Malahide Abbey ruins stand adjacent to the Castle. Their size suggest that it was no private oratory or chapel. The surrounding cemetery would indicate that it probably served the people of Malahide from the 12th to 16th Century. In 1630, the Abbey was stated to be in a ruinous condition. When Cromwell installed Myles Corbet in Malahide Castle for a brief period, tradition has it that Corbet used the Abbey as stables and stripped the lead off the roof to make bullets. The present structure consists of a late fifteenth-century nave and a sixteenth-century chancel. The east wall of the chancel features a fine three-light window whilst the west gable of the nave is surmounted by a three-arched bell turret with an access stairs and a triple window beneath. It is likely the bells were fixed and the bell-ringer climbed the stairs and sat or stood beneath the bells and struck them with a hammer. Within the Abbey is the fine deeply carved 16th. Century tomb of Maud Plunkett who was “maid, wife and widow” on the one day, her husband having been killed in battle on their wedding day. On the North-East angle of the Abbey opposite the Avoca entrance may be seen a Sheela-na-gig, a grotesque stone carving, whose function it was to warn the faithful of the terrible results of sin and excess. Generations of Talbots lie buried in the surrounding cemetery and the last local burial took place here in 1960.
By Jack Shanley
The masterful A24 director Ari Aster is back on the big screen with yet another strange work of art, perhaps the strangest yet. “Beau is Afraid” from start to finish is about the long whacked out journey of an anxious man on his quest to visit his mother. Joaquin Phoenix stars picking up the role of a very abstract and complex character. Let’s just get it out the bag, this film is a dream like experience first and foremost. It’s quite overwhelming and even suffocating for its audience at times. This plays off so well, as not everything is meant to be taken literally! On the surface, there are generally many black comedy themes, with a melodramatic undertone. It’s been crafted meticulously by Ari Aster at 3 hours, making it feel richer and more detailed. Many of the films moments are left engrained into your thoughts well after the run time. With a bigger budget then his previous works “Hereditary” and “Midsommar” I thought helped with the landscape and wacky scenarios in the film. Overall, “Beau Is Afraid” is Aster’s most ambitious film to date. Although it’s the not raw and experimental horror we endured in his previous works, it still makes for an unforgettable experience and feeling that is often missed in Arthouse films these days.
This is definitely Ari Asters most complex and allegorical film, everything in this film is strange, the interpersonal relationships, the way the story is told, the dialogues, the universe of the film, everything is very strange without any logic, and in my understanding, all this represents the unbalanced and paranoid mind of our protagonist Beau. I feel the movie is essentially a look at the world through the eyes of a man terrified of his own existence.
In all truth I’d recommend checking out Beau Is Afraid at your local cinema today and see what you think of it, I shall give it a score of three stars. Director: Ari Aster– Rating: 16 – Genre: Horror/Comedy– Run Time: 2h 59m – Language: English. For more film content please follow @movies4fanatics on Instagram.
By Siobhan O’Neill White
Need inspiration for ideas to keep the kids busy this summer? Go to mams.ie, follow our socials FB @mams.ireland, Instagram @mams.ie and Twitter, @mams_ie for ideas, discounts and competitions galore. Emerald Park is open for visitors! Whether you’re brave enough to face Cu Chúllain or more comfortable visiting the zoo, it’s a fab day out. We’ve tickets to give away here: instagram.com/mams.ie/?hl=en Eddie Rockets want to help parents this summer, so every Tuesday, kids eat free! For every adult meal purchased for €12 or more, get one free child meal. To enter our Eddie’s voucher giveaway, go here: mams.ie/2023/05/16/kids-eat-free-at-eddie-rockets-on-tuesday-all-summer-long/ Do you need staycation inspiration? Farnham Estate is wonderful for family breaks. Nestled in the lush Cavan countryside, it’s a haven. We love to walk the grounds and visit the stunning indoor/outdoor pool! My sister got married here and it remains a firm favourite for our family. We heard such rave reviews about Carlingford Adventure Camp from parents last year that we’ve booked our 11yr old in with her best friend for their 3 day/2 night camp. Jam packed with activities and set in beautiful Carlingford, the camps are very well priced and have residential and non-residential options available, see carlingfordadventure.com/ For days you want to chill out, ArcCinema.ie kids’ clubs are great value. We also love their family deal which includes cinema passes, popcorn and drinks for a family of 4 (2 adults & 2 kids or 1 adult & 3 kids) for only €39.95. With so many wonderful movies out this summer, there’s plenty to choose from! We recommend investing in some garden toys for the many summer days the kids will be playing at home or have friends over. Irish company JKC Toymaster are experts in outdoor toys. Our daughters have been on our Berg trampoline non-stop since we got it. See their fab range here: jkctoymaster.ie/ Fancy a different kind of holiday - how about Glamping?! We’re heading to Ardmore Glamping Pods in beautiful Waterford. We’ve booked a large pod, which fits 7 people. Right next to the beach and Ardmore Open Farm, it’s a fabulous location. They even rent BBQ’s out so you can cook up a storm while enjoying the beautiful beach views! You can now enquire at ardmoreglampingpods.ie/ Please make sure to be sun safe this summer. We recommend Irish brand Elave SPF50 sun cream. Its brilliant for all ages. Watch our socials for giveaways on this.
By Dave Kavanagh
Considering almost every aspect of your life is connected to your finances on some level, it’s important to make time to review your budgeting, especially as it could leave you with more money left over each month.
A few practical tips:
(1) Carefully study 3 months’ bank statements. Make sure that you can account for every single transaction. On a regular basis, I encounter people who have been paying for things that they should not be, direct debits they forgot to cancel.
(2) Make a detailed list for grocery shopping (and don’t shop while hungry). This leads to only buying what you actually need, a lower bill at the till and less throwing out of food gone off.
(3) Compare before you shop for larger items. Just because one store has a fridge you want reduced from €950 to €850 in their “Sale”, does not mean another store nearby that does not currently have a sale on, is not selling the same one for €799.
(4) Compare utility providers. Whether it’s electricity, gas, broadband, mobile phone service or similar, there can be substantial savings to be had by switching to better deals.
(5) Check when car/house insurance renewals arrive. Don’t automatically accept a renewal premium without checking around. A few phone calls could save you hundreds of euro.
(6) Review premiums on life cover/mortgage protection/serious illness cover. Especially if you arranged it directly with a bank or insurance company that could not compare. Do an exercise where you track spending for one month. In over 25 years of helping people with their finances, I have never seen anyone NOT make savings by doing the above. If anyone would like the free budget spreadsheet in excel format that will calculate totals as you input them, just email info@financialcompanion.ie with Budget in the subject line. Happy saving!
Dave Kavanagh QFA has been advising people financially for over 25 years. For quotes or information (with no cost or obligation) he can be contacted by emailing Dave at info@financialcompanion.ie or use the contact form on financialcompanion.ie or @Davekav_advice on Twitter and Instagram. Combined with his previous role of gym/nutrition adviser, he regularly gives talks and workshops at seminars and events for groups, companies and government departments on financial well being, positivity and motivation. As heard on RTE 2FM , LMFM and TV3.
By Jack Shanley
A fresh instalment in one of the most entertaining horror franchises out there, Evil Dead Rise hit our screens in mid-April and left a great impression for the most part. The much-anticipated film left an unsure impression on me, for it being an entertaining film I felt it lacked a little in direction. I did feel that the acting at times was a little poor, characters were boring along with the dialogue that could have been better. I felt it was dark and hard to see the film, I’ve noticed this with a lot of films that have been released over the last while a darkness when watching it as if the cinematographer decided to put a dark filter over the lenses. I felt early on that the movie took a while to really kick in, but once it did it was quite gruesome. The end of the film in particular left a good impression on me and feel now it could be the beginning of many more films in the engrossing Evil Dead series. Besides all the negativity I spout over the movie, I did feel entertained and would be interested in giving it another watch, for I found the cinematograph, art direction and costume design to be of an enormous quality.
I loved the references throughout the film to the original Evil Dead trilogy, got this sense of a love and passion that Dublin Born director Lee Cronin has not just for the horror genre but the Evil Dead franchise too. This excites me for future Evil Dead films as not only do we have one of our own at the helm of a massive horror franchise, but he has a passion and love for the Evil Dead movies and just the overall craft for movie making. In all truth I did leave the theatre disappointed that my favourite horror movie franchise could potentially be on the down swing of its existence, but it happens to the best of them, does it not? If it can happen to horror legends like Jason, Freddy, Michael Myers, Pinhead, and countless others, then the Evil Dead series is not immune, and Rise could potentially mark the beginning of the end for this amazing franchise.
In all truth I’d recommend checking out Evil Dead Rise at your local cinema today and see what you think of it, I shall give it a score of three stars. Director: Lee Cronin– Rating: 18 – Genre: Horror/Fantasy – Run Time: 1h 36m – Language: English. For more film content please follow @movies4fanatics on Instagram.
By Dave Kavanagh
Having appropriate cover in place for you and your family is obviously important, whether it is Life Cover, Serious Illness Cover or Income Protection. What is equally as important, is knowing the details of the cover that you have in place. As time moves on and circumstances change, what was relevant for you 5 years ago, may not now be appropriate for your needs. I remember giving a talk to a group of about 50 parents, all of whom raised their hands to signal that they all had cover in place. I then asked how many of them knew (without needing to divulge to the group) which Life Company their cover was with, how much was the monthly premium and what the levels of cover were? Of the 50 parents present, not one of them raised a hand, despite paying for these plans for a number of years. Simple changes in circumstances can make it crucial to review cover details. Starting new employment that may include a multiple of annual salary as a death in service benefit, as well as income protection and a pension, could mean that other cover in place could be reduced or removed. The reverse is often seen where someone had great benefits attached to their employment but then moved to a job that does not provide any benefits at all and had not considered that they need to arrange their own cover.
Another issue that people are often not aware of, is whether any cover they have has a Conversion Option. This is an option that allows people to convert to a new, longer term plan, without any further evidence of medical health. This can be crucial if a plan is reaching maturity or if someone has experienced adverse health issues, where they may not be accepted for cover due to their new medical history or may be subject to restrictions and/or premium loadings. Having the ability to exercise a Conversion Option allows you to “future proof” cover to suit your specific circumstances. While not a fun exercise, making some time at least once per year to review the details of any cover you have in place can be a valuable exercise. If you’re unsure about some of the details, contact your advisor.
Dave Kavanagh QFA has been advising people financially for over 25 years. For quotes or information (with no cost or obligation) he can be contacted by emailing info@financialcompanion.ie or use the contact form on financialcompanion.ie or @Davekav_advice on Twitter and Instagram. Combined with his previous role of gym/nutrition adviser, he regularly gives talks and workshops at seminars and events for groups, companies and government departments on financial wellbeing, positivity and motivation. As heard on RTE 2FM , LMFM and TV3.
by Siobhan O’Neill White
With the cost of living so high, many families won’t be going on holidays this year. If you are looking for ways to keep your children entertained at home this summer, it’s a good idea to invest in some decent outdoor toys. We bought a Berg Go Kart 10 years ago and it’s still one of the most played with toys we’ve ever had. JKC Toymaster is an Irish company who deliver nationwide and have a fantastic range of outdoor toys, including Berg Trampolines, Climbing Walls, Swings and of course, Go Karts! We love to buy Irish and when you contact JKC Toymaster, you get to speak to an actual person, who is knowledgeable and helpful! We are getting a trampoline and Michael talked us through the different types and advised which is best for us. Their fantastic customer service is much better than being connected to some random call centre thousands of miles away! See jkctoymaster.ie/ or contact 06731391 or info@jkctoymaster.ie / or jkctoymaster@gmail.com. Sunday 18th June is Father’s Day! We love giving personalised gifts and wanapix.ie/ has a great range to choose from. Their site is easy to use and has a wide range of gifts for Dads, Grandads and any Father Figures you want to celebrate. My kids personalised a t-shirt and water bottle for their Dad for Father’s Day. They are things he will use and also, fun because the kids got to personalise them with pictures and funny sayings. Wanapix has lots of other cool gift ideas, like mouse mats, beer tankards and personalised gift boxes. Whether you have €10 or €100 to spend, there is of course something on there for every budget and every type of Dad! Gardening is another great idea for keeping the kids busy this summer! It may sound crazy, but getting them involved in creating a vegetable patch or planting wild flowers to help the bees are projects kids love to get stuck into. Niall and the experienced team in Black’s Garden Centre are a mind of information when it comes to gardening projects, you can pop into them for a chat or you can check them out on facebook at facebook.com/BlacksGardenCentre/ or you can also contact blacksgardencentre.com/. They also do gift vouchers for Father’s day gifting! If you are looking to sign your child up for a summer camp, we really like Carlingford Adventure Summer Camps. There is so much to do, from kayaking to ziplines to laser combat! The children will never be bored there ! Do check them out and see carlingfordadventure.com.
A great occasion was held recently with the official opening of our refurbished local history museum at the Steward’s House, Malahide Castle. Over 100 members and friends of Malahide Historical Society turned out to see Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and local lad, Darragh O’Brien, T.D. unveil a plaque in the presence of the Mayor of Fingal Howard Mahoby and the CEO of Fingal County Council Anne-Marie Farrelly. In a speech, Malahide Historical Society President Paddy Ryan thanked the committee and Minister O’Brien and Councillor Eoghan O’Brien for their support for the project and the management and staff in Fingal County Council without whose unstinting support the project would never have got across the line. The museum is now open on weekend afternoons and will soon open from Tuesday through to Sunday and admission is free. Our Pictures show the event as well as the Steward’s House in the 1960s with members of the Raeburn and O’Neill families who lived there when the estate was still owned by Lord Milo Talbot.
By Jack Shanley
Exhilarating, jaw-dropping and hugely entertaining, ‘John Wick 4’ is simply a spectacle from start to finish. Above all, it’s a love letter to action film making and every action cinema lover’s greatest dream. I feel that it could potentially go down as one of the finest action films of our time. From the cinematography that is Oscar worthy, the neo-noir genre that has never looked so amazing on screen, the colour coordination framing blocking, you name it: it was all spectacular. How exactly does three hours of wham-bam noise and fast paced action, unmitigated by any meaningful plot, work as well as it does? Well, the action choreography had to be top class in which it utilitises 100 per cent of each set design used to incorporate drama, thrill and comedy. This movie pulls you in as you get lost in the coolness of Keanu Reeves and has everything you could ever ask for, from guns, knives, nun chucks, katanas, martial arts, cars, flamethrowers, bare hands etc.The stunt work is jaw-dropping and adrenaline inducing. I saw the film on opening night and with my excitement hitting a high I wasn’t let down. In the opening scene we are hit with a wonderful match cut influenced by the great Lawrence of Arabia of 1962 as Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne) blows out a cigarette cutting to the sun rising over the Arabian desert. When watching all the John Wick films, I can’t help but see the influence of some of cinema’s greatest films and genres.Never has it been more evident than in the fourth instalment of the series. I couldn’t help but see through the film straight into its core as influences of the spaghetti western sprung bright alongside Japanese Kung Fu films of the ‘70s, the likes of which the great Bruce Lee would be proud of. With the price on Mr Wick’s head ever increasing, the legendary hitman takes his fight against the High Table global as he seeks out the most powerful players in the underworld, from New York to Paris to Japan to Berlin.I really enjoyed this film and would recommend people give it a watch. I give it a score of FOUR stars. •You can watch ‘John Wick 4; at your local cinema today. Director: Chad Stahelski – Rating: 16 –Genre:Action/Neo-noir– Run Time: 2h 49m – Language: English. For more film content please
follow @movies4fanatics on Instagram.
By Siobhan O’Neill White
The past few years have been tough on everyone but especially, children and teens. They have missed out on so much, from school trips, to discos, to spending time with their friends. Everything was topsy turvy and we are only now scratching the surface on how much their mental health has been affected. On 6th May the annual Darkness into Light walk will be taking place at locations across the country. The aim of the event is to raise awareness of mental health issues and to work to prevent suicide. This is a great opportunity to get involved in an event that champions talking about mental health and suicide prevention. Too many of us know people who have taken their own lives and the more we talk about mental health and use the mental health supports available, the better.
Discussing depression and dark thoughts can feel uncomfortable but the more we talk about it, the less taboo these topics become. We are doing the Darkness into Light walk with our children, to encourage them to ask questions and normalise talking about mental health. We try to instil the belief in our children that their mental health is just as important as their physical health. The example we use is that, if one of our children broke their leg, we would take them to the hospital to get it seen to. And if they are struggling emotionally, we will get them the support and help they need because looking after their mental health is just as important as treating physical injuries, like a broken leg. Most schools now have counsellors to support the children so if your child is struggling, don’t hesitate to let their school know so they can support them while in school. Getting counselling outside of school can take a while but your GP will be able to point you in the right direction. In the meantime, if you need help in how to support your child, you can call SOSAD, Aware or Jigsaw for help and advice. If you are unable to take part in Darkness into Light, you can donate. The Four Seasons Hotel in Carlingford are selling rubber ducks for €3.50 at reception with all proceeds go to SOSAD. If you are worried about your child, you can log onto mams.ie. This is a free online chat forum for Mams, to support each other.