Sir At the turning of the year, the ‘little men’ were in conclave up the side of Slieve- namon. They were gathered to discuss the extraordinary rise of the Limerick hurling team and the fate of rivals Kilkenny and Tipperary, whom they saw as the carriers of the hurling flame, with Cork an annoying impostor.
‘Hen” is such a gentle, harmless-sounding word, making it all the sadder that these egg-laying creatures are sometimes treated badly. Even the supposedly higher welfare ones don’t escape judging by the state of the clapped-out little ladies that a friend rescued from an organic farm that dumped them when they were past peak productivity.
It’s heartening to hear there has been a big response to a recent column about the plight of the Bilberry Goats who have been living on the outskirts of Waterford City for over 300 years. Though it’s not surprising, for many folk have a soft spot for these creatures with their mad blue eyes, lively intelligence and physical agility. Not to mention their courage, as illustrated by the tale of the Three Billy Goats Gruff who outwitted the troll that threatened to devour them.
Old friends and literature lovers recently crowded into the charming Book & Coffee Shop in Kilkenny city to celebrate the extraordinary life of 87-year-old Ned Egan.
People sometimes use the term “nanny state” when they think the Government is being overprotective and interfering in their lives. But while no one wants a lawless world where Billy the Kid can commit crimes without fear of consequences, we do need the Government to be concerned about the dire state of actual nannies that we otherwise risk losing forever.