Marianne Heron

As I See It

Marianne Heron I’ve earned my space in my sunny garden

Some of the proposals to solve the housing crisis have been weird and far from wonderful. Like the one where oldies like me would be required to shu e o into apartments and vacate their hard-won forever homes to make room for others.

No chance in my case, as there’s no way I am going to live stories up where I can’t walk out the front door and into the garden. I have earned my space in the sun. I could come up with a few daft suggestions to solve the housing crisis myself. How about sending folk up North where property is cheaper? ere they could help with all-Ireland integration by getting familiar with the northern point of view, a change from Sinn Fein pointing a border poll at our heads. Or the State could take over near-empty convents, they can be converted into lovely apartments and then they really would be mother and baby homes.

Talking of gardens, the idea that really takes the prize dahlia is suggestion recently by developers Glenveagh Properties that gardens should be made smaller – all the better to pack housing units in more densely. e developers claim their so-called blueprint could become a ‘game changer’ by shaving o more than a quarter of the distance between the rears of houses. Hard to avoid the conclusion that the scheme for “more tightly built streets” would allow developers to pack in more pro ts.

Perhaps developers don’t have much interest in gardening. I do though, in my patch now the seasonal parade is in full bloom: the hydrangeas are doing their blowsy best and the agapanthus are bursting into balls of sapphire blue. I love my garden it’s a place to enjoy the changing colours of each season, smell fresh mown grass, hear the dawn chorus in Spring and watch birdlife unfolding. But, claim Glenveagh, part of back gardens are ‘dead space’ and they want to reduce their size by a third.

Now surely people need space? Not necessarily for gardening, although lockdown released many of the inner gardeners in us, but for kids and pets to play, for barbecues, for privacy and a look at any property page will tell you, to extend homes. And just look at all those TV programmes about ways to transform plots into gorgeous places to relax in. if gardens were to be shrunk why couldn’t we have the space somewhere else. isn’t public green space important to us for all kinds of reasons from well-being to mental health?

One of the things that is absent from the whole debate around housing is how to create better built environments for the future. e focus is on numbers of units and so we get soulless rows of houses, packed to shoulder together on the same building line or communist era type apartment blocks like the one I pass regularly on the N11, which sits a few feet away from this thundering main tra c artery without a stitch of green around it. How did the building ever get planning permission?

Landscaping and design – which are essential elements of urban planning – get overlooked. We need green spaces with trees and plants for both for environmental and for human reasons. We need our own little rainforest e ect, over a lifetime of 100 years a single tree can absorb 1tonne of CO2. Trees cut down pollution, absorb storm water and people do better around trees, with bene ts from from lowered stress to lower blood pressure. Trees and plants provide habitats for all kinds of creatures and nectar for pollinators. Many of the parks and green spaces in our cities were created centuries ago, new urban spaces are rare and we need more of them.

What about important words like proximity and thinking along village lines where nothing is more than a ve minutes bike ride or walk away, be it the corner shop or the park and where neighbours can congregate on the green. Some previous planning ideas like garden cities or satellite villages linked to main cities with public transport might merit revival. Some of the earliest formal gardens were Persian Paradise gardens, enchanting places lled with rills of running water, fruit trees and owers. Maybe we need a bit more paradise rather than less green space.

‘The seasonal parade is in full bloom...

* Marianne Heron is the author of several books on gardens, including e Hidden Gardens of Ireland, (Gill and Macmillan)

Memorial to a worker

Aye, this was the time of year that Jack Phelan loved. e long early morning walk, down past the rushing roaring Clonassy Waterfall, the mists on the familiar elds, the whirl and dash of fallen leaves, drifting and scudding along on their way to oblivion. e odd startled rabbit, fox, or hare, sure to be about their business at dawn, trying to keep skin and bone together, like all of us.

Jack was a big, raw-boned fellow, not a devotee of the glamour presently attached to most things or beings; just an honest lad doing his best to be a good son for a ne Mammy and Daddy. He succeeded in this mission without e ort, and without a speck of false pride. Being a good family man came natural to Jack, God rest him. Around Mullinavat he was well known as a singer, and a fellow who liked a few pints. But whatever spot he was in of an evening, after his hard slog of a labouring day, Jack would –as they say –‘make a bust’ for the grocery shop, and ll a bag with the goods for ‘ e Mammy’, who could depend utterly on him. Many’s the time I saw him trudging home through the rain and the snow and the dark, the big canvas bag ung over his broad shoulder, ompletely careless of the elements.

He always reminded me of another great ‘battler’, the Kerryman Tom Crean, the man Ernest Shackleton always took on his imsy boats in his [vain] attempts to reach the South Pole, a century ago. Crean would keep his oar dipped and ploughing on, in even the most savage of conditions, where one minute in the icy water had you dead as a doornail. And no hope of rescue. I knew the Great Southern Ocean – having shed for sharks - on the edge of it. Would I go where Crean went – even with my Caterpillar D6 Marine Diesel–powered boat? No way. Death lies in every squall down that way. Jack Phelan would have been at his best there, as good as Crean, or any man alive

When he was was stricken by a life- threatening malady, he bore his misfortune better than a King, and up to the day he went to meet his Maker, did all he could to help the people looking after him.

When eventually Jack made his last sad visit to Mullinavat, the crowd to “See him O ” was enormous – the biggest I’ve ever seen in the peaceful place of rest overlooking the village he’d loved so well in life.

I thought I’d write the following poem at the time. His family liked it, and know of this article. To them, it means a good, sound fellow hasn’t been forgotten. You might ask me why I wrote a poem about a humble worker. Far better than to write about some rich numty!

He was a worker, hewed hard timber, carried loads, His back was bent from dawning light to dark, He tramped the early bird-song calling roads, And heard the love-poems of the wakening lark.

When noonday came, he straightened up his frame, And took the rest that he had earned well, And o ered all he had - his honest name When on the wind came God’s sweet Angelus bell.

Aye, Jack was of a rare and fading breed, Who take bright honour from their labouring day, No idleness, no taint of tarnished greed, Can turn these honest fellows from their way.

We miss you Jack, each tale and sturdy song, (I heard ‘McAlpine’ send you towards the sky} Now, once again you’re handsome, young, and strong, No doubt you’re in God’s Tavern, way Up High.

e ‘Fusiliers’ rang out in autumn’s chill, As Mother Earth took Jack unto her breast, e throng in silence drifted down the hill, And left a worker to Eternal Rest.

Tips to help ease the symptoms of Fibromyalgia

CLAIR WHITTY

Fibromyalgia is condition that I often get asked about. It can be di cult to get diagnosed as you can have a number of symptoms all going on at the same time. e most common symptoms are pain and extreme tiredness. You can feel pain in your neck, back, shoulders, back of head, upper chest and/or thighs. You can feel like you’re going crazy you have pain in so many places. e pain and sti ness may be accompanied by chronic headaches, insomnia, stress, anxiety, depression, poor circulation, allergies, and thyroid problems. e actual cause of bromyalgia is unknown. Some theories on it include compromised energy production in the cells of the body. Another contributing factor that can cause pain is a build-up of lactic acid in the muscles which contributes to soreness and pain.

Supplements that may help include: Flexofytol, an extract of turmeric used to reduce in ammation and pain it’s a supplement that Craig in our Kilkenny Store recommends. He has seen some good results with it. Especially when it’s combined with Biocare Magnesium Malate, which is important for ATP (energy) production. He says that customers have reported pain reduction and some increase in energy when these are taken regularly. Davina, Nutritional erapist in our Wexford store agrees. She has seen very positive results with the use of turmeric and magnesium supplements, one to reduce in ammation and pain and the other to help with energy. Davina would add in Eskimo Omega 3 liquid sh oils too. For days when you’re feeling short on energy you could add in Solgar B 100 Complex, or One Nutrition CoQ10 both can help energy production. CoQ10 has been shown to be de cient in people with bromyalgia. If there is lactic acid build up Lifeplan Montmorency Cherry tablets could help reduce this.

Avoid processed foods and re ned carbohydrates, ca eine, alcohol, sugar. Sugar increases fatigue, pain, and disturbs sleep. Food triggers can include nightshade vegetables and dairy foods. Dairy avoidance may be particularly bene cial. is is a tough condition to be dealing with. Ultimately it might be one of the times where you sit down with a nutritional therapist for oneto-one advice to help you deal with the symptoms so you can get relief from the pain and the tiredness you are experiencing.

I hope this information helps.

Floradix Liquid Iron is an excellent choice for a quick boost of energy for anyone who needs an energy lift.

Call in and ask Craig to give you a sample to try. Limited stock so don’t delay.

Shop online at www.naturalhealthstore.ie where you’ll be able to take a look at these brands.

By Erica Hargaden ----------------------

Without sleep our bodies simply do not function at their highest level. It supports our overall health and wellbeing. It protects not only our physical but also our mental health. Without sleep we are not getting the ability to rest, restore or give our body an opportunity to conduct important processes that only happen during sleep that support our bodies. In a nutshell sleep, along with healthy eating and exercise, keeps us well.

If we are not sleeping, then we are more likely to make poor food choices and not choose to exercise. Sleep is a very underestimated pillar of health and making it a priority will support your overall health and wellbeing. is also applies to children. However, as parents it is our responsibility to guide them on establishing healthy sleep habits, establish respect for sleep and understand the importance of sleep from as early as possible. If we do this then we are bringing our child on the road to long term good health.

Generally, over the summer months we all take a bit of a breather with routine with our children. I know I do, and I am obsessed with good sleep! Bedtime tends to go later, wake up times stop being consistent and boundaries you may have set during term time really become a distant memory. Many parents struggle with how to get their children back into a suitable term time routine after the summer break. is can often lead to medium to longer term sleep struggles that leave everyone feeling frazzled. Here are some tips to help you get back into a routine with sleep with your school going children.

1. Bedtime:

If bedtime has snuck later and later over the summer months and you’ve not managed to bring it back to a desired term time yet start scaling it back gradually day by day. I suggest doing this by 15 mins every 2 days until you have reached the desired school bedtime.

2. Consistent Wake Up Time:

Set a consistent wake up time and stick to it. is does mean actively waking a sleeping child however it will assist them in shifting their body clocks back to term time mode. You can use the guidance of shifting this back gradually like you would with bedtime to help reset things gently. Open their curtains rst and ood the room with light – gently wake them and pull back their duvet – tell them I told you to do that because no one enjoys it! en give them some time to wake while gently reminding them that it is time to wake up.

3. Consistent Bedtime Routine

Start to be consistent with the bedtime routine again. Turn o the TV at a designated time (more about this in the next tip). Give time for teeth brushing, face washing & and general bedtime prep. en give time for wind down and reading. Reading time is especially important to a child’s development. It will not only improve their speech and language skills but also re their imagination. It is also important one and one time with your child to connect after a busy day. For older children allow them up to 30 minutes reading time before lights out. is needs to be considered in your bedtime routine and your desired bedtime (lights out time) for your child.

4. Screen Time

I can’t emphasise enough how important this next tip is. Turn o all screens including TVs one hour before bed. Blue light technology and its impact on sleep is being heavily studied at the moment and all signs are pointing to it having a negative impact on sleep and brain activity. Blue light from these devices inhibit melatonin production, the sleepy hormone, and as such will impact on your child’s ability to settle to sleep easily. Encourage reading, colouring or quiet oor games instead during wind down time so that your child is getting the chance to have the best quality sleep possible.

5.Dark Sleep Environment

Ensure that your child’s room is as dark as possible at bedtime. Darkness is extremely important for sleep as it supports the production of melatonin – the sleepy hormone. Dark evenings have not fully set in yet, thank goodness, so ensuring that your child’s room is dark sends the right signals for sleep. It will support their melatonin production which will help them to get to sleep and stay asleep for longer.

6. How Much Sleep

Determine how much sleep your child needs. A child of 6 will need 10-11 hours at night. Older children of 10+ will require 8-10 hours. By doing this you will be able to guage what bedtime should be in your home and set out from their where the bedtime routine begins. It will be an important anchor time as it is important that your child is getting not only the right quantity of sleep but also the best quality sleep to support their growth and development.

7. Exercise

Encourage outdoor exercise and time as much as possible. Getting out in sunshine and day light helps to regulate the body clock and sleep associated hormones. e exercise will use up energy but the light exposure will further help with restful restorative sleep.

8. Regular Meal Times

Start putting in place regular meal times again. Move back towards a nutritious 3 meals a day schedule and away from the constant grazing. Yes you will absolutely endure whinging for a few days but they’ll soon get back into the swing of it again. ere is nothing better than reconnecting with the family at the evening meal and hearing how everyones day has gone.

9. Hydration Is Key

e body is mostly made up of water but in our day-today activities we expel a huge amount. Ensuring that we are well hydrated through intake of water helps to balance our overall health. A hydrated child will sleep better at night and perform better at school

10. Make sleep a priority in your family:

Lack of consistent consolidated sleep can make children tearful, fretful & lead to mood & behaviour issues. is will impact on their ability to concentrate and focus in school and also lead to a more stressful household. Sleep supports our overall wellbeing and with it life tends to run a little smoother.

SPECIAL REPORT Your children and their sleep: back to school expert tips

Our Special Offer

To assist families with back to school sleep challenges Babogue is o ering a 50% discount on the Older Child Sleep Series course. Simply use the following discount code Older50 at checkout and save. Sleep Series Course €59 Newborn 4-6 Months 6-9 Months 9-18 Months Toddler Older Child Sleep Series Bundles from €89 0-6 Months €89 6-18 Months €89 9 months – 3yrs €89 Toddler & Older €89 Newborn – Toddler Years €179 The Complete Sleep Series €219 121 Consultation The Virtual Sleep Solution Package €495 * Established in 2017 as a sleep consultancy service Babogue o ers 6 age- appropriate sleep courses to parents who are experiencing challenges with their children’s sleep from Newborn to 10 years of age (known as e Sleep Series). Based in MERITS Innovation ink Space in Naas, Co. Kildare we are excited to bring the Gift of Sleep to thousands more families in Ireland and further a eld.

*Erica Hargaden is a mother of three, a certi ed Child Sleep Consultant and member of the International Association of Child Sleep Consultants, Erica is Cofounder of Babogue and creator of the Sleep Series, a suite of video based online sleep course designed for tired parents who want to improve their children’s sleep.

*For more details contact Babogue on Website: www. babogue.com Email: info@babogue.com Tel: (087) 7800164 Facebook: @babogue Instagram: @babogue_sleep