The article in Irish Country Living 18th January on hospital car park charges made for stark reading. It is nothing short of a scandal that those charges are allowed to continue.

We must remember that the people who use those car parks are not there on a pleasure trip.They are attending medical appointments, or visiting people who are ill or maybe nearing the end of their lives.

At a time when they are at their most vulnerable they have to ensure they pay the charge on their vehicle or faced being clamped.

This is happening outside a building that is there to help and offer comfort to those in distress which I know staff in hospitals do.

Marian Dalton, Co Carlow

Ten years ago, childhood friends Sinéad O’Halloran and Mairéad Hickey set up Ortús Chamber Music Festival with the vision of bringing the world’s finest musicians together in Cork city.

The festival marks its 10th anniversary from 27 February to 2 March with a packed programme featuring timeless classics by Mozart and Brahms alongside Irish composers, Sam Perkin and Ben Dwyer. Venues like Blackrock Castle, Dripsey Castle Estate and Sirius Arts Centre in Cobh offer a unique backdrop for the music.

See ortusfestival.ie

In need of a pick-me-up after storm Éowyn? Book a well-deserved getaway at The Johnstown Estate Hotel in Co Meath and relax at The Leisure Club, with steam, sauna and jacuzzi facilities, or indulge in afternoon tea with a view of the estate’s expansive grounds as daffodils bloom.

The Spring Treat package includes a night in a deluxe room, breakfast, a spring cocktail, and a two-course dinner for €250 per couple. Offer runs March to May.

See thejohnstownestate.com

Meet Susan Banks – the 74-year-old woman brewing up big business in her Dublin kitchen by crocheting tea cosies. Her craft store Not Just Hats started out as a hobby and turned into something extraordinary. Every cosy she makes comes straight from Susan’s imagination – no pattern required! Susan spends her days crocheting some of the most unique tea cosies you’ll ever see from the famous Michael Tea Higgins, €45, to the cute gnomes with sheep (pictured above), €40. Susan says: “I’ve seen mass-produced cosies and they’re so thin, there’s no way they’d keep a teapot warm!” – A woman after our own heart.

See Instagram @not_just_hats; notjusthats72@gmail.com

A new podcast series presented by radio broadcaster and GP, Dr Ciara Kelly, and family psychotherapist and author, Dr Richard Hogan, is worth a listen.

Entitled They F**k You Up the pair discuss lots of topics ranging from affairs to anxiety, people-pleasing to dating and much more. The latest episode deals with technology and adolescence and is available wherever you get your podcasts.

CRITICAL, Ireland’s leading emergency medical response charity, is reporting a 45% increase in calls last year compared to 2023. There were 1,308 taskings in 2024, up from 900, and Donegal, Waterford, Cork and Tipperary had the highest number of calls.

David Tighe, CRITICAL CEO says it is “providing an invaluable service by working with the National Ambulance Service to ensure that anyone experiencing chest pain, stroke or cardiac arrest will be seen to in as quick a time as possible.”

See criticalcharity.ie