Daily Archives: January 14, 2023

News, SCHOOLS

Mounthawk Students Did School Proud At BT Young Scientist And Technology Exhibition

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The Mercy Mounthawk students who exhibited projects at the RDS during the week.

THEY might not have been as successful as last year, but Mercy Mounthawk students were still among the honours at the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition at the RDS in Dublin which took place this week.

There were 27 projects from nine Kerry schools at the Exhibition with Mercy Mounthawk accounting for ten of those entries and Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí one.

The Exhibition came to a close last night with the allocation of awards in a number of categories and Mercy Mounthawk — who won the Best Overall School last year — did not leave empty-handed.

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Coren Hughes was 2nd Senior Individual in the Chemical, Physical & Mathematical Sciences category for his project ‘Optimising Packing Problems With Computational Analysis And Further Mathematics’, while Rachel Feeley was 3rd Senior Individual in the same category for her project ‘A Surgical Forceps Incorporating Frustrated Total Internal Reflection For Energy Efficient Sealing and Cutting of Tissue Using Light Energy’.

Sophie Hassett, Lilly Nowak and Aoife O’Brien.

Sophie Hassett, Aoife O’Brien and Lilly Nowak were Highly Commended in the Biological & Ecological category for their project ‘UnBEETable – Investigating if beetroot juice can impact the performance of athletes’ and they also won a Display Award for their project.

Roanna Lawless O’Sullivan was Highly Commended in the Social & Behavioural Sciences category for her project ‘The impact of going back to “normal” schooling post Covid-19 has had on teenager’s stress & anxiety levels’.

Cian Hennessy and Fionn O’Brien were Highly Commended  in the Chemical, Physical & Mathematical Sciences category for their project ‘Using piezoelectric crystals to generate electricity’.

Well done to all Kerry students who took part in the Exhibition.

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Entertainment, News

PHOTOS: Exhibition Celebrates Over 40 Years Of Tralee Art Group

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Ellen Hughesman and Michael Savage admiring the art at the opening of the Tralee Art Group ‘Past, Present and Beyond’ exhibition on Thursday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean

DESPITE the wind and rain, there was a very good turnout at Siamsa Tíre on Thursday evening for the opening of an exhibition to celebrate over 40 years of Tralee Art Group (TAG).

The fantastic exhibition features 67 works of art from a large number of artists involved in the group which was founded way back in 1979. The exhibition was planned for three years ago but Covid put paid to that.

Now the public has a chance to view the wonderful collection of works, in a variety of media, created by members, to celebrate and capture their personal responses to the last 40 years of TAG, while providing inspiration for the future.

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Chairperson of TAG, Clem O’Keeffe, welcomed everyone to the opening and gave a brief history of the group. She paid tribute to the founding members Vera Maye, Christa Vonhof and Una Walsh who couldn’t make it to the opening, as well as members who have passed away over they years. She also thanked everyone who made the exhibition possible.

As part of the exhibition, there is also physical and audio-visual catalogues describing  the history of the art group and its works.

The exhibition, which is curated by Tralee artist, Rebekah Wall, was officially opened by Siamsa Tíre Board Chairperson Seán Murphy and will run at Siamsa until February 12. Scroll down for photos…

Artist Eileen Diggin (right) with Trish White in front of her art displayed at the opening of the Tralee Art Group ‘Past, Present and Beyond’ exhibition on Thursday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean
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Margaret O’Brien and Caroline O’Carroll at the opening of the Tralee Art Group ‘Past, Present and Beyond’ exhibition on Thursday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean
Artist Paudie Lynch in front of his two paintings displayed at the opening of the Tralee Art Group ‘Past, Present and Beyond’ exhibition on Thursday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean
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Artist Eithne O’Riordan (centre) with Janice Tucker and Helen O’Riordan in front of her art displayed at the opening of the Tralee Art Group ‘Past, Present and Beyond’ exhibition on Thursday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean
Artist Yurii Prysiazhnyi (right), with Viktoriia Ersezer, in front of his art displayed at the opening of the Tralee Art Group ‘Past, Present and Beyond’ exhibition on Thursday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean
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Phil Daly and Rebekah Wall at the opening of the Tralee Art Group ‘Past, Present and Beyond’ exhibition on Thursday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean
Dag Drozdek, Daria Drozdek and Gay Kupiec at the opening of the Tralee Art Group ‘Past, Present and Beyond’ exhibition on Thursday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean
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Art on display as part of the Tralee Art Group ‘Past, Present and Beyond’ exhibition. Photo by Dermot Crean
Admiring the art at the opening of the Tralee Art Group ‘Past, Present and Beyond’ exhibition on Thursday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean
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Art on display as part of the Tralee Art Group ‘Past, Present and Beyond’ exhibition. Photo by Dermot Crean
Art on display as part of the Tralee Art Group ‘Past, Present and Beyond’ exhibition. Photo by Dermot Crean
Art on display as part of the Tralee Art Group ‘Past, Present and Beyond’ exhibition. Photo by Dermot Crean
Art on display as part of the Tralee Art Group ‘Past, Present and Beyond’ exhibition. Photo by Dermot Crean
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Entertainment, News, SCHOOLS

Tickets Almost Sold Out For Mercy Mounthawk’s ‘High School Musical’

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FOLLOWING last year’s ‘The Importance Of Being Earnest’, the students from Mercy Mounthawk will take part in a more modern production on the Siamsa Tíre stage next week.

‘High School Musical’ will take place from Wednesday to Saturday at 8pm nightly, but there’s only a handful of tickets left between all the performances.

Once again under the direction of Frank Houlihan, the students have been in rehearsals for months and are well prepared to entertain audiences.

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The story involves Troy Bolton, the star athlete of East High, who meets beauty Gabriella Montez, at a New Year’s Karaoke. They fall in love instantly. On Troy’s return to East High, he discovers that Gabriella is a student there. They both audition for the school musical. How are they to reconcile the various demands and challenges they meet along the way?

The performances are on January 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st at 8pm with a matinee for schools on Thursday, January 19 at 11am. Tickets are €21 for adults, Student/Children €16. Click here for ticket bookings.

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News

Know Your Rights: Contraceptive Services In Ireland

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Know Your Rights has been compiled by Kerry Citizens Information Service which provides a free and confidential service to the public…

Birth control or contraception is the use of medicines, devices, or surgery to prevent pregnancy.

You can get contraception from most pharmacies in Ireland. Most contraception will need a prescription from a GP but you do not need a prescription for emergency contraception or condoms.

You can get prescriptions for contraceptive drugs and devices, as well as advice about contraception from GPs, voluntary organisations and private family planning clinics. Voluntary and private family planning clinics usually have charges but may waive them or have lower fees in certain cases.

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In Budget 2023 it was announced that the age range for free contraception will be extended to include women aged 16 and aged 26 to 30, from 1 September 2023. This change requires legislation.

Is contraception free in Ireland?

You can get free contraception if you are:

• A woman or person with a uterus
• Aged 17 to 26
• Living in Ireland

What contraception costs are free for people aged 17 to 26?

• Any GP appointments about your contraception options
• Contraception prescriptions from your doctor (at participating pharmacies)
• Emergency contraception (the morning-after-pill)
• Fitting, removal and check-ups of long-acting reversible contraception (LARCs)
• Other types of contraception such as contraceptive injections, implants, IUS and IUDs (coils), the contraceptive patch and contraceptive ring
• Prescriptions for combined oral contraception (the daily pill)

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How do I get free contraception if I am aged 17 to 26?

You do not need a medical card.

You need to book an appointment with a GP or doctor to discuss your contraception. This appointment will be free. The GP and pharmacy will ask for your:

• PPS number
• Name
• Date of birth
• Address

Your GP will use this information to let the pharmacy know not to charge you for your free contraception prescription. You can also collect your free contraception from some family planning clinics.

Is contraception covered by my medical card?

If you have a medical card, you get free contraceptive drugs, devices and free GP services including contraceptive advice. This also includes emergency contraception.

You will have to pay a prescription charge for items you get from pharmacies under the medical card scheme.

What is the situation, if I do not have a medical card?

If you do not have a medical card, and you are not eligible for the free contraception scheme (above), you will have to pay for contraception and contraceptive services. You may be able to reduce the cost of your contraception through the Drug Payment Scheme. For example, the cost of long-acting reversible contraceptives such as the IUS (hormonal coil) or IUD (copper coil). You may also be able to claim tax relief on medical expenses.

Can I get free condoms in Ireland?

Condoms are not free under the medical card or free contraception scheme.

You can get free condoms from:

• Sexual health or GUM (genitourinary medicine) clinics
• Some sexual health NGOs
• Many third level colleges

Where can I get emergency contraception?

Emergency contraception is a back-up contraception. You can use emergency contraception up to 5 days after having unprotected sex, but it is more effective the sooner you take it after unprotected sex.

You can get emergency contraception tablets (sometimes called the morning-after pill) over the counter in most pharmacies without having to go to a doctor for a prescription.

You can get free emergency contraception if:

• You have a medical card, or
• You are a woman or person with a uterus, aged 17 to 26 and living in Ireland

You can read more about contraception services on the HSE website: www.sexualwellbeing.ie.

• For anyone needing information, advice or have an advocacy issue, you can call a member of the local Citizens Information team in Kerry on 0818 07 7860, they will be happy to assist and make an appointment if necessary.  The offices are staffed from Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm.  Alternatively you can email on tralee@citinfo.ie or log on to www.citizensinformation.ie for further information.

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Entertainment

Finnegan On Films: Superior, Slapstick Comedy And Some Cruise Action On The Box

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Our movie guy, James Finnegan, on a mix of film genres on the box tonight…

In My Spy (Saturday 6.35pm RTE1), Dave Baustista stars as Special Forces operative turned spy, JJ, tasked with covert surveillance of Kate (Parisa Fitz-Henley), the sister in law of a wanted terrorist.

JJ has many qualities, but unfortunately subtlety is not one of them.  Kate’s precocious nine year old daughter, Sophie ((Chloe Coleman) soon blows JJ’s cover, and threatens to expose him, unless he gives her spy specific training.

This sets up a number of situations, especially when JJ is brought to school by Sophie that involves some good slapstick comedy.

The interaction between Baustista and Coleman is quite charming and allows you to make the necessary plot jumps.

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Speaking of tough guy,  lone wolf, action characters, Tom Cruise returns (ignoring the hint in the film title) in Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (Saturday 9.05 RTE2).

After being wrongly accused of murder, Reacher helps a colleague Major Susan Turner (Cobie Smulders) who has also been set up as the murderer of two US Army Military Police in Afghanistan.

They end up on the run, where Reacher not only discovers that Turner has been targeted by a secret sinister military conspiracy (is there ever another kind?) but he also has to deal with personal complications when he has a paternity suit served on him.

Not a bad action film, but be aware you have to again take a few plot jumps on faith.  As usual Tom delivers the goods.

Now comes my personal ‘Film of the Weekend’ with The Grand Budapest Hotel (Saturday 10.10pm TG4), Wes Anderson’s weird and wonderful comedy drama.

Set in the 1930s, Ralph Fiennes stars as Monsieur Gustave H, the distinguished and dashing concierge at the renowned hotel of the title.

When he is accused of murder, he has to depend on his loyal bellboy Zero (Tony Revolori) to help save his reputation in an ever convoluted series of misadventures involving a valuable painting and a guest’s death.

Naturally, such adventures need an eccentric cast of characters, all played with true relish and aplomb by a host of superior acting talent including  F. Murray Abraham,  Adrien Brody,  Willem Dafoe,  Jeff Goldblum,  Harvey Keitel,  Jude Law,  Bill Murray,  Edward Norton,  Saoirse Ronan,  Léa Seydoux,  Tilda Swinton, Tom Wilkinson and Owen Wilson among others.

Not only is it an acting and writing treasure, but the cinematography by Robert Yeoman and music by Alexandre Desplat are an absolute delight to enjoy.

It was nominated for numerous awards and, frankly, should have won more than it did, for a film that is that rare combination of a critical and commercial success. Enjoy!

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