By Ciaran Russell

Movember is an annual event involving the growing of moustaches during the month of November to raise awareness of men’s health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men’s suicide. “Men’s health is in crisis. Men are dying on average 5 years earlier than women, and for largely preventable reasons. A growing number of men – around 10.8M globally – are facing life with a prostate cancer diagnosis. Globally, testicular cancer is the most common cancer among young men. And across the world, one man dies by suicide every minute of every day, with males accounting for 75% of all suicides”. Source: movember.com/about/cause Generally men will brush things off as unimportant and not speak up about things that may be bothering them; be that physically or mentally. As part of the Movember movement I want to help change that narrative to help bring more men together to support each other through whatever issues they may be facing.Health and fitness plays a massive part in how you feel. By improving health markers and being more active, the health of not just men, but everyone, can be significantly enhanced. We live our lives mostly in comfort, trying to avoid the hard things. That may be losing some weight, trying to get fit, speaking on a stage or starting something new, all of which can make us uncomfortable. Usually when we experience discomfort we tend to give up on making that change and we stay rooted to the past instead of leaning in to the potential growth that may come as a result of that hardship.Use the month of November to take charge of your health and fitness in the pursuit to becoming a better person for yourself and other people in your life. Do you want your life to be an example or a warning to others? You can support the Movember cause by logging on to their website movember.com

By Siobhan O’Neill White

Christmas is-a-coming and after last year’s disaster, it’s ok to get extra excited this year! We have been scouring the shops for ideas to help you get ‘Christmas ready’ First up, nights out! For underwear Patricia O’Toole’s Slynx slips are perfect to slim silhouettes. Jazz up your look with Nicky Hoyne sparkly Glitter Petrol boots! Limerick based and online clothing store Virgo Boutique have fantastic casual and glam wear, for days in and nights ‘Out-Out’ SoSu by Suzanne Jackson have stunning make-up and tanning gift sets. Irish brand Biofresh Skincare have beautiful skincare sets; their Rose scented products smell incredible. Carter Beauty, another Irish brand, has gorgeous and affordable Christmassey make-up gift sets and face masks. Fancy some bling? Irish jewellery brand, Absolute Jewellery have beautiful styles to choose from. The green jewelled pieces are perfect for Christmas. Stunning! The new Babyliss Cordless hair straightener is a clever haircare gift. For the guys, Babyliss have cool men’s grooming sets Need gift inspiration for sports enthusiasts? Irish brand DS Sports has affordable GAA clothing and accessories and new this year, electric scooters! For lunch & dinner inspiration Gourmet Food Parlours have delicious menus for pre-Christmas get-togethers and fab hampers and gift cards for gifting. We love personalised gifts and Donegal based Noted Ireland make gorgeous gifts. We especially adore their baking sets. I’d love that personalised apron for myself. Crafty business DBCiara makes the cutest, personalised decorations and handmade cards. Lovely for someone special! It’s so important to support local businesses and All Ireland Foods is a fierce supporter of Irish produce. We love their ‘Cork Rebel’ ‘Chocolate Lovers’ and ‘Honey Hampers’ – quirky yet quintessentially Irish! A lovely treat is a hotel or spa trip. Four Seasons Hotel Carlingford and Luxe spa vouchers are valid for 5 years and are an ideal gift for stressed, overworked Mammies! (Hint Hint!) Silly Goose coffee was started by a stay-at-home Dad who understands the need for coffee with a new baby! Their CBD coffee is an unusual and cool gift for coffee lovers! With Covid restrictions, visiting Santa is tricky so Santas Snowglobe is a brilliant option. Receive a special ‘parcel’ in the post, get in Pj’s and enjoy hot chocolate and gingerbread while chatting with Santa, via a personal zoom. We adored this last year, it’s wonderful! For more gift ideas and competitions, go to mams.ie

By Dave Kavanagh

When people take out cover, such as life cover or serious illness cover, it is usually for a specific term, such as 10, 20 or 30 years. When these terms expire, the cover usually ends. People can ap-ply for new cover but their health at that time may prevent them from getting cover again or could include a premium rating. This is why having a conversion option is an extremely valuable bene-fit. It allows the person to extend their cover without having to provide any new medical details, so they are guaranteed to be accepted for cover (assuming they were accepted at ordinary rates when they first applied). It’s hard to know what your requirements will be in 10 years, never mind 20 or 30 years, so if you are taking out cover for the first time, it is important to make sure that you will have the flexibility in the future should you require it. For anyone that has cover in place, do you know exactly when it is due to expire? Do you know if it has a conversion option? It is far wiser to check and make sure you know these details now, rather than leave it until it is too late. If your health has deteriorated since you originally took out cover and you do have a conversion op-tion, it may be well worth looking at converting it now, as cover is more expensive the older you are, so you can lock in a lower premium and future proof yourself by getting the best value for your cover. In many cases, a lower level of cover may be sufficient as the financial loss that would have occurred 20 years ago may be reduced, for example, children may have grown up and moved out. Another aspect to consider, is if you were a smoker when you first took out cover. If you have been a non-smoker for over 12 months, you may be entitled to substantially reduced premiums.

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 www.financialcompanion.ie or phone 087-6414570, 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,

by Malhide Historical Society

In an 1844 agreement between Lord Richard Talbot and James Fagan of Bridgefoot Street, Dublin, timber merchant, the Talbots agreed to lease to Fagan the land stretching from the lately built Royal Hotel (later Grand Hotel) hotel almost to the Diamond at a yearly rent of twenty-five pounds ten shillings per Irish acre. Under the agreement James Fagan was to be at liberty to build houses on the lands but he had first to submit the plans for approval by Lord Talbot. This led to the construction by Fagan of the houses on St. James Terrace. The Talbots agreed to build a road, from a fountain which then stood in the centre of the Diamond, to the hotel, enclose part of the area with railings, plant trees and shrubs therein and lay it out as pleasure gardens. When combined with the hotel gardens they extended to four or five acres from St. James’s Terrace, up to and around the hotel. The occupants of the houses were to have free use of the pleasure gardens as were the hotel guests. Other residents of Malahide could apply for a key to use the gardens at a fee of one pound per household or family per year.When the original planting matured the gardens contained elaborate wooded serpentine walks, pergolas, shady bowers and a croquet lawn and there was seating place all around the Park. The pleasure gardens later came to be known as the Band Gardens as police and military bands gave public performances there in the latter half of the 19th century on regatta days and other public occasions. The Dublin & Drogheda Railway occasionally engaged a military band to play on weekday afternoons and laid on a special train from and to Amiens Street. A former Malahide resident painted an idyllic picture of her memories of the Park as a 10 year old girl in about 1908: “There were three tennis courts and two croquet courts. Thick laurel and chestnut bushes made lovely “houses” for children to play about in. There were also numerous “weeping” elms which were very easy to climb and made lovely green “tents”; sweet smelling lilac and showers of laburnam bushes, as well as veronica and escalonia and lauristinus, and four or five arbutus bushes which produced the most realistic “dolls’” oranges. The middle of the park sank into a shallow dell where the trees were thicker and taller and the grass seldom cut, except before the annual Fingal Show; which made the Park a particularly happy playground - as long as the children were inside the park railings and kept away from the tennis courts they were looked on as “safe’ and allowed to run as wild as the space permitted. In the spring there were sheets of bluebells under the sycamores at the Terrace end of the square.” The gardens are now, of course, the location of Malahide Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club.

By Ciaran Russell

Calories come from food and drink that is ingested and absorbed in the body. When in a calorie deficit, weight loss will occur and when in a calorie surplus, weight gain will occur. That’s the basic principal of energy balance, also known as calorie balance. When it comes to health and nutrition, there’s more to it than just calories.Food can be separated into two categories; macronutrients and micronutrients.Macronutrients are the big food groups such as carbohydrates, protein and fat, while micronutrients are made up of vitamins and minerals. Fibre can sometimes also be referred to a macronutrient because of its importance in the diet and gut health. Protein is essential for the maintenance and repair of muscle tissue and cells within the body. The recommended daily allowance of protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of bodyweight but this can usually be increased depending on type of activity undertaken or someone’s age. For example people that lift weights regularly are recommended to take 1.6g – 2.2g per kg of bodyweight whereas the aging population are recommended to take 1g – 1.2g per kg of bodyweight. Carbohydrates are sometimes shunned by some people in the bid to lose weight but by cutting out carbs people are reducing a very good energy source that is essential for normal bodily functions. The recommended daily allowance of carbohydrates is 50% of daily calorie intake. Carbohydrates can be classed as simple sugars, such as; fruit juices, syrups, jams and sweets, or complex carbohydrates including; potatoes, rice, pasta, fruit & veg.Carbohydrates are stored in the body in the form of glycogen in the muscles, liver and circulating in the blood. This is the main source of energy within your body and it is unnecessary to restrict carbohydrates when fat loss is a goal. Fibre comes mainly from carbohydrate sources such as, wholegrains, nuts,seeds, beans pulses and vegetables with the skin on. Fibre supports feelings of fullness, contributes to lower risk of cardiovascular disease, supports weight loss and maintenance, reduces risk of bowel cancer and supports healthy digestion. The recommended daily intake of fibre is 30g per day.Finally Fat has had a bad rap for a long time but unnecessarily so because fat is a good source of energy, has fat soluble vitamins and provides essential fatty acids which the body can’t produce itself. It is recommended that fat makes up no more than 35% of daily calories. Fat is made up of trans fat, saturated fat and unsaturated fat.It’s important to note the recommended daily allowances mentioned are usually generalised and can change from person to person due to a number of different factors.

Roisin Dermody, a guide dog owner, shares some simple but very important tips in her video entitled ‘Please don’t distract working guide dogs’.When a guide dog is working it will have its harness on. Even if the dog is lying at its owners’ feet if it has its harness on, then it is in ‘work mode’ and must not be approached or distracted without the owner’s permission. Once the harness is removed the guide dog is released from ‘work mode’ and will behave like a regular dog. However as with all dogs you should ask permission to approach the dog to say ‘hello’. Guide dog owners may not always give you permission to pet their guide dog. Why? All dogs are different, even guide dogs.Whereas one in harness might not be distracted another could be easily distracted. It may not switch back into ‘work mode’ easily. So please do not be offended if one guide dog owner permits you to say ‘hello’ to their dog, while another does not.Guide dogs are highly trained to assist their owners but there may be some instances where help is needed. There is more street furniture around, which can cause difficulties.If you see a visually impaired person who may need help just say something like ‘Hi, is there anything I can help you with?’ Please do not grab the person as you may startle them. Always speak as you approach and if the person declines your offer of help please do not be offended. Yarrow, who was puppy raised by volunteer Anne Mulligan, has qualified as an Assistance Dog.He is matched with a 6 year old boy in the Cork area. We wish Yarrow good luck in his new home. Look out for a photograph of Yarrow, along with his temporary boarder Padraig,who will feature in the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind calendar for 2022. Contact us by phone/text: 085 7663107. Email: GuideDogsBalbriggan@gmail.com
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Grace Tierney today releases her third book about the history of words. This time she’s exploring the influence of Old Norse and our Viking heritage on the English we speak today. Grace, a native of the Viking city of Dublin, who moved to north of Balbriggan in 2005 says she was surprised by how much of an influence the Vikings had on how we speak.“I’ve been blogging every Monday at www.wordfoolery.wordpress.com for 12 years (NB: Not accessible through this medium) about the history behind English words, and chatting about it on LMFM radio each month. Viking history shows they were much more than just raiders. They traded down the Silk Roads, built settlements from Russia in the east to Canada in the west (centuries before Columbus “found” the Americas), and established the oldest parliament in the world giving us words like law and ombudsman along the way - not exactly the lawless hooligans we expect,” she says.She believes the Vikings deserve more credit, particularly as they founded many of the coastal towns and cities in Ireland. Without them we wouldn’t have words like - them, they, time, sky, happiness, get, slang, trash, Friday, or take. Their contribution to romance is strong too - honeymoon, husband, hug, kiss, handfasting, and even glitter. She loves the stories behind the words - the Viking king with a rotten tooth whose runes are on our smartphones (Bluetooth anybody?), their surprisingly modern approach to women’s rights, the operatic costume designer who convinced the world Vikings wore horns on their helmets (they didn’t), and how the word enthralling gives us a grim glimpse into the time when Dublin was a slave trading centre.“Words The Vikings Gave Us” is out now in paperback and ebook (Amazon, Kindle, Kobo, signed copies from the author’s blog, etc), along with her earlier books - “Words the Sea Gave Us” (nautical words and phrases, with a side order of pirates) and “How To Get Your Name In The Dictionary” (the stories of the people whose names entered the dictionary, from Casanova to Zeppelin). What’s next for this self-confessed word geek who writes her books while mentoring writers in Louth and Meath on the National Novel Writing Month (www.nanowrimo.org) (NB: Not accessible through this medium) challenge every November? She’s already researching festive traditions, words, and phrases for the next book in the series, “Words Christmas Gave Us”.

by Siobhan O’Neill White

It’s been a hectic few months; getting the children back to school and dealing with the difficulties Covid still causes. As life has become somewhat normal again, we can plan things that we could not last year, like Halloween! My children are planning their outfits and are super excited to go trick or treating, decorate the house and carve pumpkins. For younger children, there’s the Pooka Spooka Halloween event at Causey Farm. For over 16’s teens & adults (who think being scared is great craic), there’s Farmaphobia. My husband will probably have my nail imprints dug in his palms by the end, as I’m a big scaredy cat but we are really looking forward to going with our two teens this October.If you are looking for other fun Halloween themed things to do, why not go pumpkin picking! There are lots of farms doing this so a quick google should help you find one close to you. It’s exciting for the little ones to choose their pumpkin from a farm! We like www.alrightpumpkin.com for this.

After not being able to go away for so long, it’s great to have the option of mini breaks again! We are heading up to the Four Seasons Hotel in Carlingford. Its such a beautiful part of the country and lots to do with Skypark and Carlingford water activities. If you like a spooky atmosphere, Fota Island Resort is decorated magically for winter family breaks. This is one of our favourite places to go when we visit beautiful Cork! With the children back to school, thoughts turn to Christmas. (It’s unavoidable with selection boxes in the shops!) We’ve just launched our annual Christmas Gift Guide on mams.ie. Log on for lots of offers, discounts and competitions, like the 15% discount on personalised jewellery from www.myka.com/ie/ with code MAMS15. We will have lots of giveaways over the coming weeks so keep checking the site and our socials Insta mams.ie; FB mams.ireland and Twitter mams_ie And lastly, as parents of a child with Dyslexia, I wanted to let you know that October is ‘Go Red for Dyslexia’ month. 1 in 10 people in Ireland has Dyslexia, so you are bound to know someone who is Dyslexic. To find out amore, see www.goredfordyslexia.org. Their aim is to raise awareness and to support Dyslexic people and their families and friends.

By Dave Kavanagh

We often see that on top of the more compulsory car and home insurance, that many people also have travel insurance, pet insurance, mobile phone/laptop insurance etc. When we ask about insurance on their most important and valuable assets, themselves, (outside of mortgage protection), it is often something that was never considered, despite the potentially enormous financial loss that would occur in the event of a fatality (especially when there are children to consider!). We understand, it’s not the most fun conversation to have, but the reality is these things happen all too frequently and often unexpectedly. For example, a couple with young children and an income of €50,000 per annum, who in the event of a fatality of one of the parents, could suddenly have to live on the state’s survivor’s pension, giving them a massive drop in income and lifestyle. Worth mentioning that the loss would be the same when there are young children whether it was an income earner or a homemaker, as the income earner would either be gone, losing their income, or have to give up work to raise the children. Surveys have shown, that the actual cost of cover is far cheaper than people expect, and there is a variety of options to suit people’s specific circumstances. Plans can either be selected based on levels of cover in relation to the financial loss that would be suffered, or tailored based on affordable premiums. If this is something that you have been considering, don’t keep putting it off. Contact your financial advisor to get quotes. In many cases these days, cover can be arranged over the phone with digital signing.

By Siobhan O’Neill White

Finally, Communions and Confirmations are set to go ahead. While Covid is still a worry when getting families together, with some clever organisation, you can ensure you all have an enjoyable and memorable day. Instead of having everyone together at the same time, you can split the party. For our daughter’s Communion, we had my husbands side of the family over for food, drinks and cake in our back garden from 2-4pm and then, my side of the family from 4.30-6.30pm. We got deli food and laid it out on a big table outside so that everyone could help themselves. This cut down on groups congregating in the house! Our daughters Communion dress was too small due to all the postponements, so we went back to Alexanders on Parnell St and they kindly swapped it for another. Another option is to get a dress let out or altered and The Zip Yard are brilliant for this.Gerard in Ilac & Pavilions have new Autumn stock in now and my Mam and I both got our Communion outfits there. Me a jumpsuit, her a dress. Lovely range and good prices. For Confirmation girls Quiz is fantastic as their range starts at size 4; ideal for 12/13 year olds. MyNameNecklace make personalised birthstone necklaces; perfect as a keep sake gift for Confirmation girls. For Communion jewellery, Absolute Jewellery have a great range.For Communion and Confirmation boys, Penneys is superb. Their chinos and cotton shirts are dressy yet comfy. Bestwear in Drogheda have 3 piece suits from only €69.99 for a more formal look! Most importantly, stay safe and enjoy the day! With a bit of clever preparation, you can create wonderful memories for your child’s special day. For more tips, see the dedicated special occasions section on www.mams.ie