Connect Lifestyle Magazine October 2022

Mary

Hi all

Its October and its time to get ready for the darker nights, I know we all love the sun, but I still love a night chilling in front of the fire.

We have lots for you this month, we chat with Johnny Smacks from the ever popular 2Johnnies Duo…

Its Breast cancer month and we chat to local lady and community garda Mary Gardiner who has just done the journey, she truly is an inspiration to us all and I think you will all enjoy what she has to say and will come away feeling far more positive from it all.

Huge Congrats also to Patricia Sheehan recently recognised at the Kerry Person of the year award in Dublin, Patricias caring nature at the Palliative Care Centre here in Tralee has given many families hope and support in extremely hard times and we are thrilled for her that she has been recognised.

Some more advice from Nora at slimming world and Dr Mary McCaffrey advises on how best to prepare for menopause as we reach World Menopause Day on October 18th, there will be a wonderful morning at the Lakeside Café at Tralee Bay wetlands to mark this day and Dr Mary and host of experts will be on hand to give advice on health and wellness, and speaking of the Lakeside Café at Tralee Bay Wetlands I have to say a huge thank you to everyone who have visited since I took over the reigns there in August, I have had many familiar faces in to wish me well on my new venture, and I am truly grateful, it’s always difficult making a decision to embark on new business and especially in these times and I am very thankful to you all for the support.

A huge thank you also to my team in Connect for ensuring things are running smoothly with that, I always say you are only as good as the team around you, and I am blessed to have a strong team in my corner. So, if you would like a nice cuppa with your favourite monthly read this month please do call and see us at the Wetlands Activity Park and Café,

NATURAL HELP FOR INFLAMMATION.

Our body is designed to react to illness, infection or injury with inflammation. This reaction should be acute, short-lived and local to the affected area. When inflammation persists after an infection has finished or becomes a chronic condition unrelated to the infection or injury, it is problematic. This is because being in a constant state of inflammation over time can damage the healthy cells of your body. This can manifest as pain or swelling but may also present as digestive issues, chest pains, exhaustion, poor gut health and certain skin condition.

If inflammation persists internally, even when there is no obvious injury, it can become chronic, more complicated to clear and may lead to problems such as arthritis, diabetes or heart disease. Typical triggers would be poor lifestyle and a bad diet, an autoimmune disorder, trauma, illness or prolonged stress levels.

LIFESTYLE CHANGES WHICH MAY HELP: Avoid processed foods and foods high in salt and sugar, saturated animal fats and trans fats, refined carbohydrates, alcohol and food additives such as MSG. Gluten and Dairy can also be problematic for some people.

RECOMMENDED ANTI-INFLAMMATORY FOODS: Green leafy vegetables, avocados, oily fish, dark and bright coloured berries, olive oil, coconut oil and oils contains omega-3 fatty acids. Turmeric spice is a good anti-inflammatory and can either be added to foods and beverages or taken as a supplement.

In addition to getting enough sleep, managing stress and eating a healthy diet, dietary supplements and adaptogens have proven to help with an anti-inflammatory response. Certain supplements may help to reduce inflammation. Fish oils, lipoic acid, and curcumin are all linked to decreased inflammation which may be associated with diseases.

Some of the other products you will find instore which can help with inflammatory issues include: APPLE CIDER VINEGAR (available in tablets if you are not a fan of the taste), MONTMORENCY CHERRIES (liquid or capsule form), ZINCUFLEX CAPSULES, RESVERATROL and SPOONFUL BOTANICALS (simply take one teaspoon a day from the jar and add to porridge, spread on toast or stir into your tea).

Editor:

Our advice as always, is to call instore and have a chat with our wellness consultants if you have any queries or would like more information on any of these products. If you are concerned about any prolonged inflammation you should always consult your GP before taking any supplements.

Until next time, stay healthy Deirdre x

For

For

From Tipperary to Juarez, Mexico, The 2 Johnnies do America LIKE NEVER BEFORE!

If you haven’t by now heard of The 2 Johnnies, you must have spent the last few years on a desert island. From Ireland’s number 1 podcasters, selling out shows in The 3Arena and hosting a daily show, ‘Drive It’ on 2FM you would think their plate was full? Well, I recently sat with Johnny ‘Smacks’ McMahon to find out more about their new show starting October 3th on RTÉ, ‘The 2 Johnnies do America’

Johnny, it’s a pleasure to have you with us here in Connect, can you tell our readers about what they can expect on this coming season of “The 2 Johnnies Do America”?

Well, this season is slightly different to our first season where we went and checked out what Irish people were doing in America. This time we are getting under the bonnet of America, we’re checking its oil, looking at its wipers, we are giving it the full service! We hear all these stories about America and how crazy it is, how wild it is, so we wanted to experience that for ourselves. We started down in Mexico, to be honest I think the flights were cheaper and that’s why the producer started us there down in Juarez! So we really got to see all the craziness and the wild side of America which is what we set out to do.

Were there times within the filming of it that you felt intimidated in some of the places you visited or did you feel generally welcomed?

I think the American’s are great at welcoming people and I think that’s really part of their culture, sometimes they go above and beyond and I’m thinking ‘wait, are you really that nice or is that put on?’ So we have always felt welcome in America every time we’ve been there which is great. Now, Juarez in Mexico, that’s a different story! Did I feel like we were going to get killed? I probably did at times! Was there a spotter following us around and constantly talking on the phone planning a heist on our gear, the camera’s, the whole lot? There probably was! But we got out of Juarez and it wasn’t too bad. In America, I guess there was times when I felt a bit intimidated for example, we went to Kentucky and we met a police officer there who, obviously you know they openly carry their gun’s, he brought us out to his ranch and said “I’m going to show you my gun’s”. Being from Tipperary strangely enough we’re not around guns much! So when he brought us into his kitchen and there he had laid out twenty odd guns’ on his kitchen table, everything from machine guns to the smallest hand guns, police issued guns, that was almost intimidating. You hear a lot about gun violence in America and gun laws, well, we were a fish out of water in that scene I’ll tell you, definitely intimidated and slightly bewildered by the fella who was showing us. As I mentioned he was a cop, he kept saying “I do it for the adrenaline!” which I kind of think is a bad reason to be a cop!

When you go from the most expensive homes to those of depravity, how did it affect you seeing the different standards of living between societies, was it reflective of the current situation here in Ireland with so many on the poverty line including the working class more so than ever?

Well yes, it’s strange, in America. I mean in terms of one minute we were in a €10 million apartment in New York overlooking the harbour where it’s beautiful and lovely, a place where the rich people are doing well and more power to those people who can do that, who can get to the top of their game. But then the flip side of it, we have been to New Orleans which was badly affected by Hurricane Katrina and to see

the devastation down there was just unbelievable. Everyone just seemed so down, so broken, it’s really very sad. But it really is reflective of society in Ireland as well where you have the rich who are doing very well but then we have people who are on the bread line and struggling. This energy crisis and cost of living crisis is not going to help anyone, I think people need more of a dig out from the people in the government, they just need more help, we need it in Ireland, we’re struggling.

How was your experience this time post covid in a Biden led America as opposed to when you started with season one?

To be fair, I think a lot of the states that we travelled through, particularly the likes of Texas, Alabama, some southern states like that are still very much pro Trump. We didn’t get too heavily involved in the politics of it so there wasn’t a huge difference, the main difference is when you travel through the airport the picture over immigration is Biden and not Donald Trump and that was really it for us. But on the other hand some people out there would tell us they were making more money under Trump, now we can’t judge that ourselves but that’s what they say!

When we think of presenting duo’s its often the likes of Ant & Dec where it’s easy to see the close bond they share after all of these years. How do you balance your friendship with a full-on work schedule that see’s you both spend a lot of time together?

Well, what you see is what you get with me and Johnny B, we’re friends, we’re best friends and we have been for over 12 years and it’s easy to maintain a friendship because we see our work as almost us just being friends spending time together but getting to do cooler things. Like, we’re still best friends, we still play together, we still hurl together and we still hang out together on weekends. If we have a weekend off the first thing we think is, will we go to a football match and go out for a few pints after? We always get asked do we ever fight?

We don’t fight because

we are honest with each other and I think that is very important in any relationship between two people, that you’re honest with each other. If Johnny B is wrecking my head or I’m wrecking his, we’ll just say “Don’t be doing that now you’re wrecking my head” and we just get over it. With the work schedule and friendship, it’s very easy. We love working together, we love travelling together and that is why it works. Trust me, we would be found out by now if we didn’t like each other!

Congratulations on your latest sold out show in the 3 Arena, how has that journey been for you to take it from day 1 of the podcast to sold out gigs in one of Irelands biggest venues?

It’s gas, I can remember putting the original 3 Arena gig on sale, the first gig and that was before last Christmas, it was a huge gamble. We worried if tickets were going to sell, but that sold out thankfully! Unfortunately it got put back because of covid but it finally went ahead in April. Then when it came to putting this one on sale it was nerves all over again, could we make lightning strike twice and thank god we did! All the tickets were gone within 3 or 4 minutes. It was such a relief! It’s amazing too because we have taken that show to smaller venues all around the country and the support we get is just so humbling, such a buzz for us because all we want to do is bring people out. It’s a night out, it’s an event. We go all out, there’s pyrotechnics, there’s stuff you’re never going to see again which is what makes it special and it’s great to sell out the 3Arena, I’ve been there watching Westlife when I was 11, I’ve been there all over the year’s seeing all of my favourite bands and to be sharing the stage that they did is just unbelievable.

Do you have plans to take it on tour further afield? Yes, we are looking at date’s around the world but having real job’s now as radio hosts it can be a bit difficult! We are looking to take it to London hopefully, New York too so who knows, we took the podcast to Australia so maybe we will take it back? We definitely have plans to take it further afield, we have lots of listeners out there, loads of Irish people out there who want to have a good night out and that’s what we want to give them!

If people were not previously aware of The 2 Johnnies, the GAA Catfish saga certainly solved that! Although people across the world got heavily invested in it, it is important to remember at the centre of all of this was a human with feelings and emotions who had been deceived in a nasty way. What affect did it have on Johnny B mentally and what prompted you both to go public with it?

I can only speak on Johnny B’s behalf but I guess, the reason we wanted to go public on it was because this is the kind of stuff that when you watch television and you see that show in America, Catfish, you think surely that only happens in America?

But here it is happening on our own doorstep. We wanted to go public with it to tell people that this was actually happening and it can happen! Showing people how you can get caught in it, how you can become lured into it by a Catfish and also for the Catfish themselves. It was nasty what they were doing, it was wrong what they were doing but also they themselves were probably having some issues. We got on a psychologist, Louise Carroll and she explained why it was happening. I think we just wanted to make people aware that it was happening and the tell-tale signs on what to look out for. We wanted to educate people, I mean it happened to Johnny who was lucky really that he wasn’t too badly affected by it at all. But we have spoken to people who have been affected by it big time. So really just be aware and be safe when you are online.

How was it received by the public in terms of people messaging you, was there a general feeling of sympathy?

There was a feeling of sympathy, probably a feeling of jaysus he’s some eejit as well! But that is totally normal. The public were really invested in it, but you have to remember don’t believe everything you read too and that’s what we would say. Also that, it’s not even about sympathy, it’s about us raising awareness of this with the public, letting people know that, here this can happen to anyone.

Do you feel in this day and age where “Instagram perfection” seems to be all anyone strives to conform to what is perceived as normal, is there more pressure on people to appear to be something they are not?

Yes, definitely, this is like not believing everything you read. Do not believe everything you see on Instagram, it’s just a snippet of people’s lives, it’s a snippet of the good stuff they do. I’m on Instagram mostly for work, I don’t share too much of my personal life on it because I think that is something that you have to keep separate. People will only ever publish their highlights, they never publish the lowlights so don’t get too bogged down, don’t get too winded and I think the most important thing for people out there is not to be comparing yourself to anyone else, I know that’s easier said than done. But if you see someone and you think oh I will never have their body, look I have those insecurities too myself but you have to try and not compare yourself. You’re not them, you’re yourself and your own person so just try and worry about yourself, live your own life and don’t be looking for Instagram perfection because it does not exist.

What advice would you give to any of our readers who is using dating apps or engaged in conversations online?

Look out for those red flags online, are they tagged in photo’s, do you have mutual friends. Check with mutual friends do they know this person, can they give a reference for them and yeah I would definitely be aware of screenshots, it’s just general rules of online. Be careful with online dating, it’s the same as if you were meeting someone in person so same rules apply.

I recently spoke with a good friend of yours, Trisha Lewis who is just an absolute joy with such an infectiously energetic personality, it is so easy to see why you are so fond of her. Trisha spoke about the down side of social media with trolls etc. Have you experienced much of this yourselves or do you feel it is mostly women who are targeted in this way?

Trisha is amazing, she is an absolute legend! I would say from chatting to women we know in the media they definitely seem to get it a lot more than we do. We’re lucky, I guess we’ve been doing it so long that to be honest we haven’t gotten that many trolls’. Of course if you put yourself outside your comfort zone like go on The Late Late Show you will get a bit of it but to be honest we just dont read it. We don’t go online, we don’t read comments and that way I guess it shields us from it. But honestly, we would never be that bothered by what people say about us, we are happy with what we are doing and we believe in what we are doing. We know what we are doing is making so many people happy, we get so many messages to the podcast of us getting people through tough times. It was amazing, just during lockdown we met a guy who said he was in a really bad place and listened to the podcast and it got him through. That’s why we love doing what we do, we don’t focus on the trolls, trolls will never win. I know it’s tough for Trisha and other girls in the media, we’re lucky were able to just block it out, we’re tough boys! When you come from a small town doing what we’re doing you’ll get enough grief that will get you well ready for troll’s!

Finally, what can we expect to see from you both career wise over the next 12 months?

Lot’s more work! We have our radio show Drive It with The 2 Johnnies on 2FM and that is keeping us busy 5 days a week! We have our podcast and our extra podcast on patreon, that’s all going to be ongoing over the next 12 months. We have 3 different TV shows in development so they are coming hot and heavy down the line! So it’s constantly like that and constantly moving, it’s all about adapting and keeping the content pucked out and really just doing what we love is the main thing. We are really lucky, we’ve had real jobs, we’ve been through the grind, this is an absolute cake walk compared to the real jobs. It’s just unreal to be able to do this job every day and we are so thankful for it. It’s going to be a busy 12 months so watch out!

The 2 Johnnies do America begins October 3th on RTÉ. You can also find The 2 Johnnies weekdays from 3-6pm on their show ‘Drive It’ on 2fm

When Cancer knocked on Mary Gardiner’s door, it sorely underestimated the fight it would get back. As a self-proclaimed highly competitive person be it in scrabble or on the basketball court, losing was never going to be an option. I sat with Mary to catch up on her recent news of winning the fight of her life.

Mary Gardiner on winning the fight of her life and remaining positive throughout!

refer me anyway and have it checked so she did. I travelled to Cork on January 4th to have a mammogram, they then gave me an ultrasound followed by a biopsy. On January 13th I was in my car with Tom when I got a call to be in Cork the following day for my results, I knew at this point there was something wrong.

I went into the room and they are very direct, they said I am very sorry to tell you but you have invasive breast cancer. I knew nothing about cancer, I was a very healthy person who thought I was absolutely invincible. The exact word’s out of my mouth were “Okay I have Cancer, what’s next?” Thankfully they write everything down for you because you take nothing in, all you can hear is the word Cancer. The type of Cancer I had was extremely aggressive and fast growing but thankfully I had caught it early enough. They explained I would need Chemotherapy, Surgery followed by Radiotherapy.

I told my closest friends, Teresa O Brien, Una Lynch and Andrea O Donoghue, Angelene Myers along with my close family

You are so well known across Kerry for having such a bright and positive outlook on life and throughout your treatment, when did you make a firm decision to remain positive throughout that difficult time?

Photo Credit: Oisin Burke

Mary, can you take us back to when you first got diagnosed?

On December 6th 2021, I was playing a Basketball match with my team, Tralee Tigers. I got a bit of a knock to my elbow so when I was up in my shower later that evening I was kind of feeling sorry for myself and thinking, why am I still playing this I am 45 years of age! But while I was washing I felt a hard patch on my skin in my chest area. I thought no more of it really because it wasn’t a lump and it was more up above my breast area? I mentioned it to my partner, Tom, I said it feels a bit strange? It wasn’t sore but I had this gut instinct that something wasn’t right so Tom encouraged me to go to the doctor which was difficult at the time with restrictions in place but I got an appointment for the 9th. The doctor said they didn’t think it was anything just muscle, I was walking out the door but something stopped me and I said sure will you just

What was the most difficult part in all of this for you?

The hardest thing throughout all of this was absolutely telling my children. The chemo, the surgery, it all paled into comparison when telling my kids. My Daughter Aoife who is 17, it broke my heart telling her, I literally watched her world fall apart in front of my eyes. I have to break some hard and horrific news to people over the last 23 years in my job but this was the hardest thing I ever had to do.

I was determined from the very start to not let the Cancer define me. I kept saying “I have Cancer, but I am not Cancer” I was certain I was not going to let it change me. Now don’t get me wrong, it was so hard at times to keep things as normal at home for the kids. I tried from the beginning to not let them see me thrown down in bed but by the third cycle of chemo I was admitted into hospital with dehydration. When I lost my hair, my son Oisin was 5 at the time, I explained to him I was sick and needed to take medicine to make me better but that would cause my hair to fall out. He came back to me and said okay take the medicine but will you grow your hair back for my birthday? I told him I would try my best and the more open I was with him the better it was for him.

You mentioned a girl earlier to me who inspired you to fight hard and remain positive, can you tell our reader’s more about her?

There was a girl in Castleisland that I knew well her name was Joanne Walmsley, we played basketball for years together. When Joanne was diagnosed, I saw the battle she faced, she just trucked on and got on with everything. She completely inspired me to fight it as hard as I could for her, for me and for my family, I was determined not to leave my children without a mother. I have always had a positive outlook in life, I always look on the brightside of everything and this attitude really helped me. You really have to make what you can of your life, you can have a dream but you have to work for it too. Of course there were days where I didn’t feel so strong or so positive, but I would take one look at my kids and that would drive me on to be Mary G. Everyone knows me as Mary G, a fun, bubbly, positive and outgoing person, I wasn’t going to lose that side of me to Cancer. The nurses in the Cancer unit,

they are only to be described as angles on earth. They treat every patient with such care and dignity, you feel like you’re the only person in the room with the attention they give to you. Every staff member you meet along the way are just so positive you couldn’t help but feel that way going out the door. It spurred me on to do the 100k in 30 days for the month of June in which I raised €43,000.

How did it feel to hear the words that your treatment had worked?

I remember 10 days after my mastectomy the doctor came into me and told me I had a full clinical response to my treatment. I replied, “right” and he said “Mary are you listening, we got it all, the treatment worked?!” I said to him “But wasn’t that your plan anyway?” I suppose a part of me just never expected it to fail I was so determined. I’m such a competitive person by nature whether it’s a game of scrabble or fighting Cancer, losing is just not in my vocabulary. I have just finished radiotherapy so I will now have immunotherapy every 3 weeks due to the type of cancer I had. Would it be nice to do something special to celebrate? Of course it would but honestly I just really enjoy being at home with my family. Once they are happy I’m happy.

Finally Mary, what advice would you give to the readers of Connect who are going through a similar battle or perhaps recently received a diagnosis?

First of all, if you are worried about something go get it checked, don’t put it off. Don’t let Cancer define you, it’s not you it’s just something you have to deal with and you will. Take every bit of help that comes your way, don’t be shy about it. I was always the one helping others so it was a big thing for me to accept help from other but in the end I did and it’s the best thing I could have done. Take each day as it comes and talk about it with friends and family. If there is anyone reading this interview going through it and needs someone to talk too, I would be more than happy to chat to them.

TEDxTralee

2022 Returns to Siamsa Tire

TEDxTralee, an independently organised event, licensed by TEDx, returns to Siamsa Tire on Thursday 6th October with the theme of ‘The Good Room’ and as part of the An Turas Mor – Homecoming Kerry Festival

Launched in 2009, TEDx is a program of locally organised events that bring the community together to share a TED-like experience. Some of the best talks from TEDx events have gone on to be featured on TED.com and garnered millions of views from audiences across the globe with 32 Million subscribers alone on the TEDx YouTube Channel.

Local Curators and Co-Coordinators Bryan Carr and James Finnegan felt that after the stunning success of TEDxTralee 2021, whose talks have been viewed on the online worldwide TED platform over two hundred and seventy thousand times, that there was another opportunity to promote Tralee on the International TEDx map with another series of an eclectic series of talks and presentations from local, national and international Speakers.

Our fourteen Speakers come from a variety of backgrounds and unique experiences all sharing their Stories and Big Ideas. From an initial submission of forty eight speakers, these individuals were selected and assisted over a number of weeks and months in developing their presentations.

“We are delighted, proud and honored to be able to give these wonderful, inspiring and thought provoking Talks a platform, covering a range of topics from the personal to the global perspective” Said Bryan and James

“It was always the aspiration for last year’s event to be the first in a series of legacy events promoting Tralee, Kerry and Ireland under the TEDxTralee Banner. This year, with the development of the An Turas Mor series of countywide festivals and events, a wonderful opportunity presented itself to raise the bar once again.”

They also want to encourage and give practical experience to the next generation of Production talent working in conjunction and collaboration with seasoned Event Project Leaders

Of course, nothing of this scale can be achieved in isolation, so TEDxTralee gratefully acknowledge the support of all their Partners including Tralee Chamber Alliance, Shannon Star Entertainment, The Rose Hotel, M.EDIA, Siamsa Tire, Quails Partners and of course, Connect Publications as well as the sponsors of An Turas Mor including Kerry County Council, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Failte Ireland

We look forward to welcoming our delegates from around the county, country and world to TEDxTralee 2022 on Thursday 6th October to Siamsa Tire – The National Folk Theatre of Ireland. Tickets available from www.siamsatire.com

Future Proof Your Health

GET READY FOR YOUR SECOND SPRING

October is a month that marks many women’s health events.

However, for us at The Scotia Clinic October is important for women in their second spring - women in the perimenopause and menopause. Menopause comes to all women and most of will spend at least a third of our lives in our second spring. Our team would like everyone to be healthy for that period in their lives.

World Menopause Day will be celebrated on October 18th and hot on its heels is World Osteoporosis Day on October 20th. These two events are in many ways interlinked.

The theme for World Menopause Day 2022 is Cognition and Mood. When we think of menopause most of think of hot flushes and sweats. In fact, poor memory, forgetfulness and mood changes are a significant problem that we encounter in our practice.

Who remembers going to the shop and on arrival wondering what you came for? Or wondering where you put the car keys? The list can be long

Many women panic when these symptoms happen and worry that they might be developing dementia. However, be reassured that this is rarely the case.

But poor brain function impacts our lives. One survey showed that 45% of menopausal women found they were less efficient at work, 26% felt their work quality was poorer and 7% felt their concentration was affected.

Staying ahead of the game from an early age is really important! Prevention is better than cure!

Tips to prevent memory issues

· A healthy diet rich in olive oil, a Mediterranean style diet is important

· Vitamin D and B vitamins are important. Omega 3’s are very important.

· Cut out cigarette smoking and minimise alcohol intake

· Physical activity such as aerobic exercise is linked to reduced dementia rates.

· Being out and about and socialising is important and performing mental activity. Maybe take up Wordle, crosswords or Bingo.

· Mindfulness- we all need me time even if it is a nice walk with the dog. Studies have shown that activities such as Tai Chi help memory

There is no doubt that HRT plays a role in helping brain function. In addition, getting proper sleep without night sweats etc. will help your work performance.

This year the mantra is Step Up for Bone Health

The most important thing we must all do is mind our bones. When women get a hip fracture at least 60% never return to full independent living. Crush fractures in your back can trap nerves.

And so much of this can be prevented!

Did you know that you reach your peak bone mass in you mid 20’s?

And it’ s not just about our bones. As we enter menopause we lose muscle mass and we lose collagen. It is the one thing I wish I knew when I was younger. Muscle keeps everything together including the muscles in our vagina.

We lose 40% of our collagen at menopause which explains the sudden wrinkles, jowls and “wrinkly” skin.

Who is at risk?

· Being underweight for a prolonged period of time

· Noticing that you are losing height

· Having a family history of osteoporosis

· Some medical conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, early menopause, coeliac or IBD

· Many medications but particularly steroids

· Smoking. More recently vaping is being linked to bone thinning

Top Bone Tips

· From an early age do plenty of weight bearing exercise and resistance training

· Make sure you keep your Vitamin D and calcium levels up

· If you are at risk, then get a dexa scan done so know where you stand.

· At menopause HRT can help to prevent bone thinning.

· Check your diet. Sun is good for bones but excessive sun damages skin

Take Home Message

Start young. When you are “20 something” it’s hard to think as far ahead as menopause but you lay down the foundations in your 20’s.

Check out all our social media in October and let’s have an amazing Second Spring

/ www.imsociety.org

McElligott’s

Listowel Races Ladies Day

Tom O'Mahony, Mayo, Elaine Ralph, Dublin, Joan Brogan, Dublin, Phil Kane, Mullingar, Westmeath, Juklie Connors, Dublin and Pat O'Connell.

Mary Moynihan, Kilrush, Clare and Mary Canavan, Mallow.

Aoife O'Neill and Keira Finnucane from Listowel

Stacey O'Leary, Kilcummin, Denise O'Connor, Brosna, Maggie-Anne Fleming, Brosnan and Marguerite O'Leary, Kilcummin

Breda Butler from Thurles, County Tipperary winner of the most creative headpiece award

Catherine O'Connor at the McElligott’s KIA Best Dressed

Norella Mary Molyneaux from Listowel with country singer Michael English after she won the most contemporary outfit award

Jodie White, Jessica O'Shea, Danielle Hogan, Rathkeale, and Nicola Sheerin Croom

Carol Kennelly, Tralee, Mary Stapleton, Firies and Faith Amond, Carloe

Tom O'Mahony, Mayo and Phil Kane, Mullingar, Westmeath

From left, Donal Lynch, Declan O'Hara, Aoife McNamara, judge, Norella Molyneaux, Gemma McDonagh, Galway, winner, Breda Butler, Bairbre Power, judge, Patrick McElligott and Kerry footballer David Moran

The Early Years Support Centre is based in Oakview, Tralee, Co. Kerry. It is a state-of-the-art facility which was founded in 2016 with the aim of offering Families access to an inclusive and holistic approach to their Child’s learning, development, and wellbeing.

The Early Years Support Centre offers Children and their Families a highly supportive and caring environment where each Childs' individual care needs are identified and supported by our highly qualified and experienced team of Therapists.

Families may avail of the following therapies:

Play Therapy

and Adolescent

Speech and Language

Services:

Therapists are available to make onsite visits

Observations

Crèches

Pre-Schools

Schools

Outreach Centres.

Screenings to

following:

We provide a comprehensive range of Assessments, Intervention and Therapy Services to families needing support.

If your Child has any difficulties with Zips, Buttons or Gripping, our OT’s may be able to help with their Fine Motor Skills. If your Child has Anxiety or Challenging Behaviour, we may be able to help regulate their emotions through Occupational Therapy, Play Therapy or through Parental Supports.

If your Child needs an Assessment with a Department of Education Approved Educational Psychologist, look no further!

We have limited waiting list, and we aim to provide quick access to services. We will facilitate school observations and supports where possible and full assessment reports are provided.

Furthermore, we have a fully equipped parents waiting area where you can wait comfortably for your child whille they meet with their therapists.

Contact our Early Years Support Centre Co-ordinator today to discuss your options. Our therapists will contact you for a free, no obligation consultation which will ensure that you are accessing the correct services for your child, thus saving you time and money. We look forward to welcoming you.

KERRY SHORT FILMS 2022

Not my Sister

Director/Producer: Jessica Courtney Leen

When Chris comes home to Cork from London for her sister Zara's 13th birthday, a buried family secret finds it's way to the surface.

Jinxed

Director/Co-producer: Damian O Callaghan

A middle aged man's life is in crisis, he’s contemplating doing something drastic. However luck is not on his side, he's Jinxed. Could things get any worse?

Lambing Director: Katie McNeice

A young dad in rural Ireland must face his anxiety around gender and bullying when his baby is born intersex.

Deforestation Director: Adam Rael

A mourning, middle-aged Irish man, begins to mentally struggle under the pressures of his life and his familial duty.

The Finer Details Director/Producer: Alyssa Fleming

An inside look into the passion and dedication of the staff of a five star hotel.

Rise Of The Dead Director: Ben Ryan

A young couple’s getaway lands them in a remote landscape, facing a zombie insurgence that turns their dream holiday into an apocalyptic nightmare.

An Cat Dubh Director: Neil Flynn. Producer: Emma Foley

Captures a spiralling nocturne in the life of FAY and LEN in the aftermath of the death of their teenage son.

For more information log on to www.kerryfilmfestival.com

In October’s edition of Ask The Pharmacist, Mounthawk Allcare Pharmacy’s Pat gives an overview of cough medication available over the counter.

The recent change in the weather has brought a lot of people into the pharmacy asking for remedies for various types of cough. There are two types of cough- (1) Chesty Cough which is characterised by the production of excessive mucus and (2) Dry Cough which serves no useful function and is caused by an irritant in the lining of the throat. A cough is just one of your body’s ways of protecting itself from irritants-it serves to clear the airways of mucus and anything that might be irritating the lining of the throat. In most cases, a cough will resolve of its own accord but often people will want to come into the pharmacy to buy a product to help speed up the recovery time. The following is a snapshot of some of the most popular cough remedies available over the counter in our pharmacy.

Exputex is the gold standard of cough bottles and is suitable for adults and children 2 years and up. It helps to break up troublesome phlegm which makes it easier to cough up. It also has the added benefit of being sugar free so is suitable for diabetics. It works for productive chesty coughs and should not be used close to bedtime as it can keep you awake. It should be used with caution in those who are prone to stomach ulcers so as always, tell us if you are taking any prescription medications when purchasing products over the counter.

Bronchostop is an all-purpose cough syrup that can be used for all types of cough. Derived from marshmallow root syrup and thyme herb root extract, it is a more natural product and also comes in a childrens formulation that is suitable for children one year and older.

Casacol is one of the most effective cough bottles available for a chesty cough-it’s triple action formula helps to relieve congestion, loosen phlegm and to relieve wheeze.

Pharmacist

Benylin Non-Drowsy Chesty Cough syrup contains Guaifenesin which is an expectorant. This will cause you to cough more in the short term but will help to reduce the duration of the cough. For those who are experiencing sleep disturbance from coughing, Benylin Original cough formula contains a sedating antihistamine called Diphenhydramine which helps to promote a good nights sleep. For those who are working or students in school, this is not a good option so always remember to ask questions so we can select the right product for your needs.

Benylin also does a medicine for dry coughs which contains dextrometorphan. This is proven to suppress the cough reflex but should be used with extreme caution in asthmatics.

For children, Benylin also provide a cough bottle range for children aged 6-12 and these taste better than their adult counterparts. For those younger than this, Vivio Junior do a pleasant tasting strawberry and honey flavour cough syrup for children one year and older. Aya have a honey and lemon cough bottle that is suitable for children one year and up and this helps to lubricate the throat which eliminates the tickle and the urge to cough.

A persistent cough that doesn’t respond to treatment should always be referred to a doctor as it warrants further investigation. It could be a side effect of certain medications so a review might need to be conducted to find a suitable alternative. A persistent night time cough can sometimes be a symptom of asthma so this is something to keep in mind if there is a family history of asthma. Smoking is another cause of persistent coughs and can be improved by either reducing the amount of cigarettes that are smoked or by quitting smoking altogether. In rare cases it can be a sign of something more sinister so even though you may think it is nothing more than a nuisance, please check in with your doctor if your cough persists for longer than a few weeks.

As COVID is still circulating in the community, don’t forget to perform an antigen test if in any doubt as a cough is one of the main symptoms of the condition. We have some great deals on antigen tests-both nasal and oral, so pop into store to stock up.

Celebrate

dthistle, Aritst, and Owner of Salon &

With the darker evenings on their way you should be updating your makeup bag with some winter ready products

A Hydrating serum

For me hydration is an integral part of my skin care routine all year round but coming in to winter it's definitely on my need list. The serum that has become a complate staple for me is the VICHY Minéral 89 Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Serum

Suitable for all skin types, even sensitive skin, the serum summons a hydrated, healthy-looking glow for up to 24 hours.

Keep your makeup light

Because of the drying effects winter can have on your skin, it is important to keep make-up lightly applied in terms of foundation, and focus on keeping the skin hydrated. Clinique Moisture Surge SPF25 Sheertint Hydrator is Ideal, especially with your added SPF, something a lot of us are guilty of forgetting in the winter months

Wear a moisturising Lipstick

Still on the moisturising theme, lips can easily become dry and chapped, so keep them in their best condition with lip balm, and when wearing lipstick, make it a moisturising one. Winter lends itself to stronger lip colours too to brighten up the face, so feel free to experiment with dark pinks, reds, and plums. If your lips do become dry and scracked then my hero product is the

Wear Waterproof Mascara

Cold wind, as well as the common cold, can cause our eyes to water. Make sure that your eye make-up is tear proof, and ensure that you won’t end up with panda eyes when out and about in the colder months. My absolute favourite is Maybelline Lash Sensational Waterproof Mascara. I always look for volume when choosing a mascara and boy does this one deliver!!

Mind your cuticles

Another area that gets overlooked in winter is our cuticles, they take a beating during winter months when not paying attention to them can lead to painful hangnails. Sally Hansen Vitamin E cuticle oil Absorbs quickly into nails and cuticles to deeply hydrate and give an instantly healthy look.

Treat yourself to some extra hydration

I know I'm like a broken record but for me hydration is everything especially in the winter months, going from cold outdoors to warm central heating (which can in itself cause skin to dry out) IT Cosmetics your skin but better setting spray is suitable for all skin types and infused with hyaluronic acid, coconut water, and aloe vera extract, Your Skin But Better Setting Spray+ can also be used to replenish your skin throughout the day.

Add some Colour with blush Blush is having a renaissance at the moment and I'm loving it, I like to layer blush, using a powder on the apples of my cheecks and then a highlighting cream blush on the apples and the areas I want to highlight. My favourite cream blush is the sculted by Aimee Creme Luxe in Peach Pop

Whelan delivered a most enjoyable show which featured the latest styles for this season. We would like to thank Eileen for the show and also Brush and Blush Tralee for looking after the make up and hair of

the models.

Our forthcoming events for October include a morning with local authors discussing their work (6th October). On Thursday 13th October we have a Wellness session with Meditation and Relaxation. Art with Mairead Hanrahan is the activity for Thursday 20th October.

From now until 15th December we have our programme full of activities including a Women’s Singing Circle with Elaine Clancy, Jewellery making, Indian Cooking demonstration with Sonali and Designing and Making Creative Personalised Christmas Cards with Lesley Collins.

The Phoenix Women’s SHED is expanding and enjoyed by all who attend. Feedback has been tremendous and we are delighted that we are clearly meeting a need for the women in Kerry.

We have plans to move the Women’s Centre and SHED to a new and exciting location which will allow us greater flexibility and scope for a broader range of activities, courses and evening events.

Hello Readers,

Hope I find ye well as a nip is apparent in the mornings, but in fairness we have very little to complain about regarding our weather so let us thank our lucky stars. This is one of my favourite times of the year I must admit as I love the earthy colours arriving daily to the shop. I am not a lover of coats in fact rarely wear either a coat or a jacket much to the annoyance of my lovely mom but I would always finish an outfit off with a heavy scarf or Pashmina and I feel if you cover your shoulders you are never cold also there is nothing nicer than wrapping a soft scarf around your shoulders it’s almost like a hug....

Our bag stock for Autumn / Winter are muted colours Tans, Browns, Wine and of course dependable Black. Style wise they vary from the small cross body to the size you can carry the kitchen sink. Guess what size I use !!!!!!. What I am trying to say is we have bags to suit all tastes.

Although it is only October and Christmas is still a bit away I want to let ye all know we have our Christmas Club available again this year, for those of ye that haven’t heard about this it’s that you can either put away stuff and pay off so much every week until you have it paid off or you can pay money in to club and build up balance and when it comes to your gift shopping, it won’t be as expensive.

I will sign off now and hope that October will be a happy and healthy month for ye all and I just ask 1 thing from ye all, be kind and spare a moment or two to chat to anyone who you think might be lonely, I see it everyday here in the shop customers who tell me what’s happening in their lives sometimes very sad and very serious but most times they just want to chat to someone and that is one thing I am very good at Talking that is...

Until next time, Keep smiling and be kind Carmel

Dr. Patricia Sheahan collects Kerry Person of the Year Award

After a two and a half year hiatus, Oíche Chiarraí, the flagship event of the Kerry Association in Dublin, finally took place in The Green Isle Hotel in Dublin last Saturday night, 3rd September. A great crowd was in attendance as well as the Sam Maguire Cup and a fantastic night was had by all, starting with a Dingle Gin reception and entertainment provided by Kerry band, No Strings Attached.

President of the Kerry Association in Dublin, Michael O’ Regan, presented the Listowel Tidy Towns Committee with the Laochra Chiarraí award on the night while Dr. Patricia Sheahan, was presented with the Kerry Person of the Year award.

In 2016, the Kerry Association in Dublin introduced the Laochra Chiarraí or Kerry Heroes award. The purpose of this award is to recognise exemplary leadership in community activity in the county. The public are invited to submit nominations in November each year and the ultimate winners are selected by the Committee of the Kerry Association.

Back in 2020, the Kerry Association selected Listowel Tidy Towns as the Laochra Chiarraí recipients, a group of people that are exemplary leaders in community activity.

Listowel Tidy Towns Group is a community based, voluntary body founded in 1993. They work tirelessly to keep Listowel looking beautiful. Their community spirit over the last 30 years has led to Listowel winning awards at county, national and international level. Listowel has been a gold medal winner in the Tidy Towns awards every year since 2008 and won the coveted overall national title in 2018. This group has helped make people in North Kerry very proud of Listowel.

Chairman of the Listowel Tidy Towns Committee, Jimmy Moloney, accepted the award on behalf of the group.

Since its introduction in 1979, the Kerry Person of the Year award recognises an individual who has shown leadership, brought honour to the county, and performed services for the county to such an extent that could be described as being beyond the norm of everyday life. Like the Laochra Chiarraí award, this award is based on nominations by the public and the final selection is made by the Kerry Association Committee. It is something particularly special to the winners that it is an honour bestowed on them, by their own people, the people of Kerry

Listowel native, Patricia Sheahan qualified as a doctor in 1989 and has since made a significant contribution to Kerry life.

She has worked as the palliative medicine consultant in Kerry for

the past 20 years. Alongside Kerry Hospice Foundation, she has helped develop a fully integrated palliative care service for the people of Kerry.

During her tribute to Dr. Sheahan, Kerry Association Chairperson Keelin Kissane, noted that the award was presented in recognition of the enormous contribution she has made to Kerry. She has touched the lives of most families in the county and those families, some of whom were in attendance on Saturday, attest to her extraordinary sensitivity and compassion and going above and beyond the call of duty. She provides a special comfort at such a very difficult and emotional time and that’s something that the families of those in her care never forget.

A large crowd of Patricia’s family and friends were in attendance on the night to see this remarkable woman collect the Kerry Person of the Year perpetual trophy as well as a gift from the Kerry Association, a painting by Tralee artist, John Hurley. Accepting the award, Patricia thanked her family, the Kerry Hospice Foundation volunteers and the staff of the Palliative Care unit for all their support.

To add to the celebrations, loyal Kerry Association supporter, Fr. Tony Gaughan also celebrated his 90th birthday on the night.

The Committee of the Kerry Association in Dublin would like to thank all of those who attended, as well as long-time sponsor, Kerry Group, Dingle Distillery who provided the lovely Dingle Gin reception on the night, sponsors Fexco and ADC Plasticard, Kerry County Board, the Green Isle Hotel and all those who contributed raffle prizes.

About Kerry Association in Dublin: The Kerry Association in Dublin dates back to 1951 and was established as a way to celebrate the people, culture and the sporting achievements of Kerry people and to bind together the “emigrants” of Kerry who have made Dublin their home.

Kerry Person of the Year, Dr. Patricia Sheahan accepting the Crohan O’Shea perpetual trophy from President of the Kerry Association, Michael O’Regan.

Some of the Sheahan family in attendance on the night

Vice-president of the Kerry Association, presenting a John Hurley painting to Kerry Person of the Year, Dr Patricia Sheahan.

Food Optimising and Heart Disease

Find Out How Food Optimising Can Help Your Heart Health

significantly reduce blood pressure, blood cholesterol and risk of heart disease.

Eat for a healthier heart

An unhealthy diet, with too much fat and not enough starchy foods or fruit and vegetables, can contribute to an increased risk of CHD.

Drink responsibly

Approximately 10,000 people die in Ireland from Cardiovascular Disease each year, accounting for 36% of deaths per annum. That’s despite the fact that 80% of all heart disease is deemed preventable through some lifestyle changes and modifying risk factors. So while it’s not the most cheerful of topics, knowing how to keep your heart healthy is vitally important. Unfortunately, excess weight is a major factor that puts the heart at risk.

Our arteries naturally start to harden and clog as we get older – a process known as atherosclerosis – and this can be hastened by a number of factors, including an unhealthy diet, lack of exercise and smoking.

Heart disease is also linked with high blood pressure, raised cholesterol levels and type 2 diabetes – conditions that are related to being overweight.

A lot of people won’t realise there’s a problem until they end up in hospital with angina (chest pain) or a heart attack – so it’s important we are all more heart-health aware.

Atherosclerosis reduces the amount of oxygen-rich blood reaching your heart and can lead to chest pain (angina) or even a heart attack. But there are lifestyle changes you can make that help to reduce your risk. Here’s how to help keep your heart in perfect shape:

Become a healthy weight

The risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) is doubled in someone who is overweight and nearly quadrupled in someone who is obese. Getting down to a healthy weight can reduce your risk of a heart attack, and losing just 10% of your body weight starts to bring amazing health benefits and can

The average adult needs to reduce their fat intake but this doesn’t mean cutting out all fats – some are actually beneficial to your heart and cholesterol level, for example, those found in oily fish. Ways to reduce your fat intake

It’s all in the preparation

Preparing food in the low-fat ways that Food Optimising recommends and trimming fat off meat will mean you’re naturally limiting your fat intake.

Learn to love oily fish

Aim to eat two portions of fish a week, one of which should be oily. The omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish, such as pilchards, sardines, salmon, kippers and mackerel have been shown to thin the blood, lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of a fatal heart attack.

Fruit and veg are your friends

Fruit and vegetables contain important vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that reduce the risk of heart disease because fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables are Free Food when Food Optimising, it’s easy to eat the recommended five portions a day and more.

Fibre and fats

Fibre slows the absorption of fats and eating foods rich in soluble fibre, such as oats and pulses, has been shown to lower harmful blood cholesterol levels. Other sources of fibre include wholemeal bread, crispbreads, whole grains (all Healthy Extra ‘b’ choices) and fruit and vegetables. Look for foods marked with an F symbol in your Food Optimising book.

Go nuts

Limited unsaturated fats, especially in place of saturated fats, can help maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Nuts and seeds are a Healthy Extra ‘b’ choice; you could use olive oil sprays for cooking (five sprays are ½ Syn) or add a quarter of an avocado to your salad (3½ Syns).

If you regularly drink alcohol in excess you're at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disorders including increased blood pressure and stroke. The current guidelines recommend men and women drink no more than 14 units of alcohol per week, spread over three days or more.

Stub it out

Smokers are five times more likely to have a heart attack in their 30s and 40s than non-smokers – and twice as likely to have one overall. Stop smoking and your risk of developing CHD will be half that of a smoker’s in one year.

Move more

Physical inactivity contributes to the risk of developing CHD in one in five people. People who exercise for at least 30 minutes five times a week have a 35% lower risk of developing heart disease than those who are physically inactive. Activities such as regular walking, gardening and dancing are just as effective as swimming or cycling for heart health. Regular physical activity also helps reduce the risk of high blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Mouth Cancer

by Dr Róisín Boyle

As September is mouth cancer awareness month, we want to encourage everyone to attend for their regular dental visits. At these visits we also do a soft tissue exam which can help to detect any changes in the mouth. Early detection is the key to a good outcome and your dentist is in an ideal position to identify any abnormal changes in the mouth.

Risk factors include smoking, drinking alcohol, over exposure to the sun (in the case of lip cancer), a diet low in fruit and vegetables, poor oral hygiene, and exposure to HPV (Human Papilloma Virus). Signs and symptoms that your dentist will look out for include nonhealing ulcers, white or red patches inside the mouth, lumps, thickening of the cheek or tongue, difficulty chewing or moving the tongue, numbness, persistent sore throat or hoarseness or unexplained loose teeth. Often these symptoms can be due to other complaints but if they are present for more than 2 weeks it is important to get them checked out.

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