Letter to the editor,
Reading and hearing about people who cannot take on jobs because of shortage of housing, etc brought back memories. When I was growing up in rural Ireland there were women and men who were known as ‘lodgers’ in every village and indeed in many townlands.
These were people who came to work as teachers, guards, in shops and offices, or maybe on a building site for a few months.For a fee they had bed and board in a local house.
When we were young there was always a lot of speculation about the new lodgers who arrived in our area.Were they young or older? Were they eligible young men or perhaps they already were committed to someone back home? Or were they young women who pose as competition to us local girls? Sometimes the lodger would marry someone local and become a permanent part of the community. Those people brought their own colour and talents, and they added to the day to day life of a parish
It also gave extra money to families who had a spare room and space at their table in a Ireland where money was hard to find. Times have changed and the days of the ‘lodger’ have gone. But like so many things that have been discarded it worked well. And of course it added excitement to our young lives.
Marian Dalton
All aboard the Viking ship
Viking boats on the Boyne. \John Sheridan
Ireland largest medieval festival, the Boyne Valley Viking Experience, is back from 17-18 May in the grounds of Slane Castle in Co Meath. The site feels like you’ve stepped into a sketch of Horrible Histories, with seafaring warriors and battle recreations. It’s a great day out for families with plenty of themed children’s activities, including facepainting, storytelling, a treasure hunt and Viking age sausage-making. Day tickets cost €12.50 for children and €25 for adults, plus booking fee. See boynevalleyevents.com/slane-castle-viking-festival
Kids Grow Box, €19.99.
The secret to getting kids into growing is by starting simple. The kids’ grow box from Grow It Yourself comes with four seed packs that kids will love (cress, pumpkin, sunflower and peas) as well as plant labels, so they can remember what is in each pot, and a notepad and pen. Start by sowing the seeds on a windowsill inside the house and when the seedlings get a little bigger, move them into bigger pots to grow outside on the patio. See giy.ie
Pictured (L-R) at the launch at Project Arts Centre, Dublin are: Tara Byrne, arts programme manager and Bealtaine festival artistic director; Age and Opportunity ambassadors Mike Hanrahan and Liz McManus. \Barry Cronin
Age & Opportunity’s Bealtaine Festival is putting on events across the country throughout the month of May. Funded by the Arts Council and HSE, the events welcome older people to participate in the arts. From a candle-making workshop in Co Kilkenny to storytime sessions for grandparents and children in Co Donegal, the mix of free and paid events has something for everyone. See bealtaine.ie for the national listing of events and enter your county in the search bar for initiatives near you.
Aleksandra Demse, regional manager at British Irish Trade Association, and Jessica Conneely, head of visitor operations at Micil Irish Distillery.
The west is flavour of the month in May, with Taste of Galway food festival, Blas na Bealtaine, showcasing the best of food and drink in the county. From a (free) paella party to natural wine pairings to cheese tasting, there are plenty of culinary feasts for your taste buds. It wouldn’t be the west coast without seafood trails, and Galway Bay Boat Tours are offering fish fanatics a chance to head out to sea and bring bounty straight back to your table. See atasteofgalway.com
Pictured above: Aleksandra Demse, regional manager at the British Irish Trade Association, and Jessica Conneely, head of visitor operations at Micil Distillery in Galway.
Elaine Houlihan and Ciara Stanley. \Steve Kelly
In support of Macra’s Make the Moove mental health campaign, Ballybar Ireland has launched their own limited edition Ballybar Moove Shirt (€70) for women and men.
A portion of all sales go directly to support mental health in the agricultural sector. Pictured sporting the cotton shirt is Elaine Houlihan, outgoing Macra president, with Ciara Stanley from Ballybar Ireland. \ Steve Kelly
See ballybarireland.com
Letter to the editor,
Reading and hearing about people who cannot take on jobs because of shortage of housing, etc brought back memories. When I was growing up in rural Ireland there were women and men who were known as ‘lodgers’ in every village and indeed in many townlands.
These were people who came to work as teachers, guards, in shops and offices, or maybe on a building site for a few months.For a fee they had bed and board in a local house.
When we were young there was always a lot of speculation about the new lodgers who arrived in our area.Were they young or older? Were they eligible young men or perhaps they already were committed to someone back home? Or were they young women who pose as competition to us local girls? Sometimes the lodger would marry someone local and become a permanent part of the community. Those people brought their own colour and talents, and they added to the day to day life of a parish
It also gave extra money to families who had a spare room and space at their table in a Ireland where money was hard to find. Times have changed and the days of the ‘lodger’ have gone. But like so many things that have been discarded it worked well. And of course it added excitement to our young lives.
Marian Dalton
All aboard the Viking ship
Viking boats on the Boyne. \John Sheridan
Ireland largest medieval festival, the Boyne Valley Viking Experience, is back from 17-18 May in the grounds of Slane Castle in Co Meath. The site feels like you’ve stepped into a sketch of Horrible Histories, with seafaring warriors and battle recreations. It’s a great day out for families with plenty of themed children’s activities, including facepainting, storytelling, a treasure hunt and Viking age sausage-making. Day tickets cost €12.50 for children and €25 for adults, plus booking fee. See boynevalleyevents.com/slane-castle-viking-festival
Kids Grow Box, €19.99.
The secret to getting kids into growing is by starting simple. The kids’ grow box from Grow It Yourself comes with four seed packs that kids will love (cress, pumpkin, sunflower and peas) as well as plant labels, so they can remember what is in each pot, and a notepad and pen. Start by sowing the seeds on a windowsill inside the house and when the seedlings get a little bigger, move them into bigger pots to grow outside on the patio. See giy.ie
Pictured (L-R) at the launch at Project Arts Centre, Dublin are: Tara Byrne, arts programme manager and Bealtaine festival artistic director; Age and Opportunity ambassadors Mike Hanrahan and Liz McManus. \Barry Cronin
Age & Opportunity’s Bealtaine Festival is putting on events across the country throughout the month of May. Funded by the Arts Council and HSE, the events welcome older people to participate in the arts. From a candle-making workshop in Co Kilkenny to storytime sessions for grandparents and children in Co Donegal, the mix of free and paid events has something for everyone. See bealtaine.ie for the national listing of events and enter your county in the search bar for initiatives near you.
Aleksandra Demse, regional manager at British Irish Trade Association, and Jessica Conneely, head of visitor operations at Micil Irish Distillery.
The west is flavour of the month in May, with Taste of Galway food festival, Blas na Bealtaine, showcasing the best of food and drink in the county. From a (free) paella party to natural wine pairings to cheese tasting, there are plenty of culinary feasts for your taste buds. It wouldn’t be the west coast without seafood trails, and Galway Bay Boat Tours are offering fish fanatics a chance to head out to sea and bring bounty straight back to your table. See atasteofgalway.com
Pictured above: Aleksandra Demse, regional manager at the British Irish Trade Association, and Jessica Conneely, head of visitor operations at Micil Distillery in Galway.
Elaine Houlihan and Ciara Stanley. \Steve Kelly
In support of Macra’s Make the Moove mental health campaign, Ballybar Ireland has launched their own limited edition Ballybar Moove Shirt (€70) for women and men.
A portion of all sales go directly to support mental health in the agricultural sector. Pictured sporting the cotton shirt is Elaine Houlihan, outgoing Macra president, with Ciara Stanley from Ballybar Ireland. \ Steve Kelly
See ballybarireland.com
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