Every week, when it’s time to pen this article, I try to base it on something that has been on my mind. Mostly, I aim to keep it light-hearted, but it would be tone-deaf of me to write a parenting column about anything light-hearted in a time when several Donegal parents have been shattered by […]
Channel Hopper: Untamed could have been better
By Paul Bradley Untamed is Netflix’s new crime drama, and although it’s another murdered-girl mystery, there are a few things that set it apart: firstly, it has two impressive leads in Sam Neill and Eric Bana, and secondly, it’s set in the truly epic and underused Yosemite National Park. I have a sneaking suspicion Netflix […]
Fresh Take Column: Everyone has a part to play to ensure our dunes don’t become dumping grounds
By Sabrina Sweeney Social media posts can really get people going. There’s something about the format that invites frustration, sarcasm and plenty of overreaction. But the flurry of posts over the past few weeks about tourists behaving badly at some of Donegal’s most treasured beaches and beauty spots isn’t just a case of keyboard warriors […]
Channel Hopper: The Veil proves dull and shallow
By Paul Bradley Ballard Amazon Prime It’s not long since the last season of Bosch: Legacy ended, but Amazon are still interested in the character and his milieu (all of which come from author Michael Connelly): we’re back in it again with a new spinoff following Los Angeles detective Renee Ballard, who was briefly introduced […]
Parenting: Labubus – the latest toy craze that’s taking the world by storm
Most of us will remember a coveted, collectible toy that whipped us into a frenzy when we were young. It might have been Cabbage Patch Kids, Polly Pockets, Beanie Babies, Furbys or more recently LOL dolls and Squishmallows. Toy crazes are nothing new. For me, it was Trolls. I was far from deprived as a […]
THE THIRD DEGREE: Love at first sight leads to family restaurant venture
By Paul Bradley Hi Natasha. How has your restaurant, Nonna’s, been going for you since opening in Letterkenny? We just celebrated our first anniversary in Letterkenny, four doors up from our first place here in 2007-2010, Little Italy. It’s been a great year in which we have built up a regular base of lovely customers, […]
Parenting Column: The last thing parents need is snotty judgement from others
Myself and my husband headed off for not one, but two nights away from the kids to mark our 15th wedding anniversary last weekend. Over the years, we have very occasionally left them in the care of family members while we sneaked away for one night, but this was our first time taking two whole […]
Parenting: Pride isn’t something for us to fear
Letterkenny Pride hosted a coffee morning, bake sale and a thrift fundraiser at the weekend. Their aim was to raise money to help them hold the Letterkenny Pride parade at the end of August. A Pride parade celebrates LGBTQ+ visibility, inclusivity, achievement and of course, pride. I saw on Facebook that they had to move […]
FRESH TAKE: A5 decision fits a pattern of failure, delay and dysfunction
By Sabrina Sweeney Events in a Belfast courtroom rarely feel relevant to people in Donegal. But the ruling from Mr Justice McAlinden this week, which puts the A5 dual carriageway in jeopardy again, is frustrating at best but fatal at worst. This is the third time in 18 years that plans to transform one of […]
Parenting Column: What to do with the kids now that summer’s here
School’s out for summer! Like other parents, I won’t miss the lunches, the uniforms, the homework or the morning scramble for the next few months. A slower pace of life awaits most of us as the summer holidays begin for primary school children. For many parents, school closure can create a headache as they juggle […]