Latest news with #Ruane
Irish Independent
14-07-2025
- Health
- Irish Independent
The Dublin area with a growing population of 11,335 … but little or no access to a GP
The third edition of the Health Assets and Needs Assessment (HANA) Project, from Trinity College Dublin, was presented at a recent meeting of South Dublin County Council. The findings highlight how healthcare has changed in Tallaght over the last 30 years, and in areas perceived to suffer more from 'deprivation', the symptoms associated with ageing are worse. Nowhere is this more evident than in Fettercairn, where a growing population of 11,335 (according to census 2022) complain that they have little or no access to a local GP. Elizabeth Ruane (76) moved to Fettercairn from Ballymun 44 years ago, and is a member of the senior women's club organised by the Tallaght Community Health Project. 'We've always had to travel for a GP. We used to have one years and years ago but now we have to go to Killinarden,' she said. 'I'd have to get the bus down to the end of the road, which takes about 25 to 30 minutes and walk for 20 minutes from there. 'We were promised a GP when Fettercairn got its first Community Centre – the people of this community raised money to build it. We were told there would be a GP upstairs, but it just never happened. 'When you're younger, you think it's okay and you can just get the bus. But when you're older, even something that seems simple can make your life so difficult.' Ms Ruane currently visits a GP service a few miles away from her home in Fettercairn. 'I've a new doctor now who's very helpful. I had a spot on my leg that was worrying me. He thought it might have been cancerous and fixed it; then referred me to Tallaght hospital for further care. That was in April, I've never heard back. ADVERTISEMENT 'I'm afraid to get sick, because I know I won't be able to see the doctor. I've figured out that when you get to a certain age, they're not interested. They let you stay at the end of the list because they don't care about us,' she added. Professor Catherine Darker, who authored the Trinity College study, has observed that chronic illnesses, including heart issues, diabetes and neurological diseases, are high among the people of Tallaght. 'We already have data to show that the way different diseases burden ageing groups, differs depending on the community you live in. The most rapidly growing age group in Tallaght is over-65,' Ms Darker said. 'Health is not equally distributed here, so you could have more affluent parts of the city where an age group is doing well globally, but the same groups in social and economically deprived areas will age differently. 'For people who are poor, the poverty automatically means that you have worse health,' she added. A spokesperson for the HSE said it has 39 GPs in the wider Dublin 24 area working from 20 different practices, including within the Fettercairn area. 'The HSE can confirm it does not limit the number of GPs who wish to take on a General Medical Services contract with the HSE in a specific location. 'GPs are self-employed and have the ability to set up a practice in any area they choose, depending on various factors.' Brookfield Health Centre in Jobstown is the clinic located closest to Fettercairn, but multiple calls to check on appointment availability last week went unanswered. Kay Hoban (74), another member of the women's group, says what's harder than the lack of access, is the time it takes to make it through a waiting list. 'It takes at least two weeks to hear back from the GP if you call them. They never answer – people over 60 have to walk to the GP's office to even make an appointment,' she said. 'I always wonder what would happen if you're really sick. At our age that's a real worry. 'If you go to the emergency [department], you're left waiting over 36 hours, and they wouldn't have my history anyway. If you don't have private insurance, you have no chance of finding help.' Independent councillor for Tallaght-Central, Mick Duff, wonders why a part of Dublin with a growing population is struggling to attract a GP. 'It's reprehensible in 2025 that we don't have a GP physically present in Fettercairn,' he said. 'I know there are services in the surrounding area like the Mary Mercer Health Centre and there are doctors and GPs in nearby Springfield. 'The people of Fettercairn deserve a GP in their own area and I don't know what it's going to take to attract a GP. It's quite an established estate, it has an older generation and now a very vibrant young generation. 'There's a great healthcare committee in the community centre, an addiction centre with a GP attending, but there isn't one for general medical issues. 'I hope the county council can support and encourage some young GPs to come in and open their services in the area. 'Fettercairn is not a million miles from Tallaght Hospital, but people should not be reliant on outpatient or emergency care. 'There are older people and people with disabilities who cannot get out of the area as easily as others,' he added. Mary Kelly (77), who has lived in Fettercairn for 45 years, remembers being a young mother in the area struggling for medical care. 'Not much has changed. Having no GPs nearby is a big problem. It was definitely worse when my children were younger,' she said. 'We've been fighting for a GP in Fettercairn for years, but nothing's changed. I have to go to Brookfield to get to mine. It's just 10 minutes for me by car, but not everyone has that luxury.' The HANA report has also found that older people in Tallaght struggle with loneliness. The Tallaght Community Health Project has worked with older people to support them through it. Project coordinator, Samantha Griffin, works closely with locals to encourage arts and crafts, field trips and theatre shows to help build a sense of community. 'For some of the people that engage in the women's club or our other initiatives, this might be the only time in the week that they even see other people,' she said. 'Covid made people feel more isolated than ever before. But initiatives like this can make a world of difference.' Mary Malone (75), who has lived in Fettercairn her entire life, has found the club to be the best way to stay in touch with friends. 'I knew a lot of these women before I joined, some of us are neighbours,' she said. 'I love doing the arts and crafts, you can talk and work away at the same time. It's a way of taking care of our health on our own.' Kay Hoban said having a sense of community has helped her take care of herself. 'I've been coming here for the last two years. I was recommended by a doctor to do exercises because of my arthritis. I heard about the Monday evening group and joined. I've now found a family,' she said. 'I've been a widow for 51 years. The club has helped older people in the area a lot. We're not seeing people during the week. 'If you don't come up here, I go days without seeing anyone. So for me, spending time with these women is a great outlet.'
Chicago Tribune
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
‘Reptiles Alive!' is now open at the Field Museum, changing the way you look at snakes, lizards and even birds
What is a reptile? If you think you know, think again. Do they lay eggs? Most, but not all. Are they cold-blooded — meaning they don't generate their own body heat? Again: most, but not all. 'Reptiles Alive!,' a new exhibition at the Field Museum, argues even birds are technically a type of reptile. (You can dive deeper into the evolutionary link between them upstairs, where a different display analyzes the Chicago Archaeopteryx, one of the most well-preserved specimens of the first known flying dinosaur.) Breaking down assumptions about reptiles has been the life's work of Sara Ruane, the Field's associate curator of herpetology, who grew up in northeastern Pennsylvania. Inspired by the Everhart Museum of Natural History, Science & Art in Scranton, Ruane established her own 'museum' with doodads from her grandparents' house, charging a $5 admission fee. The highlight of her childhood was scrounging the nearby woods for scuttling surprises, mostly salamanders and centipedes. 'But every now and then, there'd be a snake,' she said, 'and getting a snake is such a thrill.' Ruane loves snakes. A tattoo of a scarlet kingsnake winds up her leg, a tribute to her Ph.D. research. Her personal website, emblazoned with hot pink, is called Sara's Snakepit. She has two pet snakes: a 33-year-old ball python named Coolio (hey, she got it the '90s) and a vine snake named Mean Green, a reference to a nasty ex of her dad's. In a video about Ruane in 'The Changing Face of Science,' a new Field exhibit about women scientists, Mean Green lunges, fangs first, at Ruane's face on camera. She giggles. Ruane isn't just a herpetologist and snake lover, she's also an evolutionary biologist. So when it came time to design 'Reptiles Alive!,' she wanted to hit home some of the eccentricities of reptiles' evolution. Some species, like the emerald tree boa and green tree python, might look nearly identical, but they evolved oceans apart, with the emerald tree boa in South America, and the green tree python in New Guinea and Australia. Similarly, legless lizards appear on every continent except Antarctica. Those, by the way, are not snakes — with the distinguishing factor being not legs, but the presence of earholes and eyelids, both of which snakes lack. 'These things are all examples of convergent evolution,' Ruane said. 'An animal may not be closely related to another animal, but they do the same job in their environment, and so they evolved to look very similar.' Don't just take Ruane's word for it. You can see them for yourself courtesy of Clyde Peeling's Reptiland, an accredited zoo in Allenwood, Pennsylvania, which provided 20 live reptiles for the exhibit. Among them is the emerald tree boa, which can be seen contentedly snoozing on a tree, coiled like a cinnamon bun. 'Reptiles Alive!' reminds us that we're learning new things every day about this vast swath of the animal kingdom. A display early in the exhibit summarizes recent research on an iron coating on the Komodo dragon's teeth. Later, a section discusses the ways Ruane and her team are keeping tabs on the local ecosystem, including using cat food to coax wild turtles into a net for observation. And yes, Chance the Snapper — the juvenile alligator that was found in Humboldt Park's lagoon and became a viral sensation in 2019 — gets a shoutout. So do the foundational Field scientists who, decades ago, paved the way for this exhibition. You can see a snapping turtle model by Carl Cotton, a pioneering Black taxidermist who worked at the Field from 1947 to 1971. And the entirety of 'Reptiles Alive!' is dedicated to former Field curator of herpetology Karl Schmidt, who made the ultimate sacrifice for his research. In 1957, the recently retired scientist was back at the Field's labs when he was bitten by a boomslang snake sent to the museum for identification. Lacking the proper antivenom, Schmidt documented his symptoms over the next 24 hours, before dying the following morning. 'I just cited Schmidt in a paper I'm writing,' Ruane said, 'so his science is still extremely relevant.' By the way: the Field has antivenom on hand for every venomous live reptile in the exhibition. 'Reptiles Alive!' may pay tribute to the Field's history, but it doesn't intend to repeat it — not on Ruane's watch. 'Reptiles Alive!' runs through April 5, 2026, at the Field Museum, 1400 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive, open daily 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; requires all-access pass, $43 adults,
Irish Examiner
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
'Saoírse is my guiding light — I feel she's minding us up there'
'SAOÍRSE was the one who made me a mother,' says Roseanna Ruane, recalling the January 2012 night when her precious firstborn arrived. 'The night I had her, I remember the enormous love I felt. I remember turning to my dad, asking him, 'How did you share out all the love you had as a parent to all of your children?' I was so in love with her.' Saoírse was all about love. The 12-year-old passed away following a long battle with cancer in March 2024, the Galway girl who had won the hearts of Ireland with her Late Late Toy Show appearance in 2020. 'A big part was she was so pleasant and happy-go-lucky, people loved her nature,' says Ruane. Among the memories that sustain her, that give her a guide for how to go on, is a walk down Grafton St a few years ago. 'I was looking in a shop window when Saoírse saw someone fundraising. She said to Ollie, 'I want to give something to that man'. She put her hand in her bag and took out what she had — €30. Ollie, trying to teach her about money, said, 'You don't have to give it all'. 'When she was asked later why she felt she wanted to do that, she said, 'Because I thought they needed it more than I did'. That was very much her. She was always kind and giving. We learned from her. Children look up to their parents. I look up to her. She's my guiding light. I feel she's minding us up there.' Bernadette McGarvey, from Cancer Fund for Children, and Roseanna Ruane pictured at the launch of the BPerfect Cosmetics 'Saoirse & Mamma' Collection in aid of Children's Cancer Charities at The Leinster,Dublin. Picture Brian McEvoy Over the past year, Roseanna and BPerfect Cosmetics founder Brendan McDowell have been collaborating on a new collection in memory of Saoírse. The limited-edition, four-piece make-up capsule — named the Saoírse & Mamma Collection — launched last week in Dublin. 'Saoírse loved her lip gloss and her eye shadow and anything that sparkled. It was a good fit,' says Ruane, recalling when the brand first approached her in 2023, that she asked Saoírse's opinion on it. 'Because it was always a Saoírse and Mamma page, I'd ask Saoírse what she thought of any partnerships, out of respect for her. And when I asked how she felt about this one, she reacted so well. She always just wanted me to smile and be happy. She was a real girly girl, who loved her make-up, too.' All proceeds from the collection go to two children's cancer charities: Co Galway-based Hand in Hand, and Cancer Fund for Children. So far, €140,000 of the €200,000 target goal has been raised to support families navigating childhood cancer. Recalling a vow she made 'to give back' when the family was starting on their cancer journey with Saoírse, Ruane says: 'A social worker told us a particular charity would give a grant to a family in this situation. I broke down crying. The amount of money —you could use it to pay your mortgage for a month or your groceries for a few weeks. I vowed I'd give back to that charity and to any others, though I didn't know how we'd do it.' Cancer had spread Saoirse Ruane with her mum Roseanna from Galway, pictured on the set of The Late Late Show for a segment on the The RTÉ Toy Show Appeal. Picture Andres Poveda A fundraiser was why Saoírse wanted to be at school on the last day before the 2023 Christmas holidays. It turned out to be her final day ever in Kiltullagh NS. 'She had to go for a CT scan, but was adamant she wanted to go into school, because of the fundraiser that day. She begged me to not miss school, so I had to work my magic to get her a very early scan in Galway. She was in school for 9.25 — she was thrilled.' By then things had started to take a turn for the worse. Ruane says the hospital rang two hours later to say the findings weren't good — they needed Saoírse back in. 'I had to go into school, take her out again at 12, do what we always did: Pretend everything was OK, smile. On that return journey to UCHG, we discovered the cancer had spread to numerous other places. 'It was a very difficult day. We were finding out more bad news. But Saoírse had got to do what was important to her and that made her happy, which, in turn, made us happy.' Roseanna doesn't 'know how' she and Ollie got through the ordeal. 'It was bad news after bad news and, you know, we did what we needed to do: Got her the care, the second opinions, got her very well looked after. In the end, cancer won.' Support from the public helped. 'When they found cancer in her lung in May 2022, Saoírse was very well known at that stage. We got a lot of support. We asked for prayers, for people to light candles, and they did. The people of Ireland willed her on. They became so invested in her journey.' How are she, Ollie, and six-year-old Farrah Rose doing? 'I don't know how we're doing, really. It's not something you can compare,' says Ruane, who believes people can't grasp the grief of losing a child unless they've experienced it. 'People are empathetic, but they don't fully understand the magnitude of the loss, the pain. There are certain people [with similar losses] we've bonded with, who we meet, chat with. That's comforting.' No two people grieve in the same way. 'Even myself and Ollie wouldn't be grieving the same way at the very same time. If I'm having a hard day, he mightn't be and then he's my support, and vice versa. 'I just have to keep busy. And it's very important to get up for Farrah Rose every day. What good would I be to her if I was to stay in bed? Life has been hard on her — she deserves to have some kind of happiness in her childhood.' Farrah Rose was five when her sister died. 'The two got on brilliantly together. They loved each other's company. That's the hardest part — that friendship, her best friend, taken from her. She's very young to understand it all. Sometimes, she'll ask, 'Why?', and we sit and try to explain as best we can. We say, 'We'll be able to tell you more when you're older'. 'She actually prays to Saoírse, sends little wishes up to her, and talks to her at night. She refers to her a lot — 'There's a butterfly, that's Saoírse coming to say hello', or 'Look, a robin, there's Saoírse'.' Ruane never shies away from speaking about Saoírse. 'The way I look at it, she should be here and she's not, and why should we stop talking about her?' Trying to be grateful Saoirse Ruane, pictured at The Late Late Toy Show 2020. Ruane's charity work, always in Saoírse's honour, sustains her. And energy healing helps hugely. 'Some people do counselling. I do energy healing. I find it really helps. It involves talking, part grief counselling, grounding where the healer grounds me and maybe sets me up for something big coming up and keeps my vibrations high. I'm very much in to what we put out in the universe, we get back. 'Gratitude is huge. It can be hard to be grateful. I'd been journalling, writing down what I was grateful for, but I went through a stage when Saoírse relapsed where I scrapped it and said, 'What's the point?' But I've slowly gone back to it — I find being grateful rewards you in its own way,' she says, recalling how Saoírse 'loved the archangels and her little crystals'. When Ruane — at home in Galway — was putting together ideas, colours, and textures for the just-launched cosmetics range, she found herself pulled up short. 'A rainbow appeared on the bed where I had all the stuff laid out. It was from a dream-catcher. And when I arrived up to Belfast, sat down for the day to talk about the collection, a rainbow appeared on the floor, as bright as anything, and there was no sun-catcher. I just felt: Saoírse's here, she wants this. She's setting up the things to do in her name.' The Saoírse & Mamma collection is available at and in stores across Ireland. Every purchase supports families going through childhood cancer Read More Julie Jay: We must teach children that nothing in life is guaranteed
The Irish Sun
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
‘One happy girl' – Mayo GAA star gets engaged to stunning partner while on sun-kissed holiday
MAYO midfielder Matthew Ruane popped the question to partner Moya Mannion while holidaying in Majorca, Spain. The happy couple got engaged on Sunday with them announcing their news in a 3 It was simply captioned with the date of their engagement Credit: @moyamannion and @matthewruane9 3 The holiday hotspot provided the perfect backdrop for their dream moment Credit: @moyamannion and @matthewruane9 3 Moya captioned this follow-up snap 'One happy girl' Credit: @moyamannion Several of Ruane's past and present inter-county teammates were among their many well-wishers. Former Aidan O'Shea, who's long soldiered alongside Ruane in the middle of the park, added: "Greats News!! Massive congrats to you both" Lee Keegan and Diarmuid O'Connor also passed on their best as did Galway full-forward Damien Comer, Limerick hurler Dan Morrissey and Read More On GAA Love has been in the air for Mayo footballers lately as only last week Mayo captain Paddy Durcan That was a double celebration in their case as it was also their first night in their new house. Alannah reflected afterwards: "What a way to top off our first night in our new home. Here's to forever with my best friend." The 2025 inter-county campaign saw Durcan, 30, make his long-awaited return after Most read in GAA Football While his return to the pitch was a welcome boost to their on-pitch fortunes, it wound up being another frustrating Championship for the Green and Red. After putting themselves in a hole by 'Lots of fight' - RTE GAA pundits react to Sean O'Shea's 'very interesting' interview after Kerry dethrone Armagh However, in a cruel twist of fate even by the standards of Mayo football over the past decade or so, they conceded a winning point with the last kick of the game. And the off-season in Mayo never passes without some sort of circus. The debrief after their fruitless 2023 and 2024 campaigns saw in-depth reviews go on for months, much to the frustration of their demanding supporters. The most worrying aspect of their season was of course that Kevin McStay suffered a health scare in May which Last week also saw The cold nature of the statement has been widely derided with SunSport's Graham Geraghty
Irish Independent
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Gaza-bound aid boat with Greta Thunberg on board arrives in Israel after seizure
The boat, accompanied by Israel's navy, arrived in Ashdod in the evening, according to Israel's Foreign Ministry. It published a photo on social media of Ms Thunberg after disembarking. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content The 12 activists were undergoing medical checks to ensure they are in good health, the ministry said. They were expected to be held at a detention facility in Ramle before being deported, according to Adalah, a legal rights group representing them. The activists had set out to protest against Israel's military campaign in Gaza, which is among the deadliest and most destructive since the Second World War, and its restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid. Senator Lynn Ruane, actor Liam Cunningham and activist Caoimhe Butterly were among those who waved off the Madleen Freedom Flotilla before it set sail for Gaza. Senator Ruane said: 'Due to the fact the last Flotilla – Conscience – was attacked in international waters the general feeling was if they were going to take sail it was highly likely that there would be an interception this time round two." The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which organised the voyage, said the activists were "kidnapped by Israeli forces" while trying to deliver desperately needed aid. "The ship was unlawfully boarded, its unarmed civilian crew abducted and its life-saving cargo - including baby formula, food and medical supplies - confiscated," it said in a statement. It said the ship was seized in international waters about 200 kilometres (120 miles) from Gaza, and Adalah asserted that Israel had "no legal authority" to take it over. This evening Ms Butterly, who is a member of the land co-ordination team of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, has called for more action. She said: 'We have received so many messages from you from across the world expressing support, solidarity, love and concern and asking what you can do. More than anything at this point, as well as focusing on the well-being and the eventual release of all of those who are now detained, the need is to focus on Gaza. 'We need to sail those winds and those seas, those waves of solidarity that have been so beautifully present as a beacon of hope over the past ten days onwards into Gaza and that means action – more ships, more organising, more mobilising. We need people behind the scenes, all of these missions including this one took months almost a year to prepare for one ship alone.' Senator Ruane added: 'Everything that the Flotilla stands for is something people get behind and support, the fact that there is no aid is reaching into Gaza, they knew at some point the Israeli authorities would want to intercept them and it's an illegal interception. 'The Freedom Flotilla has various different countries that have organising committees, you can see them on the boat – there are several different nationalities. There's a huge level of co-ordination involved and there have been Irish people involved in the coordination over the years.' Before the Flotilla set sail Ms Butterly shared a photo of herself with Greta Thunberg who was spotted wearing a Bohemians x Fontaines DC jersey. Lyrics from the band's latest album along with the words 'Saoirse don Phalaistín', which in Irish means 'Free Palestine' are emblazoned on the top. The shirt was designed by guitarist Carlos O'Connell, with 30pc of profits going to Medical Aid for Palestinians. Israel's Foreign Ministry portrayed the voyage as a public relations stunt, saying on social media that "the 'selfie yacht' of the 'celebrities' is safely making its way to the shores of Israel". It said the activists would return to their home countries and the aid would be sent to Gaza through established channels. It circulated footage of what appeared to be Israeli military personnel handing out sandwiches and water to the activists, who were wearing life vests. Israeli officials said the flotilla carried what amounted to less than a truckload of aid. "This wasn't humanitarian aid. It's Instagram activism," Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer said. In a statement this afternoon, Tánaiste Simon Harris said the Madleen was 'an effort to get food and medicine to the starving people of Gaza; an unarmed civilian effort in the midst of devastation and catastrophic humanitarian conditions'. He added: "But it was much more than that; it was a powerful symbol of the urgent and essential need to end the blockade on humanitarian aid.'
