) and nox (night).