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With the current snow and cold weather being experienced across Tipperary and further afield, life has become extremely hard for our feathered friends. Do remember that most of last years berries, which had fruited on our trees and shrubs, are now depleted having been already consumed.
Video Music composed by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus
This currently exceptional cold weather has brought large numbers of the more uncommon of our bird species, both foreign and native, down into our garden space in search of shelter and feed, thus joining our more frequently observed and resident varieties of Tits, Chaffinches and Robins etc. in further competition for grub.
All local supermarkets and garden centres, like O’Driscolls, [Mill Road, Thurles, Co. Tipperary. Tel: (0504) 21636], are selling wild bird food, e.g. seed, peanuts, suet balls etc. for small cost. This food can the dispensed in handy wire or plastic feeders suspended from tree branches or placed on bird tables. With snow covering hopefully coming to an end, do cut an apple or two in half and spear them on tree branches or simply leave them in an area that will not get covered over. This type of food is particularly acceptable to Blackbirds and Thrushes, who have problems hanging out of wire or plastic feeders.
Other foods acceptable on bird tables or large window sills are:- Cooked and chopped bacon rinds, Oatmeal, Cheese (Latter if you want to attract Robins), Suet, Cooked potato, Cooked chips, Raisins, wet Brown bread, Melon seeds, and Stale cake.
Keep in mind that fat is a major source of energy for birds and melted fat from your frying pan or roasting tin when poured over bread or cake scraps, will be greatly acceptable.
Try to avoid giving them completely dry white bread and never feed them with uncooked rice or desiccated (dried) coconut, which will most likely end up swelling their stomachs.
IMPORTANT: Right now fresh water supplies will be frozen over and inaccessible to our feathered friends, so do leave out an alternative unfrozen water sources, such as a water filled soup bowl or saucer, remembering with low temperatures this also will freeze over and will require to be changed regularly.
Once attracted to your home and garden, these feathered creatures will give adults and children enormous pleasure, while also aiding to remove some of those nasty little gardening pests, one can expect to encounter in the months ahead.
Lowry Confirms Thurles Relief Road Eligible For Funding Under The National Development Plan
 Michael Lowry TD Independent Deputy Michael Lowry TD has today announced that further to his discussions with Ministers Mr Paschal Donoghue and Mr Shane Ross, the Government have included the much-needed Thurles Relief Road, as a project for appraisal under the National Development Plan.
“This is a vital project necessary for Thurles, to alleviate chronic traffic congestion; enable sites deemed sterile to be developed; and further allow for economic activity and growth within the town”, stated Lowry.
“Through my involvement over the years with this project, which was already advanced through securing funding for the Jimmy Doyle Ring Road and also the funding for research, evaluation and engineering design for this Thurles Relief Road scheme; those same efforts had already brought us to the point where we had the preferred route selected”, continued the Deputy.
This project received a major setback in August 2011, when the coalition government of Fine Gael/Labour insisted on axing this Thurles Relief Road development.
“I am now delighted to announce the revival and renewal of this necessary project. Tipperary Co. Council will now officially be able to make the necessary submissions to the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport; to further advance this formerly axed project, under the new National Development Plan”, declared Lowry.
 White-tailed Eagle The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine today confirmed that a virus identified as avian influenza (subtype H5N6) has been found in a white-tailed sea eagle, found dead in Co. Tipperary, on January 31st last.
The HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HSE-HPSC) and the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC) have both advised that the risk to public health from this avian influenza strain is very low and that the disease poses no food safety risk for consumers.
However, this finding could warrant an increased risk to poultry and therefore strict bio-security measures, irrespective of actual bird-flock size, are now necessary to further prevent the disease. Poultry owners are advised to feed and water their birds inside and under cover where wild birds are less likely to access.
This find in Co. Tipperary comes as no great surprise; since this virus has already been detected in wild birds in several locations across Great Britain from the start of 2018, and indeed in other more eastern European countries prior to the end of 2017.
Warning: In particular inform your children. If you do find dead or sickly wild birds, e.g. wild ducks, wild geese, swans, gulls or birds of prey, do not handle, but immediately report the findings.
A list of Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine offices and their contact details are available HERE.
The results of further comparative tests on this virus are expected to become available in the coming days.
“SPRING”
(© Author & Poet Tom Ryan.)
Under the far and flickering stars
On this bright and lovely night of Spring
In that children’s place of memories
By the river down the Mall .
Tell me it isn’t beautiful.
That place where street lights magically
Trace their pale and orange shimmering shapes
On the ever flowing river
Serenading each life’s journey.
Tell me it isn’t beautiful,
In secret silence swans
From out the mysterious mist of night,
Play with the lighted patterns on the water.
Buds on bare boughs breast the air.
On grassy banks crisp frost appears.
Oh tell me it isn’t beautiful.
And in those hours when magic fails,
And worldliness can faith assail,
I then envision swans of Spring.
Solemn and splendid hearkening
To the language of each living thing.
Oh, tell me it isn’t beautiful.
Tom Ryan, “Iona,” Rahealty, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
Teenagers are invited to create video stories about the stuff they consume – The EPA launches “The Story of Your Stuff” competition for secondary schools
 Following the success of last year’s competition, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to launch the 2018 “The Story of Your Stuff” competition for secondary schools. This year the EPA is teaming up with big-wave surfer and marine social scientist Easkey Britton to promote “The Story of Your Stuff”.
The competition invites students to choose an everyday object – perhaps a pen, a mobile phone, a banana, a jumper or a water bottle – and use a visual medium to illustrate its life-cycle.
Speaking about the competition, the EPA’s Helen Bruen said, “We want students to unleash their creativity to tell us the story of their stuff. Perhaps a pencil started its story as a tree in another continent or maybe a water bottle was created from oil originating as far away as the Middle East. Students can tell us about where it came from, how they use it, and more importantly, where it’s going to end up!
By becoming more aware of the story of stuff, we can all begin to understand why sustainable consumption behaviours, including recycling and using recyclable materials, are so important in protecting our beautiful environment.”
The competition is open to secondary school students up to and including 18 years of age. The prize is: €500 for the winning entry and €500 plus an inspiring talk from Dr Easkey Britton for your school. All information about the competition can be found on www.thestoryofyourstuff.ie. Here students can view a sample video, last year’s winning videos and some tips on how to get started.
On teaming up with Dr Easkey Britton of NUIG, Helen Bruen said, “We are delighted to have Easkey Britton on-board as our ambassador for the competition this year, especially given the ongoing concern for our beautiful coastline and waterways that are often affected by pollution from material we discard after use. Easkey is a five-time Irish national surf champion, holds a Ph.D. in Marine Environment & Society and works to promote a healthy relationship between people and the environment, particularly the sea.”
Dr Easkey Britton said, “Surfing the waves is my passion and the ocean is my second home. I can’t imagine my life without the sea. I feel a responsibility to protect it and it breaks my heart to see how our actions and behaviours damage and pollute our seas, shores and waterways. Every plastic bottle, every coffee cup and plastic bag that enters the ocean causes damage to the life that lives and breathes within the ocean. Ultimately we all lose out by this harm to our environment and equally we can all do our part to protect our environment in some small way and collectively make a difference. The Story of Your Stuff inspires us to think about how we might do that and that’s why I’m thrilled to be part of this great campaign”.
The EPA’s web resource provides the best source of information for students to research their entry.
Entering the competition
Entering the competition couldn’t be easier. Simply fill out the short application form via www.thestoryofyourstuff.ie, upload the entry and click send before the 23rd March 2018.
The competition website also includes a section for teachers with a lesson plan outlining the educational as well as fun elements of this campaign.
Students are advised to keep their videos short, ideally 60 seconds and not more than 90 seconds long.
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