Medical Matters The Fair Deal Scheme has once again come under increasing pressure and scrutiny this year as costs rise and concerns loom that delays will ensue for older adults waiting to access nursing home care. Introduced in 2009 as a new way to help finance long term care, it replaced a wholly inadequate…
Making mature students feel at home Family support is very important for mature students, and with this in mind, Technological University (TU) Dublin are organising a family fun afternoon, so the family will have a chance to see some of the university and get a better understanding of the new experience. Organisers say: “Bring your…
I’ve been awake since 2.30 this morning, when I was jolted awake to the screams of a five-year-old girl. She’d had a “very bad dream with monsters in it”. Despite hours spent comforting her, she could not easily get back to sleep, and she tossed and turned until dawn. When she at last found slumber,…
Children’s Corner Refraction is a word that would make many people switch off instantly, it’s not something that regularly comes up in conversation – unless perhaps you were studying physics in school or university. The term is actually profoundly important and explains a natural phenomenon that everyone comes across daily. For kids, and some…
Mindful Living In the preface to Benedictus, his book of blessings, John O’Donohue, philosopher, poet, priest and author, writes that: “There is a quiet light that shines in every heart. It draws no attention to itself though it is always secretly there. It is what illuminates our minds to see beauty, our desire to…
This time one year ago I was busily working on my input for the World Meeting of Families Pastoral Congress in the RDS. I had to be ready in good time because my input had to be sent off to Rome in advance of the Congress just to make sure that I wasn’t saying anything…
Sweet Treats These biscuits are quick to make and taste so much better than the shop-bought version! Traditionally they are sandwiched with strawberry jam but you can try anything – apricot, chocolate spread, whatever you fancy. They are great to make with kids in these last few days of the summer holidays. Ingredients Makes…
Supporting family members with disability weekend A charity supporting children and adults with disabilities are gearing up to bring families together in a fun, informative weekend. Leap is offering a family leadership weekend for the whole family to come together in an inclusive environment to begin to develop and share a vision of a good…
A parent’s perspective August can be a funny kind of month in many ways. I’ve never quite been able to shake off that lingering childhood dread that marks the last weeks of the summer holidays. A few weeks earlier the summer break stretched out, full of promise. Anything could happen: another heatwave that would…
This morning, a beautifully decorated envelope arrived at our house in West Cork. Carefully coloured-in birds and flowers surrounded the address, written meticulously carefully in a child’s handwriting. My eight-year-old daughter’s heart soared to find this letter from her very best friend, sent all the way from England. Having disappeared into her bedroom to devour…
Dr Kevin McCarroll
Chai Brady
Bairbre Cahill
Maria Byrne