Medical Matters   An ageing population has resulted in a major increase in the number of older adults who have significant cognitive impairment. While the incidence of dementia at any given age has not changed much in recent decades, the number of people affected has noticeably risen due to gains in life expectancy. Dementia incidence…

Ketch-up with the festival Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable? This historic debate could easily be the topic of discussion at a festival which celebrates the mysterious food item. The Totally Terrific Tomato Festival will be paying homage to the ingredient vital for bolognese and pizza, with a series of exhibitions, talks, cookery…

Love Notes   Every year when I come back from holidays after a time of refreshment and family time, we often return with really bad post-holiday blues. How can I avoid them this year?   This is totally normal and natural. You work hard all year, you save, you spend hours daydreaming about your two…

Walking through history If you’re looking for a chance to experience traditional Irish culture while having a blast, then check out Irish Heritage Week. A great opportunity to explore your background, it will be held at places all around the nation from August 18 to August 26. Many national and hundreds of local communities participate…

Science of Life   I awoke this morning to the radio announcing that the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education has recommended that vending machines that dispense junk food and sugary drinks in schools should be banned. We are constantly bombarded with advice through the media on how to foster and maintain good physical and mental health…

A family harvest festival Where can you go to experience agriculture, fashion, and sculpting all in one place? The Claremorris Agricultural Show may be just the thing for you. Hosted in the Claremorris Athletic club, it’s been run every year since 1904, only interrupted three times. Taking place on Sunday, August 5, there will be…

Sweet Treats   When my family get together, there is usually a lot of cake involved. From apple tart, to meringues with cream, you can guarantee something sweet will be centre stage on our table. One of our family favourites is coffee cake. Ingredients Sponge
 cake -200g plain flour -225g caster sugar -227g butter, softened -1…

Green Fingers   If our heatwave persists until August, the amount of jobs you can do in the garden will be down to the bare minimum, but there is still work to be done. Don’t be tempted to do too much at once, take breaks, drink fluids and remember, “no man ever drowned in his…

Durrow’s scarecrow hay day heyday For those who’ve only seen scarecrows at a distance or in classic movies like the Wizard of Oz, the Durrow Scarecrow Festival is sure to offer an interesting and educational experience. Taking place in Durrow from July 29 to August 6, the festival will host the All-Ireland Scarecrow Championship, in…

Medical Matters   Do you keep an eye on your blood pressure? High blood pressure (hypertension) is one the biggest contributors to heart and stroke disease and premature death. While having high cholesterol is often talked about, its negative effect is much less significant than hypertension. Last year saw new guidelines being introduced by several…