Photo of the Week

Starting early: Anna Grace taking a look at the farming news at home in Co Kilkenny. Sent in by Michael Grace.

Letter to the Editor

Hi Amii,

Hope all is well.

I came across a treasure of a book in a charity shop last week: Liz Kavanagh’s Country Living.

As you know, Amii, Mary Lynch was her real name but she was known as Liz Kavanagh when she wrote for the Irish Farmers Journal years ago; beginning back in 1977, long, long before your time.

Liz Kavanagh's book Country Living.

It really is a lovely read as it’s a collection of her writings from Irish Farmers Journal over the years Each chapter tells the story of her life as a farmer’s wife back then. Your paper then, as now, is giving us great reading every week.

Best wishes,

Marian Dalton

Tweet of the Week

Money Mentor Tip

Anyone may receive a gift of up to €3,000 – from any person in any calendar year – without having to pay Capital Acquisitions Tax (CAT). This means you can receive amounts up to €3,000 per annum from both your parents without incurring any tax liability (€6,000 per annum). Under the small gift exemption, anyone can actually receive up to €3,000 per annum from several people, in a calendar year, without incurring any CAT. This exemption could be very useful if, for example, parents wish to help their son or daughter with a deposit for their first home, as these gifts are not taken into account for computing tax and are not included for aggregation purposes. These small gift exemption applies to gifts only and not to inheritance.

Instagram Inspiration

Freedom from Want by Norman Rockwell.

Last week was Thanksgiving. This picture entitled Freedom from Want was painted in 1941 and is probably the most famous Thanksgiving picture ever. It featured on the @irishfoodwritingaward account with the caption: “It depicts three generations of one family dining together and is part of a series of four paintings, all based on Franklin D Roosevelt’s State of the Union address that year. The painting was completed during a difficult time for many Americans with America being pulled into WW2 while still recovering from the poverty and hardship of the Great Depression. As people in the US and many parts of the world get together for Thanksgiving, it’s fascinating to wonder how we will depict this pandemic in the future. How will we express it in our art and writing. What voice and shape will it have?”

Number of the Week

6 - The number of kgs in bodyweight Christmas tree grower Fintan Riordan would expect to lose in the run up to Christmas.

Quote of the Week

From psychotherapist Enda Murphy:

The whole you is greater than the sum of your parts. Learning to accept yourself means accepting that you can’t be measured by your flaws. Understanding this is the key to overcoming social phobia