IT was that type of rain that was enough to soak your hair but not enough to make the awkwardness of the umbrella worth it. The ground was wet and slippy in the graveyard, so as she made her way to throw soil on her son’s coffin five people moved around her to make […]
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Hazel was next to every Irishman’s heart
Belfast born artist John Lavery married Kathleen McDermott in 1889. Shortly after the birth of their daughter Eileen she died of tuberculosis early in 1891. In September 1903 while painting on the beach at Peg Meil in France he was introduced to Hazel Martyn, a 17-year-old who was accompanied by her mother and sister. […]
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Food that’s fit for a bird table near you
WE all enjoy the best of everything over Christmas and the New Year. It’s a time we push the boat out in the kitchen to make things extra special. In the depths of mid-winter when the days are shortest and the outlook is bleak, we try to give ourselves a pick-me-up by enjoying the […]
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Stepping together into the minefield of 2017
THERE are two ways of looking at where and how we are – the W way and Y way. The W is for Walt (Disney), and it involves looking at a happy world awash with balloons and smiling people and adorable puppies. In this world the politicians resemble our favourite uncle who always had […]
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Worlds apart
SOMETIMES it’s like we live in parallel worlds… The first world is one where an RHI scheme can grow to become this monster of a financial scandal because of – at best – lack of attention to detail or scrutiny of its outworkings, failures in good governance and scrutiny of governance, and lack of […]
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M’learned friends and not refs will soon make rugby calls
JUST before the start of the GAA Championships it is customary for the President or one of his acolytes to call a press conference to gravely inform the public that the Association are determined to eradicate foul play. Last year we were told that referees were going to concentrate on “cynical fouling” which was a […]
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