Growing Wild
With Dr Catherine Keena, Teagasc Countryside Management Specialist
Scots pine
Look out for scots’s pine which is a native Irish coniferous tree. While not normally used as a Christmas tree, the pine cones make beautiful, Christmas decorations – either natural or painted. Mature scot’s pine trees stand out in the distance with bare trunks and upper branches and flat crowns of foliage. Red squirrels eat the seeds and birds roost in the tree tops.
Pine tree stumps have been found in bogs where they grew before peat formed with changes in climate. Pollen found in bogs indicates that it was widespread in Ireland thousands of years ago, so scot’s pine or péine albanach is clearly part of our native Irish biodiversity.
A short Limerick from Alan Donnellan
There was an old
Snowman called Jim
Who longed to learn
how to swim
A mistake would it be,
To jump in the Sea
He’d have to go
out on a limb
The Students Union 2023 housing survey found that 45% of students from the College of Health and Agricultural Studies either agreed or strongly agreed that ‘finding accommodation/my current accommodation has had a negative impact on my mental health.
The Lámh choir sang and signed a new song to be known as ‘Katherine’s song’. The song was Bruce Springsteen’s Dream Baby Dream. With each speech, I healed a little. I had drawn a thin black line under my school career. By the time proceedings ended, it was a solid, thick line peppered with love and flowers, paintings and a cake. Several pupils were involved, which I cherished.’
Katherine O'Leary on retirement.
A timely reminder as we enter the last week before Christmas – be aware of where you are making your online purchases; ensure where you can that you are ordering from a business within the European Union.
The following information was recently released from Revenue:
Customs duties and import VAT charges do not apply when ordering goods from Ireland or other EU countries online, however, almost all goods arriving from non-EU countries will be liable to import tax and duties.
Consumers also need to remember that parcel operators typically charge a separate administration fee. Where the price advertised is not inclusive of these costs, additional charges may apply once the goods arrive in Ireland.
Further information on tax and duty charges that may arise on goods bought online for personal use can be found at revenue.ie.
Meet the Maker: This week, Maria Moynihan chats with ceramic artist Orl Wartak-Tolak. Stories by Ola Ceramics Studio officially launched in 2022.
Robert Leddy Araglen Pony Club on his pony Teddy after they won the best turned out in their class at the IPC Area 5 Jumps Ahead League (SJ League) in Ballindenisk recently. Teddy is getting a well deserved carrot from Rob’s brother Patrick after the event. / Submitted by Bridget Leddy, the children's grandmother
Welcome to a week in the country
Find out what caught the eye of Irish Country Living team this week