Discover Duhallow Issue 84

Abhainn Dalla Celebrate Their Victories: P14&15

SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED

Rural Post Offices Under Threat

Post office numbers in Duhallow are declining. After threats of closure and more than a few follow throughs, post office access is getting harder. Various lockdowns and restrictions have not helped.

We look at the rate of closures and the benefits of the rural post office, whether visible or not.

Duhallow has been left with just 7 post offices. While it seems grim, there are ways to save the few we have left and ensure no one is left without access to such an essential service. Inside, see services, benefits, and more, as well as how you can do your part to save your local Post Office.

Kiskeam’s Post office closed in 2021 with the retirement of John Paddy Joe Murphy

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PERSON OF THE MONTH - FEBRUARY

Kanturk and District Community Council would like to congratulate our February person of the month winner: Jim O’Connor

A man well known for doing many many years of voluntary work at Kanturk GAA club. Jim also has time for other voluntary groups around Kanturk in helping out where needed. His neighbours have huge praise and appreciation for him never leaving anyone down. On behalf of all involved in Kanturk district Community Council and our sponsor Tina Dunstan from Cherryblooms Childcare of Person Of The Month/ Year

Congratulations Jim

To nominate someone for next month, boxes and forms are available throughout Kanturk:

• Twohig’s Supervalu

• Burton’s Topline and Euronics Store

• Kanturk Credit Union

• O’Riordan’s Daybreak

Kanturk

• Kanturk Post Office

• Photoshop Kanturk

• Burke’s Home Value

• Lidl Kanturk,

• Spar Kanturk

• Kanturk Library

Well done to U18 National Boxing Champ 2023 Katie O’Keeffe. This is her 7th All Ireland Title.

Baby Zoey Mag Healy from Ballydesmond pictured on her Baptism Day with her parents Catriona and James and her sister Leah.

Photo by Sheila Fitzgerald.

BK Plunketts Juvenile GAA Club Medal Presentation and Sponsors Evening

The victorious U17 team members Also included is Manager Danny Moynihan and Selectors Benedict Murphy and Sean Michael Michael Murphy

Photo by Sheila Fitzgerald

The U12 team received their league winners medals Also included are Trainers Michael Casey, Ian O’ Connor, John Keohane, Con Breen and Patrick Moynihan.

Photo by Sheila Fitzgerald

Kanturk Credit Union - 60th Anniversary Throwback Continues

In 1984, the Kanturk Credit union made their move to Strand Street. The ceremony was performed by Ballydesmond native Nora Herlihy, who introduced the Credit Union to Ireland in the 1950’s. The celebration included a mass along with dinner and dancing. The findings at the time also included;

• 2,500 member accounts

• £1.7 million in members savings

• £1.3 million in members loans

To follow along with the 60th anniversary celebration of Kanturk Credit Union, visit Kanturk Credit Union’s Facebook page.

Be sure to share old paper clippings or photos of the KCU through the years with them either through Facebook messenger or email info@kanturkcu.ie

ABOVE:Photo featured in the run up to the opening of the new Credit Union LEFT: Donal Hanrahan, who made the first moves to establish a Credit Union in Kanturk in 1963

Donal Cronin with his sons Jerry and John organised the recent Tureencahill Tractor Run as a fundraiser for the Kerry Cancer Support Group and Health Link Transport.

Photo by Sheila Fitzgerald

Scoil Mhuire Kantuk

Junior Cycle students Amy Horgan, Saoirse Fitzpatrick, Jamie Davidson and Dylan O’Flynn travelled to Waterford IT to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the Irish flag. The Thomas Meagher foundation celebrates the legacy of Thomas Meagher and the anniversary of the Irish flag. Schools from all around Ireland were in attendance. Jamie Davidson received the Irish flag on behalf of Scoil Mhuire. Well done to all of our students

Congratulations to Mary Sheehan who won a €2000 euro Dell Award at the I-Wish Conference in RDS today for her video on Technology and why its good to study STEM subjects.

PUTT A DAY ASIDE

Newmarket Pitch and Putt Renewal

Newmarket Pitch and Putt came into their new season with a swing as their club Over 50’s started off on March 1st.

The group have released their membership rates for 2023 and are excited to have their players out and about once again. Non members can enjoy the course for as little as €8, and membership for the year is just €150 for families. Club and ball rental is also available, so there’s nothing to hold you back!

Contact 0873733181 for more info

or for club rental. Be sure to call at least an hour before your booking for rentals.

Info is also available on their Facebook page; Newmarket Pitch & Putt.

The Cast of The American Wake all set to go on stage at the Meelin Amateur Dramatics Variety Show. The sold out show was a hit, with positive reviews rolling in everywhere.

IN THE FRAME

Community News

Readers are invited to share their photographs with us - the best will feature here. Be sure to caption your image and provide your full name and details of where the photo was taken. Email it to us at discoverduhallow@irdduhallow.com

Sunrise On Mushera Mountain Taken by and sent to us from Pat Golden, Kilcorney.

Gardening

Just Be Patient

By RACHEL BUDD

We have had such a lovely run of Spring weather over the last few weeks I know all gardeners have been itching to get outside and start preparing for the new season. March is an exciting month, finally we see some colour after the greyness of January and February. Daffodils, crocus, and snowdrops are coming into flower, blackthorn blossom is emerging in the hedgerows, soon to be joined by flowering currant giving us that lovely combination of white and pink as we drive along country lanes. Assuming the hedgerows have not recently become victim to the flail cutter of course, stripping all flower and fruit from the roadside and rendering it unsustainable for wildlife.

The urge to start tidying up flowerbeds however must be resisted for a while longer. Hopefully the Autumn clean-up is now a thing of the past and long stems and seed heads are left on perennial flowers for insects to hide in and for birds to feast on during the cold winter months, and we need to leave them just a while longer. It is not quite warm enough yet for some of our most loved and iconic insects to emerge from their winter hibernation, for example we often see groups of ladybirds huddled together

on the stems of willows, and in the hollow stems of teasels and old sunflowers. To disturb them now means that they may not survive the next cold spell which will inevitably happen after a mild early Spring.

This doesn’t mean you can retreat back into winter hibernation yourself though. March is the last month for pruning your apple trees, and it is a great idea to clear grass from around them and mulch with cardboard and bark mulch.

All bareroot planting needs to be completed this month as well. Trees and hedges establish much better, and are much cheaper to buy during bareroot season when the plants have no leaves and are dormant.

If you want to increase biodiversity in your garden a mixed hedgerow is a vital resource. You can select species that will

not grow quite as large as a wild hedgerow, which means you won’t have to cut it to often and so won’t remove its flowers and fruits. Good species to add into the mix are: Guelder Rose (Viburnum opulus) which has beautiful white flowers, followed by translucent red berries in the autumn. Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) Star shaped white/pinkish flowers followed by clusters of black berries. Our native Spindle tree Euonymous europaeus) is a fantastic addition to a garden with its exotic looking pink flowers covering emerging bright orange fruits. And don’t forget the humble currants, they come in black, red and white varieties and make an edible hedge that stays compact, attracts the bees and you and the local bird population can argue over who gets to eat the berries in July.

Communities who haven’t gotten in touch regarding planting biodiversity are encouraged to contact Rachel on 02960633

Horticulturist at IRD Duhallow Community Garden

It’s the perfect time to prune apple trees

Hibernating ladybirds

Blackthorn in full flower

Spindle tree in flower

The Importance Of Supporting

That’s no exaggeration; in 1992, we had 1907 post offices. As of 2023, there are 933. And in all of Duhallow, there are just 7.

It’s hard to believe, but if you think about it, post office closures are a discussion that disproportionally affects rural areas.

On paper, the plans are fair; any closed post office has to have another within 15km in any community of under 500. However, 15km is a long walk and with no public transport in most areas, you’re left stranded unless you drive. It sounds unreasonable to make such an essential service so difficult to access.

Because it is!

Regardless of the grants and efforts, An Post CEO David McRedmond says closures are inevitable.

Some closures can’t be helped; people retire and there’s no one to take over. But in many cases, the lack of business is the nail in the coffin. Each transaction pays just a few cents to the post office, and with the rise of paying online and e-billing, we’ve seen a huge decline in paying for anything in the post office.

It’s a tough reality, but our climate of convenience is killing the post office, WE are.

Covid shut down face to face visits for a lot of services, and as we make our way back to what feels like normal day to day life, we kept many of our habits.

But WHY is it so essential?

“Post offices are very important to rural communities, and not just for buying stamps,” said Cllr Gobnait Moynihan, “they do so much more than that nowadays. An Post services now have ATMs and banking service without all

the charges. Also they allow customers to pay ESB bills. But besides these services, post offices also end up being the social hub in a community, where people meet to do the local lotto, catch up on the news, and meet others in their communities. These interactions are vital to combat social isolation. The post offices also tend to provide food shop as well. The key to post offices surviving is to support them, we need to shop local as much as possible.”

For many in rural areas, the local post office does it all - in older communities especially, it’s a staple of their week. For those who don’t drive, the ease of access in walking back the road for their few messages and their pension offers routine.

But it’s far from just a draw for the older generations.

All manner of bills can be paid in the post office, as well as your TV and dog licence. Money transfers and general banking are exceptionally important in communities affected by bank closures. And they offer their own An Post bank account - another huge benefit in bankless areas. And that’s only SOME of the services offered.

Small business owners also see huge benefit from the physical office. The bulk purchase of stamps makes the strain a little easier, and many find just having a person there face to face lessens their shipping worries.

And of course, there’s the social aspect.

For a huge number of people throughout the community, the do their run into town all together - post office, shops, and maybe a quick cuppa. And it’s in those

spaces, post offices become a social hub. I’m sure we’ve all said we’ll have a quick run into the post office and ended up nattering away!

In many cases, post offices that close move into local shops, such as in Ballydesmond and most recently, Newmarket. But this isn’t always able to save our Post offices. We need to be the ones to act, but how? One word: transactions. Each one pays just a few cents, but if everyone did just one transaction in the month in their local post office, it would be enough to save some areas. And it doesn’t have to be anything big - sent money, pay a bill, even buy a few stamps ahead of time for Christmas!

It is up to us to save our post offices. It’s not out of our hands yet.

Services offered by the post office

• Post and parcel services

• One4All

• Money transfer

• Bill payment

• Western Union

• Everyday banking

• Currency exchange

• Mobile services

• TV Licence

• Social Welfare payments

• Dog licence

• Business licence

• Garda Fines

• Passport

• Property tax

• Post Office Bank Account services

In just over 30 years, over 50% of post offices across Ireland have closed.

Supporting Your Local Post Office

Newmarket Postmistress Marion Murphy locking up for the final time on Friday, Feb. 10th. Above, Marion Murphy with her husband Councillor Gerard Murphy and Manager Karen Field celebrating the move to the brand new Post Office within the SuperValu premises.

Abhainn Dalla Victory Social

The achievements of the Abhainn Dalla Ladies footballers were celebrated at their victory social at the Charleville Park hotel. The amalgamation of Newmarket and Kanturk ladies footballers from U14 upwards enjoyed tremendous success bringing home silverware at almost every grade. The U14, U16 and Minor footballers achieved success at North Cork and the Intermediate footballers bringing North Cork and County leagues back to Duhallow.

MC for the evening, Denys O‘Brien, welcomed special guests Neilus Carroll and Patrick Buckley representing the North Cork board and Catherine Ring of the Cork County Board.

The 2021, U14 North Cork

league winners were first presented their medals by Marie Arnold and were also coached by Denys O’Brien and Anthony Linehan.

The U16 girls who enjoyed North Cork success over Castlemagner at Lismire in August were presented their medals by Jeremiah Roche who was ably assisted on the side line by Sheila Roche and Chris Price.

Mick Lynch then took to the podium to present the Minor girls with their medals. They enjoyed a thrilling victory over Kilshanning at Glantane in October. Chris Cleary also coached the girls.

Finally, the intermediate team, coached by Denys O’Brien and Joe Moynihan, received their

medals. They enjoyed North Cork league success over Dromtariffe and County league success over Nemo Rangers last August at Grenagh with an exhibition of fast moving and free flowing football, scoring 1-20 in the process.

With food and formalities over, it was up to the excellent Deuces Wild to entertain the guests who packed out the dance floor. With a mix of both old and young in attendance, it was great for younger club members to share in the celebrations and inspire them to greater things in the future.

So, keep an eye out for games involving the Abhainn Dalla girls during 2023 and show them the support they deserve.

Photos by Sheila Fitzgerald

The Abhainn Dalla U14 and U16 Teams pictured at the Club’s Victory Social in the Charleville Park Hotel.

The Abhainn Dalla Ladies Football Intermediate Team (Newmarket & Kanturk) pictured at the Club’s Victory Social in the Charleville Park Hotel.

The Abhainn Dalla Ladies Football Minor Team pictured at the Club’s Victory Social in the Charleville Park Hotel.

Ubuntu- I Am Me Because You Are You

By ALICE O’BRIEN Churchview Psychotherapy, Millstreet

Have you heard of Ubuntu? You will need to dust off your knowledge of ancient African words for this one. Ubuntu is a word or a term from African culture; it may not be a word that can be literally translated but its concept means humanity, often translated as ‘I am because you are’. Or there is no community without you and no you without community.

Principles of Ubuntu include values, community, respect, coresponsibility, and social justice. A society that honours the ideas of Ubuntu can only be a good thing. So, where would you find Ubuntu in the lush fields of Duhallow? Do we have to search the plains of Africa for it? The answer is no,

Ubuntu is all around us. Just this week the tidy towns committee could be seen out picking rubbish and clearing hedges, or the local school children in Banteer got together and planted trees, trees that will be enjoyed by the generations that will come along after them. If that’s not Ubuntu, then what is?

So, how can you practice Ubuntu in your daily life?

• Acknowledge the uniqueness of others and show them respect. We all differ, in values, in opinions, in viewpoints, but we can all respect each other-

there is space for us all.

• Show generosity in community in whatever way you can- maybe you don’t have time to join the tidy towns, but you can take home your own litter. All efforts can add up to a greater cause, a better community.

• Show kindness to others in whatever way you can. Thank the postman, wave at your neighbour, smile at the passing jogger. You never know the effects your kind gesture may have on someone who is not feeling well or having a bad day.

To conclude, Ubuntu is the belief that we are all defined by our compassion and kindness towards others, show kindness to receive kindness. So, bringing more African principles to the dales of Duhallow can only help us all.

Managing Alcohol and Fat Loss

By SIOBHAN O’SULLIVAN SOS Fitness

Last week, I spoke about how alcohol can have an impact on fat loss and how best to manage the day of an event and planning ahead. This week, I want to talk to you about the day after a night out.

It’s the day after being out that is the key to not hindering your fat loss efforts when it comes to alcohol. This is when we can really over-consume calories and put ourselves completely out of our deficit.

There are a few key things to think about for the following day:

– Get some fresh air. I know sitting on the couch is tempting for the day but your mind and body

will thank you for getting some movement in

– Drink 2 litres of water

– Have food in the house and be prepared for the day after. This is the most important aspect of managing alcohol. Get back to your normal routine with food. Have food in the house to make a fakeaway so you don’t end going to the takeaway. If you allow

yourself to eat what you like the day after being out, this is where you will see calories really go up for the week

– Get to bed at your normal time. You want to get your sleep routine back on track as quickly as you can Alcohol can for sure be worked into a fat loss plan. The key is being prepared and planning for it and not taking a drink every time it is offered just for the sake of it. There will be times when you will choose to say no to alcohol because it is not in line with your goals. Don’t feel the pressure to drink if you don’t want it. It is you who will suffer the consequences ultimately.

For more information on nutrition coaching, check out my website https://sosfitness.ie/nutrition/

Understanding Anxiety

By MAIREAD O’KEEFFE New Leaf Health Store

It’s natural for people to experience tension, stress, and worry when under strain. In fact, two out of every five individuals say they worry at least once per day. Some people, however, experience worry, anxiety, and tension so persistently that it significantly affects their everyday lives.

Before we understand what anxiety is, we need to understand worry. Worry is typically understood as a verbal / mental problem solving technique related to possibly harmful future events. It may be brought on by a variety of outside circumstances or by random ideas. Worry is

characterized by a number of hypothetical questions - “what if” statements such as:

“What if I fail my exam?”

“What if I can’t do the job?”

“What if I can’t provide for my family?”

Regular anxiety usually passes quickly and motivates effective problem-solving. When anxiety is difficult to control or ignore, is about numerous things, and occurs frequently, it becomes unhelpful. Long-term or persistent concern leads to increased anxiety and worry, which can actually hinder functioning in everyday life.

It is springtime, and this means leaving cert exams alongside with other exams. This can be a very stressful time in a student’s life. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is one of the most effective

psychological remedies for generalized anxiety. CBT typically includes techniques for dealing with unhelpful beliefs about worry, relaxation to ease chronic tension, learning to question and let go of worries, learning more beneficial coping

If this describes you, accredited psychotherapist Katie Madarasz will be running a two session anxiety management course here at New Leaf (6:30pm 24th and 31st March). It may be very useful for helping you comprehend what generalized anxiety is, how it applies to you and she’ll teach you a few useful tips on how to manage your anxiety.

Ring 029 51922 to book a place on the group sessions or to make an appointment for a one-on-one session.

Interest

Patrick - Our Patron Saint

By TOM DENNEHY

We celebrate the Feast of Saint Patrick, our patron saint, on March 17th.

We owe so much to Saint Patrick as he was the one chosen by God to bring us out of the darkness of pagan times and in to the light of faith. This light is still burning today despite being under attack by media and the secular agenda which exists in Ireland.

This faith proclaimed to us by Saint Patrick has sustained us through so much persecution. It has sustained us during Penal times when many were martyred for our faith, during Cromwellian plantations and through famine and has ensured that many generations of our ancestors have reached their Heavenly home. Previous to Christianity and the great work of Saint Patrick, we had Paganism. Then we worshipped more than 200 deities or false gods and were involved in pagan rituals where animal sacrifices were made to please the gods we worshipped.

Saint Patrick had great difficulty in overcoming the Druids who ruled during these times but with the power of God and the Holy Spirit working powerfully in him he succeeded and built churches up and down the country, established dioceses, ordained priests and baptised thousands of people to the Catholic Church.

In the Confession of Saint Patrick, we get an insight into his life and his humility. He had total trust in the power of God working in him.

“My name is Patrick, I am a sinner, a simple country person. I was taken prisoner. I was about sixteen at the time. At that time, I did not know the true God. I was

taken into captivity in Ireland, along with thousands of others. We deserved this, because we had gone away from God, and did not keep His commandments. We would not listen to our priests, who advised us how we could be saved. The Lord brought His strong anger upon us, and scattered us among many nations even to the ends of the earth. It was there that the Lord opened up my awareness of my lack of faith. Even though it came late, I recognised my failings. So I turned with all my heart to the Lord my God, and He looked down on my lowliness and had mercy on my youthful ignorance. He guarded me before I knew Him, and before I came to wisdom and could distinguish between good and evil. He protected me and consoled me as a father does his son.”

We read how he tended sheep and prayed frequently during the day. More and more his love of God and his sense of awe before God increased, “faith grew, and my spirit was moved, so that in one day I would pray up to one hundred times , and at night perhaps the same. I even remained in the woods and on the mountain, and I would rise to pray before dawn in snow and ice and rain. I never felt the worst for it, and I never felt lazy-as I realise now, the spirit was burning in me at that time.”

After six years a voice - which he believed to be God’s - spoke to him in a dream, telling him it was time to leave Ireland. To do so he walked 200 miles to a ship waiting for him. His exploits on the ship ended with the conversion of the crew on board and his return home to his family.

There he had a dream that the Irish were calling him back to

Ireland to tell them about God.

He trained as a priest and returned to Ireland as a Bishop where he went on mission baptising thousands of people and ordaining clerics everywhere, “I spent myself for you, I have travelled everywhere among you for your own sake, in many dangers, and even to the furthest parts where nobody lived beyond, and where nobody ever went to baptise and to ordain clerics or to bring people to fulfilment, it is only by God’s gift that I diligently and most willingly did all this for your good. “

As we celebrate the feast day of Saint Patrick, we must ask ourselves the burning questions.

Are we going to be the generation that will fail to pass on the faith to our children and grandchildren?

Are we going to be the generation to fail to acquire a true knowledge of the faith handed down to us through past generations?

Are we going to be the generation to stand idly by and let false ideologies and a secular world dictate to us?

Let us stand up for the faith brought to us by Saint Patrick, a faith won for us by Jesus Christ by His death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead. The one true faith which has sustained us over the centuries and will sustain us now also in whatever difficulties that lie ahead in our broken world.

Caoine Of The Irish Myths

By CALEB O’CONNOR

If you ask someone to name an Irish myth or legend, chances are they’ll say the Banshee.

Banshee is the more English spelling of her name - Ban Sidhe. This translates to woman of the mound or fairy woman, and like other fairies, she’s not a good sign. While I’m speaking very directly here, there isn’t just one banshee. There are banshee’s for old Irish families to plague the name. That said, there are stories of other families, non-Irish ones, having a banshee.

But what do they do?

Banshees are known for their wailing songs, an even more haunting version of keening. Keening - from the Irish caoineadh, to weep - was a practice traditionally taken up by women. At funerals, they would wail a mournful song, full of sobs and despair. The keen of the banshee is a tell - it’s heard when a member of the family dies abroad or before the death of a family member at all. Several at once is said to sing of the death of a someone great or holy.

Where could such a creature come from?

Author I. E. Kneverday put forward the idea of the Banshee being closely linked with someone we know well; Brigid.

Brigid is the Goddess of Poetry and fertility in our pantheon, and was one of the Tuath Dé Danann, those who became the sidhe. While her story is long and interesting (well worth a read!) the main thing we’ll focus on in the Second Battle of Moytura. During this battle, Brigid’s son Ruadán fell. Upon discovering his body, she wailed as she sang a lament in honour of his life.

It’s here Mr. Kneverday proposes the Banshee was born. His articles and videos on Irish Mythology go into further detail - visit irishmyths.com for more.

Whether you are on board with the idea, I think it’s also important to consider this; while she’s certainly not a welcome caller, she does mean well.

She keens for our families and that compassion shouldn’t be forgotten.

We must also consider, if the banshee cries and no one’s around to hear it, does she make a sound? Why wouldn’t she?

Just as she cries for those we know and love, she likely cries

for those who have no one, those whose memories may be lost to the river of time.

Perhaps that keening is the last thing a soul hears as they pass on, and that must be a great comfort.

Did you know that weeping women who herald death or misfortune are not limited to the Banshee?

Scotland:

Bean nighe / ban nigheachain / nigheag na h-áth Little washerwoman / Little washer at the ford Seen washing the bloodstained clothes or armour of those about to die.

Wales: Cyhyraeth

A ghostly spirit with a disembodied moaning voice that sounds before a person’s death.

Mexico: La Llorona

A woman you hear sobbing usually near rivers or canals. She’s said to drag children to their deaths because of her own horrific crimes.

ABOVE:This piece by artist Walter (Instagram: gaydrums) captures an eerie beauty to the Banshee

She’s Like The Wind

FILM REVIEW

By TADHG CURTIN

A young girl gets to escape her dysfunctional family and spend a summer of discovery out in the Irish countryside in Colm Bairéad’s An Cailín Ciúin (The Quiet Girl) (2022).

Based on a novella Foster by Claire Keegan, we follow a young girl named Cáit (played superbly by Catherine Clinch) and she is an awkward little girl. It’s not her fault - her father is an alcoholic gambler, her siblings are not very nice to her, and her mother is at her wits end trying to look after the family while getting ready to give birth to another child. With all this, it’s decided that Cáit is to be sent to distant relatives to spend the summer. Here, the new environment has a profound impact on her and she makes a profound impact on her newly appointed temporary guardians who nurture her with a kindness she hasn’t experienced before.

sound. Growing up on a farm, I thought that was bang on.

Many have said that An Cailín Ciúin is one of the best movies told through a child’s POV. Through Cáit’s eyes, her environment feels massive yet claustrophobic at the same time. Her hanging out with adults and observing what they are doing is awkward and we feel what she is going through. For me, I love how it suggests a hot, Irish summer through its look and

Ciúin has a revelation that comes halfway through the movie, that might be no surprise to keen eyed viewers paying attention. Director Colm Bairéad’s plotting is methodical with its cinematography relying on stationary shots. Its editing lingers on shots longer than usual but with purpose, it’s lulling you into its seemingly banal proceedings. My issue with a lot of Irish cinema is it produces dramas with a capital ‘D’. They can be very austere with people in rooms silently suffering. That’s what I thought I was in for. But its beautiful, lush photography by Kate McCullough and score by Stephen Rennicks softened me. The actors too - Carrie Crowley and Andrew Bennett, as well Michael Patric, playing a flawed man you just want to throttle to get him to cop on. And then, we get to the end and well… it has got to me. I would love to talk about the ending but I don’t want to ruin its impact.

The irony of An Cailin Ciúin is that word of mouth is giving a tremendous boost to its marketing. It seems to be the little engine that could, with critics lauding it and international

audiences are embracing it. As of writing, it has been nominated for Best Foreign Film at the 2023 Oscars. The Irish have won at the Oscars before for an independent movie; John Carney’s Once (2007) won Best Original Song in 2008 so it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that Ciúin could win its category. I haven’t seen the other movies nominated but is Ciúin a worthy winner? You know what? Yes. Writing this piece is making me realise that I am more in sync with this story than I was starting off. Despite my minor issues with it, I’m still thinking about it. I would love to see it pick up the big one on the night, to see young Cáit run up on that stage but at the end of the day, awards mean nothing. If you’re gonna take off running, do it for love and the love of family. Run! Ar nós na gaoithe

1. Intransigent (7)

2. Majestic (5)

3. Gusto (6)

5. Devise or invent (7)

6. Storage towers (5)

7. Cab (4)

9. Darned (5)

To be in with a chance to win a €20 voucher for Duhallow Community Food Services complete the crossword and post with your name and contact details to:

Discover Duhallow Puzzle Competition, James O’Keeffe Institute Newmarket, Co. Cork

Or simply scan completed puzzle or take a snap with your phone email to discoverduhallow@irdduhallow.com

Terms & Conditions:

Deadline for submissions is noon on Friday, March 17th, 2023.

First correct entry drawn will win a €20 voucher, valid for three months from date of issue, to be redeemed for food at the Duhallow Community Food Services. No cash alternative. Winner will be named in subsequent issue of Discover Duhallow. One entry per person. No correspondence will be entered into. Voucher to be collected from Duhallow Community Food Services, Newmarket.

DANU CHILDCARE RATHMORE

Are recruiting for the following positions:

2 x RELIEF WORKERS

Minimum Level 5/6 in Childcare

Please apply with C.V to Danú childcare, Rathmore, Co Kerry or Email: danurathmore@gmail.com

Closing date for applicants is February Friday 24th 2023@5pm