By Sabrina Sweeney ANOTHER month, another rise in the number of cars failing the NCT in Donegal. Of the 5,450 cars tested in October, 2,961 failed, including 417 with defects considered dangerous. Advertisement More than half failed at each of the four test centres, while in Derrybeg, the pass rate fell from 55 per cent […]
Schools have an important role in ensuring children learn key principles
Premium
This week’s Fresh Take column by Sabrina Sweeney WHEN I first came across the Stay Safe programme for Primary Schools, it was refreshing to see how openly it addressed subjects that adults can still find uncomfortable. The worksheets introduced children, in a gentle and age-appropriate way, to healthy relationships and knowing who to ask if […]
FRESH TAKE: Should Culture Night be a weekend celebration?
Premium
By Sabrina Sweeney WHEN 40 venues in Dublin city opened their doors one night in September 2006 for the first ever Culture Night, the programme included gallery and museum visits, outdoor films in Temple Bar and workshops for children. There was even a special Culture Bus to take people between venues. Advertisement Twenty years later, […]
CHANNEL HOPPER: Carrie remake serves up some good Halloween viewing
Premium
Carrie – Amazon Prime The Reluctant Vampire – BBC1, Sunday, 6.40pm Time – BBC1, Sunday, 9pm Advertisement Dark Winds – U&Alibi, Saturday, 9pm The Widower – Netflix By Paul Bradley If ever a familiar story was due a remake, Brian De Palma’s Carrie is surely it: not that there’s anything wrong with the original, but this year is its 50th anniversary, […]
FRESH TAKE: Is our housing market disconnected from local earning power?
Rising house prices are often regarded as good news. Like rising employment figures, they can be taken as a sign of a healthy economy and growing prosperity. According to the latest MyHome report, the median asking price for a property in Donegal is now €270,000, around €20,000 higher than a year ago. That’s an increase […]
FRESH TAKE: The A5 project – a frustrating journey on so many fronts
Premium
There was plenty of predictable political wrangling over public money on Tuesday as Budget 2027 was announced in Dublin, and discussion about how it would be spent over the coming year. But another decision made that day, in Belfast, also raised important questions about public money, the cost of delay and what almost two decades […]
CHANNEL HOPPER: Slow Horses – Dark humour, and solidly entertaining
Premium
Slow Horses – Apple TV Finding Britain’s Slave Traders – BBC2, Monday, 9pm Wilderness with Simon Reeve – BBC2, Sunday, 9pm Advertisement Clickbait Clinic – BBC1, Monday, 8.30pm Killer Story – HBO By Paul Bradley Six seasons in, Slow Horses has returned for a new run, with Gaby Chiappe replacing Will Smith as lead writer. Almost immediately you […]
FRESH TAKE: Drumcree fears are more about what has happened in the past
Premium
I was a teenager growing up in the North in the 1990s. I haven’t had much reason over the past decade or two to think or talk about Drumcree. But hearing the word again at the weekend immediately brought back memories of how ugly a time it was. For many, Drumcree conjures up violence, fear, […]
FRESH TAKE: It’s time for the decision-makers to be brave
Premium
By Sabrina Sweeney Over the past few weeks, my social media feed has become a running commentary on traffic in Letterkenny. From bus companies warning of delays, to businesses complaining that customers are staying away, the images of queues seem to appear almost daily. Advertisement I have to admit it has changed my own behaviour. […]
Why financial goals are essential for long-term success and structure
Financial goals are widely recommended, yet many people underestimate their true impact. In practice, the difference between financial progress and stagnation often comes down to whether there is a clear plan guiding decisions. When goals are properly understood, they shift from being a routine task to a powerful driver of long-term success. At their core, […]