Put your own mask on rst

I wrote this article on a ight out to the European Championships in Holland. One thing that strikes me is that during the safety demonstration they always stress the importance of putting on your own mask rst before attending to others. Now they are not suggesting that for no reason!

ey know that if you do not put on your own mask and get oxygen owing that pretty soon you are not going to be much help to anyone!! at makes perfect sense on a ight but how many of us ignore this advice in our day to day lives?

How many of us try to do everything for others while we let ourselves get run down? I myself have had to stop taking new patients at times to make sure I keep the quality of service high for my current patients and not burn out myself while running at a very high level. It was not an easy decision as I really want to help as many people as possible, but I if I am exhausted how can I give my best to new patients?

I cannot count the number of mothers who have come into my clinic with their children for me to treat. When helping to get the child back to full health or putting in place a programme to prevent injuries down the road, the mother con des that she has been su ering some pain for weeks, months or even years!

Asked why she lives with it she tells me she has too much on. She gets her child xed the minute they feel pain like any good parent would but will go years before seeking help herself. is is noble in ways but also foolish. If the hip pain gets so bad it results in surgery, then how are you going to bring the children to all the activities, hold down a job and run a household? I feel like giving two for one session to these parents!

Putting on your own mask rst in the real-world means saying no to one or two activities to give yourself time to relax or exercise. You must schedule time to stay healthy and exercise. Over 80% of the top CEOs in the world practice 20 minutes of daily meditation according to a Hu ngton Post article I read. ey know that they need to look after themselves rst to look after major corporations. Make sure you are getting at least 7 hours of sleep per night, 30 minutes of exercise and are taking the time to prepare healthy meals as a minimum. Put your own mask on rst.

For more information and tips about how to run your best get my book “How to Get to the line in the best shape possible” for free at www.everardpilates.com/ book they displayed admirable composure and resilience to ghtback with tries from Rory McInerney and Lyndon Brannigan along with a Hugh Corkery Conversion bringing them level. 12-12. e Towns Cup has become a saving grace for Kilkenny particularly after the disappointment of su ering relegation from Division 1A of e Leinster League.

Gorey fought back with another try and they held a slender advantage with time almost up. 17-15.

However, Kilkenny pulled it out of the bag and a last gasp try deep into stoppage time from Abel Viana saw them secure victory in the most dramatic circumstances to keep the defence of their Towns Cup alive with a 20-17 win.

Kilkenny's place in e Top Tier of e Leinster League next season will be taken by fellow Towns Cup Semi-Finalists Tullow.

Tullow defeated Kilkenny's Semi-Final opponents Cill e Towns Cup brought out the best in Kilkenny last season, and no doubt they will be more than hopeful of getting back into the nal once again. e 2nds are also progressing nicely in e Cup recently and they quali ed for the QuarterFinal following a dramatic victory last Sunday. ey produced a late rally to win 29-27 away to Wicklow as they ground out a victory after a Wicklow try put them out front with time running out. 27-26.

Dara comprehensively two weeks ago to gain Promotion to Division 1A next season.

Overall, it's been a very positive season for Kilkenny Rugby Club with the various Teams doing very well.

However, Kilkenny dug deep and a late three pointer saw them snatch victory as they secured a priceless victory. Elsewhere, e U-15s won their Leinster League Final recently with a 21-10 win against Naas, e U14s have a Cup Semi-Final to play also, while e Ladies had an excellent Season in e League as they just lost out on automatic promotion.

Meanwhile, e Kilkenny Rugby Club venue in Foulkestown is one of several venues within the province that are hosting a Summer Camp organized by Leinster Rugby. e Camp takes place from Monday 31st July to Friday 4th August, and it's best book as quickly as possible with places lling up.

Letter to the editor

Dear Sir,

The current system of paying in advance and online for admittance to GAA games may be very modern and suitable for younger (and some not- so-young) fans. However, I am now pleading on behalf of elderly GAA fans, who like myself are ‘a bit long in the tooth’ for using these online systems. Could the powers-that-be (especially our local GAA representatives) not open just one stile at Nowlan Park for up-to-date card holding pensioners to pay on their way into games?

I would like to point out that there are a lot of us now in the twilight of our lives that have supported the GAA all our lives as players, administrators, patrons etc. All we ask for is to be given the opportunity to pay our way into our beloved games as we have always done. Some of us elderly followers are justifiably too proud to look foolish by having to ask younger people to buy our tickets online for us. We are not doddering old fools just because we are now old. We have all worked hard in difficult times to rear our families, to buy our homes and we supported our GAA (and still do) with unwavering loyalty. To our local GAA representatives, I now say “please don’t abandon us now when one of the very few pleasures we have left is attending a hurling match”.

Yours sincerely, Elderly GAA fan.