Tots to Teens: Penguins waddle into the limelight in new book
Did you know that Dublin Zoo has webcams that livestream its giraffes, zebras, rhinos, elephants, and penguins? Niamh Sharkey does.
The former laureate na nÓg and creator of Emmy-nominated children's programmes used to watch the penguin webcam with her husband, graphic designer and author Owen Churcher, and their children during lockdown.
They loved the flightless birds' antics and have published a picture book, Penguin TV. Written by Churcher, with illustrations by Sharkey, it imagines that the penguins are using the webcam to create their own reality television show.
The story features a cast of Humboldt penguins, including the host, Horatio, Ruthie the diva, and Myrtle, who is eagerly awaiting her turn in the spotlight. It's funny and silly and will have the children laughing while also teaching them about penguins.
Published by Gill Books, Penguin TV retails for €16.99.
Bonny baby
Calling all parents of cute babies. Glenisk has announced the return of its Sweetbaby Competition, which gives families the chance to see their baby featured on the packaging of its organic fromage frais.
The competition is open to babies aged from six to 18 months. All you have to do is upload a recent photo of your baby and complete a short entry form at glenisk.com/sweetbaby, before July 18. You will receive a Glenisk baby product voucher as thanks for taking part.
Vintage car convoy
This year's RETRO Cannonball classic car convoy starts at Little Island, Co Cork, on Friday, June 13.
The car convoy, which including vintage Mustangs, Lamborghinis, and Ferraris, will travel through Tipperary, Offaly, Athlone, and Tyrone, before reaching their final destination in Louth. At each pit stop, families will be welcome to view the rare classic cars up close, take photos, and meet the drivers.
Olivia Howard (7) from Old Kilcullen and Isla Cox (7) from Newbridge pictured at the launch of RETRO Cannonball, starting in Little Island. Picture: Gareth Chaney.
Every year, Cannonball raises money for a chosen children's charity and has raised over €1.9m to date. This year, it's raising funds for the Jack and Jill Children's Foundation.
Find out more at jackandjill.ie/events/cannonball.
When in Denmark...
American author Jessica Joelle Alexander believes that the reason Denmark has been voted one of the top three happiest countries globally by the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) for more than 40 years in a row is due to the way Danes are brought up.
Alexander says that when she went to Denmark for the first time, she was surprised by how well Danish children behaved.
'The children all seemed so serene, content, respectful, and well-behaved. There was almost no yelling, and parents looked genuinely joyful.'
Now a mother of two who has lived in Denmark with her Danish husband, Alexander says the way Danes raise their children has changed her so much as a parent that she wants to share her experiences with others.
American author Jessica Joelle Alexander believes that the reason Denmark has been voted one of the top three happiest countries globally by the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) for more than 40 years in a row is due to the way Danes are brought up. Picture: @daivagailiute/PA.
So she wrote The Danish Way Of Parenting, which has been published in more than 30 countries, and she has now written a follow-up guide, The Danish Way Every Day (€23.20), with her friend, Camilla Semlov Andersson, a Danish family therapist.
The new book describes the Danish parenting model in more detail, explaining how Danes get their children to do chores, cook together, and settle in to bedtime routines, as well as exploring how they deal with toddler meltdowns and teen conflicts.
Happy in your nappy
More parents are interested in trying cloth nappies for their babies and there are two big reasons why. One is the cost factor, with cloth nappies retailing for a fraction of the price of disposables.
Two is the environmental impact. Once used and binned, disposable nappies are either incinerated or added to landfills. However, cloth nappies can be reused again and again.
For parents worried about the practicality of switching, the Cloth Nappy Library offers nappy loan kits.
For a cost of between €20 and €30, parents can try a selection of different nappies for a period of three weeks. By the end of that time, it is hoped that they will have found the brand and style that works best for them.
Sign up for nappy loan kits at www.clothnappylibrary.ie.
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Tots to Teens: Tiny atoms make big reactions at Cork Carnival of Science
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Irish Examiner
7 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Gareth O'Callaghan: It's been two years since Tubridy was thrown to the lions. Is it time for RTÉ to ask him back?
'Until someone is prepared to lay out the systemic problem, we will simply go through cycles of finding corruption, finding a scapegoat, eliminating the scapegoat, and relaxing until we find the next scandal.' I'm not a fan of American politician Newt Gingrich; but as I read these words of his, I'm reminded of where I was this week two years ago when Ryan Tubridy's stellar career as Ireland's leading broadcaster started to come apart in what was a bolt out of the blue. Barely a month before, a day ahead of his final Late Late Show, he told fans: 'Tomorrow night is going to be a night of endings for sure, but beginnings for definite.' In hindsight, some might have called his words prophetic, others foreboding; but it seems certain he knew nothing about what was careering down the tracks. It would take a long hot summer before RTÉ's director general Kevin Bakhurst finally announced on August 18 that Tubridy would not be returning to his radio show, after a two-month controversy that became the most damaging crisis the broadcaster has ever faced in its almost 100-year history. It was an inglorious sacking, painfully drawn out, and made worse the previous month by the performances of some politicians on the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) with their humiliation of Tubridy and his agent Noel Kelly during live Oireachtas TV sessions, the first of which had more than nine million minutes of online viewing. No doubt it's a date that's etched forever in his memory, the day his career slipped from his grip and his life changed — Tuesday, July 11, 2023, when he was thrown to the lions in Leinster House, a place that's not always known for its moral compass. For the first time in its history, this online streaming channel, which most viewers to the event had never heard of, had bigger audiences than the annual Toy Show. Pubs across the country showed the televised meetings on their big screens, while clips from earlier sessions were viewed millions of times on TikTok. 'This is my first rodeo being in the public eye,' Tubridy told PAC that day. 'My name has been desperately sullied, I think my reputation has been sullied.' Strong words not used lightly, which led this writer to suspect he was being scapegoated as a result of a gargantuan cover-up — one that, it turned out, had been simmering for years. No doubt Tuesday, July 11, 2023, is a date that's etched forever in Ryan Tubridy's memory, the day his career slipped from his grip and his life changed. File photo: Oireachtas TV In the words of American diplomat Madeleine Albright, 'the cover-up, more than the initial wrongdoing, is what is most likely to bring you down.' And it did, royally. It was a scandal waiting to happen, and it was allowed to happen, not just by successive RTÉ managements, but by governments who ignored the warning signs for years. Looking back at the cast of characters who testified at the hearings, the only one thrown under the bus was Tubridy. That tells its own story. It wasn't until Grant Thornton's report was published in August two years ago that the facts became clear amidst all the convoluted evidence divulged by both sides. But by then, one man's reputation had been badly harmed. It found that RTÉ had intentionally understated Tubridy's annual salary by €120,000 across the three years from 2017-2019 by driving down payments made to him to under €500,000. In total, Tubridy was overpaid by €345,000. This conclusion cleared him of blame, which appeared at one point to be piled high and deep against him. RTÉ essentially disregarded its own payroll system so as to undervalue Tubridy's salary. Payroll software at the broadcaster clearly showed he was paid more than the €500,000 over each of the three years. According to the report, Tubridy was also entitled to a €120,000 bonus, which he chose to waive. Hindsight can be merciless. What remains foremost in public memory two years later is the side deal with Renault, which RTÉ footed the bill for. Pubs across the country showed the televised meetings on their big screens from Oireachtas TV of RTE's star presenter Ryan Tubridy. File photo: Oireachtas TV In 2020, Tubridy was paid by RTÉ in a sponsorship deal brokered by him, his agent and the broadcaster worth €225,000, in return for taking part in three corporate events for the car dealer, of which only one took place. He hasn't repaid the outstanding €150,000. Last weekend, media minister Patrick O'Donovan encouraged Tubridy to hand back the money, 'so we can move on from it,' he said. Ryan Tubridy has clearly moved on from it. He now lives in London, recently got engaged, and carving out a career for himself in radio, having been left with little choice but to leave the country, censured as the poster boy of a scandal he didn't cause. He became the fall guy as accountancy practices that had been going on for years in RTÉ finally became public. Was there any need for the public humiliation and the verbal flogging that Ryan Tubridy was subjected to two years ago? Did it serve any purpose, apart from dividing a national audience? If anything, it laid bare the banjaxed business model of RTÉ. The station posted a €9.1million loss in 2023 when its licence revenue took a massive hit as a result of the scandal, which it likely will never recover from. Its business model has never worked, so how can it hope to be self-sufficient? Government handouts are RTÉ's only hope of surviving, but for how long more? I suspect Kevin Bakhurst is keeping a close eye on the BBC, whose charter comes up for renewal in two years; when the network will have to prove its fitness in negotiations in order to take on the next 10 years of public service broadcasting. RTÉ has always fancied itself as a BBC-type replica with the additional benefit of commercial revenue income. BBC's charter comprises a trio of core objectives: the pursuit of truth with no agenda, an emphasis on its native culture and storytelling, and a mission to bring people together – not unlike RTÉ. But has RTÉ not failed in two of these objectives in the light of what happened two years ago? RTÉ has a serious public service broadcasting remit, which is becoming more and more difficult to commit to in the modern climate of content-rich competitors with very deep pockets. In television land, new content is king. Repeating old programmes in order to fill a television schedule is one sure way to drive away viewers. It's difficult not to feel a sense of fatalism about RTÉ's future. Its treatment of a presenter who is still loved the length and breadth of Ireland, along with its handling of the payment scandal, was a devastating error of judgement. RTÉ's director general said there was a 'moral' case for Tubridy to return the money. Considering the scandal was of their own making, with disclosures of indefensible accounting and governance practices, and a propensity for decades of lavish corporate hospitality, RTÉ should be careful about highlighting what they regard as other people's morals. Ryan Tubridy at the official launch of Joe Duffy's autobiography 'Just Joe' in Dublin in 2011. File photo: Gareth Chaney Collins Grant Thornton's report absolved Ryan Tubridy of any blame. Whether he should return the remainder of the private sponsorship fee he received is a matter for him to decide. Unfortunately, the role that one individual found himself unwittingly cast into as the controversy unfolded two years ago, and how that role was sensationalised to the point where he was unjustly made out to be the villain, continues to overshadow the reality of a much greater scandal in which many of those responsible will never be punished. Two years on, the least RTÉ could do is offer Ryan Tubridy his job back. Maybe then, in the minister's own words, we can move on from it. Read More Gareth O'Callaghan: Unanswered questions haunt Philip Cairns case decades later
Irish Examiner
8 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Ibiza: In search of sun and simplicity in a dance-music destination
A deep and distant thud, thud, thud drowns out the delicate washing of the sea against the shore. The glowing evening sun feels close as super yachts and boatloads of stag parties sail across the horizon like a noisy eclipse. I've been in Ibiza for a few days, yet it's only now, on my last night here, that I'm seeing its infamous party side in San Antonio for the first time. I'm woefully underdressed and sporting too much of a farmer's tan to be mistaken for a clubber or influencer, but I'm quite happy to be the odd one out. I came here to slow down and recharge in the mythical, quieter parts of Ibiza that are rumoured to exist. Depending on who you ask, you'll get different answers as to what Ibiza is like. It's a small island, smaller in fact than Co Louth, that can be crossed in an hour by car, but it has very clearly defined regions and personalities. The glam of recent decades has covered up Ibiza's arrival onto the tourist scene, when it was known as a haven for American hippies who were dodging the Vietnam War draft. Then came the clubbing era, thanks to famous nightclubs like Ocean and Pacha in Playa d'en Bossa in the South, while Freddie Mercury had his legendary 41st birthday in Pikes, near San Antonio, in the West. Ibiza Town is the largest urban area on the island, with roughly 50,000 inhabitants. It lies by the water on the east of the island, sandwiched between the marina and fortified, hillside structures of Old Town. Walking through the streets of Ibiza Town, I'm swarmed by groups of young people running in and out of the high street shops, picking up new outfits for their night out, but as I explore, I see the sandy stone of Old Town rise above me. Snaking laneways of shiny and slippery stones draw me up the inclines to tranquil courtyards lined with idyllic homes with views across the harbour. Enjoying a drink in Ibiza's Old Town Old Town is the historic heart of Ibiza. At its summit is Ibiza Castle, a fortified structure that has taken on many forms over the centuries and seen invasions by the Phoenicians, Romans, Moors, Christians, and pirates. Wandering around the fortress, I can only imagine how difficult it was to breach these stout walls. Amongst all the history are glimpses of modern Ibiza. The Museum of Contemporary Art lies within the walls and celebrates the island's artistic past that bloomed in the 1960s with the arrival of the hippies — this museum, like all others on the island, is free to visitors. A warm glow fills the evening air and I follow the sound of chat and laughter to the lower parts of Old Town, where I find a seat on a terrace overlooking the water below. I've certainly slowed down since my first day here and as I sip on my glass of vermouth as the sun sets, I can feel myself unwinding. I find active holidays relaxing. I'm not one for sitting on the beach, I get restless, as if the day is being wasted, but once I've done something active, the chemicals in my brain balance out and I can relax. With that in mind, I decide to rent a bike and explore the coastal trails and gravel roads. I turn from the paved paths on the west coast of Ibiza and onto a dry gravel road that kicks up dust with every spin of the wheels. Sunset along the coast of Ibiza It's not long until I've left the sea behind and find myself in complete silence, surrounded by nothing but pine trees and the odd fig and olive tree. Areas along the coast in Ibiza are densely populated with high-rise buildings and hotels, but out here, people live dispersed in whitewashed buildings scattered across the foothills of the central mountains. Life feels like it moves slowly here, with days of endless sunshine allowing people to grow food in their gardens, relax in their hammocks, and read on their terraces. Despite the late spring heat, coastal breezes keep me comfortable as I pedal up the hilly landscape and bomb back down on empty gravel roads. SIMPLE CAN BE PERFECT Jacarandas in bloom in Santa Gertrudis MY ACTIVE itch has been scratched and now it's time to eat. Wanting to see more of the island, I make my way to Santa Gertrudis in the centre of the island — I've heard there's a place here that does the best Iberico jamon. The village is idyllic — a whitewashed church stands at one end of a cobbled street that's lined with jacarandas in full purple bloom and buzzing with people eating outdoors. There's a small queue outside Bar Costa, mainly of Spanish people from what I can tell, which is always a good sign. I'm ushered in, stoop below the legs of ham hanging from the ceiling, and step through the rear dining room that's a song of noise from families eating and drinking. Ordering the Iberico ham and a glass of wine, it dawns on me how straightforward Spanish food is; there are no marketing buzzwords or TikTok-trending dishes on the menu, just simple food, done well. As the ham melts in my mouth, I'm convinced that not only can simple be better, but simple can be perfect. As a new day begins, so does a new activity: this time I'm swapping the land for the sea on a kayaking trip along the coast from Es Figueral beach with Kayak Ibiza. The sea is surprisingly cold here, nowhere near as cold as Ireland, but enough to feel odd given the sun-drenched, parched landscapes around me. 'You know Ibiza has a party reputation, right?' Alex, my guide, asks rhetorically as we paddle out into the sea. 'This area that we're in was a busy smuggling route years ago.' He points to a rock face 100m away where there is an oddly-coloured patch in the rock, marking the entrance to a tunnel that smugglers used in the past. Thankfully, the waters here are more welcoming these days. Under the shimmering azure are meadows of Neptune's grass, a native seaweed that waves up to the surface and is home to a variety of sea life. 'Look below you, can you see it?' Alex's question isn't rhetorical this time. 'There's a ray right there!' I make out the shovel-shaped creature and watch as it billows and glides through the water. Back on dry land, it's time to eat, but I've had such a good day by the water, I decide to eat my dinner by the coast. Jamon iberico at S'illa des Bosc, Ibiza S'illa des Bosc requires a little bit of effort to get to as it's not in a town, but its location on top of a small cliff by the water makes it ideal for a sunset dinner. Dining al fresco is such a treat and I order the tuna tataki, which is gently seasoned and seared, leaving the centre raw yet roaring with flavour. Though it's a Japanese dish, it suits Spanish life well, elevating quality produce with minimal fuss or fanfare. Long after dark, the bill arrives with some 'hierbas ibicencas', an Ibizan version of limoncello made with local herbs. It's a sharp yet sweet palate cleanser and a great way to round off a day by the sea. It's the final morning of my trip and I can't get last night's aperitif out of my mind. Looking for somewhere to buy a bottle before my flight, I find Can Muson, a farm with a cafe where you can make your own hierbas ibicencas. I'm sold. Stepping through the gates, the farm unfurls like a verdant paradise. Sheep grazing in the Ibizan countryside Goats and sheep play in the fields, trees are heavy with fruit, and the outdoor tables are laden with colourful foods and drinks — I couldn't be further, mentally or physically, from the island's nightclub scene here. Hierbas ibicencas is made by putting whatever herbs are at hand into a glass bottle before adding some fruit and topping up with aniseed liqueur. Given the loose recipe, there's no set way to make the drink; mine contains orange leaf, lavender, thyme, and a bunch of other fragrant herbs. Putting the cork in the bottle and giving it a good smack shut, I know this is one souvenir that I'm keeping for myself. Ibiza wasn't at the top of my list when I was looking for a restful break away, but something drew me here and made me look beyond what the island is best known for and rewarded me with exactly what I needed. Cian was a guest of Ibiza Tourism Board and the Spanish Tourism Office. Escape Notes Ryanair operates a daily direct flight from Dublin to Ibiza with a flight time of 2 hours and 50 minutes. Be warned, you may be on a flight with people who have already started the party! Stay at the stylish and peaceful Hyde Hotel in Cala Llonga from €230/night and get direct access to the beach. This hotel is in a quiet area with restaurants and bars within walking distance, but you may need a car to get around as a taxi into Ibiza Town costs €30. Plan your own restful trip to Ibiza by visiting the Ibiza Tourism website
The Irish Sun
8 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Kylie Jenner risks breaking huge dress code rule at Jeff Bezos & Lauren Sanchez's wedding as fans rage ‘inappropriate!'
KYLIE Jenner has risked breaking the biggest dress code rule at Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's over-the-top wedding in Venice, Italy. 8 Kylie and Kendall Jenner at Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's wedding in Venice, Italy Credit: AFP 8 Kylie wore a silver corseted gown for the nuptials Credit: AP 8 But fans slammed the star for the color, as it is 'too close to white' Credit: Splash Photos reveal Kylie wore a floor-length corseted gown with cutouts under the breasts and two small black bows on the straps. She topped off the look with black sunglasses and her hair in an updo. Kendall stunned in a black sheer gown, as she completed the wedding look with a matching scarf. FASHION FAUX PAS But fans were up in arms over Kylie's dress, as the silver satin could be easily mistaken for white. One fan rage on Reddit, "A WHITE DRESS???!" Another wrote, "This family just refuses to dress appropriate to an event." A third slammed, "I'd be pissed as hell if I was the bride and someone wore what Kylie has on to my wedding like wtf." Most read in Entertainment A fourth fired, "Black and silver to an Italian wedding?? Wtf lol" Kylie Jenner fans spot embarrassing wardrobe malfunction as she spills out of skintight dress on Venice water taxi A fifth slammed, "I don't get how she's not embarrassed because no other woman is wearing white or anything close to it from what I've seen." Kim Khloe wore a plunging pink sequin down with a feather shawl. Matriarch Kris looked youthful in a black dress with white tulle sleeves. 8 Kim Kardashian wore a sparkly brown gown Credit: Splash 8 Khloe Kardashian wore a plunging pink sequin dress with a feather shawl Credit: Splash 8 Kris stunned in a black dress with white tulle sleeves Credit: EPA WARDROBE MALFUNCTION Earlier on the trip, Kylie suffered a wardrobe malfunction. Kylie flaunted her curves in a strapless lace yellow dress alongside her sister Kendall while riding a water taxi in Venice. Fans were quick to insist that in one shot, her boob appeared to have popped out without her noticing. Writing on social media, one insisted, 'It really looks like it…' While another argued, 'It's just angle and shadow.' STAR-STUDDED WEDDING The Amazon founder and the former journalist, 55, said 'I do' at the stunning San Giorgio Maggiore monastery in Venice. The couple Jeff couldn't stop smiling as he stepped off a classic boat in a black tux and shades, waving to crowds outside the Aman Venice hotel. Lauren has been reported to be wearing a white gown designed by Dolce & Gabbana after attending a dress fitting at the Italian designer's Milan shop in March. Other A-listers outside of the Kardashian family include Oprah Winfrey, Sydney Sweeney, Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Brady and Orlando Bloom. At least 95 private jets are said to have landed for the occasion. Jeff Bezos – who is he? Here's what you need to know... Jeffrey Preston Bezos, better known as Jeff Bezos, is an American tech billionaire He made his fortune by founding online retail giant Amazon Bezos became the first centi-billionaire according to the Forbes wealth index And he was named the 'richest man in history' when his net worth grew to $150 billion in the summer of 2018 Bezos was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico and then raised in Houston, Texas He graduated in 1986 with a degree in electrical engineering and computer science from Princeton University Bezos went on to work on Wall Street until 1994, before founding Amazon Amazon began as an online bookstore but has since become a global tech giant in retail, streaming, cloud computing and gadgets And the billionaire also runs spaceflight firm Blue Origin, which has been operating since 2000 Estimates in 2024 put his net worth at $196billion Bezos' personal life came under scrutiny in 2019 after he and his wife of 25 years, MacKenzie, announced their decision to divorce The divorce was finalised on April 4, 2019 Bezos is now dating Lauren Sánchez, a media personality, entertainment reporter, and news anchor On July 5, 2021, Bezos took up the role of executive chairman at Amazon, stepping down from his former position as CEO and president The U.S. Sun 'This is the biggest wedding ever organized,' the source told The U.S. Sun. 'Not just because of the money spent, but also due to the extraordinary level of luxury and detail involved.' Jeff dropped $9 million to reserve spots in the marina for anyone arriving by yacht, with another $6 million laid out to cover parking and security for private jets. 'Jeff insisted on covering the cost,' continued the insider. 'He wants everyone to feel fully taken care of, from arrival to departure.' A staff of 150 waiters and waitresses were hired for four days, with the cost of service totaling $1.8 million. He hired 20 chefs, each paid $5,000 per day, adding up to $500,000. Read more on the Irish Sun They were supported by 40 sous chefs and assistants, paid $2,000 per day each, for an additional $400,000 over five days. Elton John will reportedly be performing alongside a group of Italian musicians—including harpists, cellists, pianists, and guitarists—who were brought in to create a curated 'Venice experience.' 8 Kylie suffered wardrobe malfunction yesterday while wearing a yellow lace dress Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk 8 Jeff and Lauren said 'I do' on Friday, June 27 Credit: Splash
