Households across Ireland are bracing themselves for further price increases on Monday next “All Fools’ Day”, April 1st 2024. But the price increases promised for fuel, broadband, mobile phone and television should not be seen as just a practical joke or hoax.
From midnight on April 1st, the cost of petrol and diesel will rise with the price at the pumps rising by an extra 4 cent per litre for petrol, 3 cent per litre for diesel and 1.5 cent for marked gas oil. These increases are a step by the Government to restore excise rates to the levels they were at before a temporary cut was introduced due to the war in Ukraine.
You have two days to fill vehicle tanks, before fuel price hikes take effect.
From April 1st also, customers of Vodafone and Eir will see their bills go up by 7.6 per cent. Customers of Three will see their prices rise by a flat 4.5 per cent. Sky and Virgin Media have not committed to an annual automatic price hikes as yet.
It is no coincidence that all price rises across telecom industry providers, continue to hike their prices by a similar amount and at a similar time each year. However, consumers can save on their broadband and TV bills each year, by switching. Remember, mobile phones can be used to create WIFI hotspots for internet connectivity with most devices, (USB-tethering), while switching to other, cheaper providers.
Also, from April 15th, 2024, the price of certain beers will be hiked by a 6% increase on Diageo products, namely Guinness, Carlsberg and Smithwick’s, which when tax is included, will come to almost a 10% increase.
Only 3 of the 5 events remaining on our final week of “Mnásome events”, remain open to the public at Cashel Library. Two other events being held are now fully booked out.
Monday 25th March at 12:00 noon: – “Silk Painting” with Damien McCarron – NowFully Booked
Tuesday 26th March at 3:00pm: – “Genealogy” with Ms Mary Guinan Darmody. Your library service holds many FREE resources which can greatly assist in genealogical research, and Mary opens up these wonders.
Tuesday 26th March, Movie Evening at 6:00pm: – The film‘Shirley Valentine’ is an Academy Award winning Rom Com (romantic comedy), featuring a middle-aged Shirley Valentine rediscovering herself and rekindling her childhood dreams and youthful love of life. (Suitable for persons over 18 years).
Wednesday 27th March at 2.30pm: – “Sustainable Jewellery Making”with Gillian Tobin – Now Fully Booked
Thursday 28th March at 3pm:“Circle Dancing”, with Tracey Tobin – a gentle healing way to bring body, mind and spirit together. Let your mind learn from your body.
Booking is essential in advance of your attendance for all three events, so please do contact Tel: No. 062-63825. You canlocate the Cashel Library building, situated on Friar Street, Lady’s Well, Cashel, Co. Tipperary, HERE. (G487+RX)
Daffodils (Narcissus), usually among the first bulbs to appear in the Spring, are already appearing in gardens in Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
Daffodil Bulbs Emerging Before Their Scheduled Time In Co. Tipperary. Pic: G. Willoughby. (October 22nd 2023).
Gardeners often worry when they see daffodils, and other spring bulbs emerge long before their scheduled time, but do not be overly alarmed as, fortunately, there needs be little cause for future concern.
If our weather is unusually warm, as it has been in Co. Tipperary this year, Daffodil sprouts may already appear above ground, showing a few inches of their green tipped stems.
Should weather become more volatile than is normal however, it is best to cover up these premature shoots with a layer of bark mulch, peat or straw, thus shielding them from future severe frost damage; latter which could result in the tips of the leaves turning brown.
Do you ever get the sense that your phone battery doesn’t last as long as it used to? Have you ever had a laptop refuse to turn on, only to find out that it still works when plugged into the mains? Why batteries behave the way they do over time in our appliances and what you can do once they’re spent is explained in another great video from Ted Ed Daily. Watch hereunder. Why do batteries die in the first place? And what should you do with them once they’re spent?
Almost all batteries, even single-use batteries, are theoretically rechargeable. That’s because the metals and other chemicals are still there in the battery. So chemically speaking, a dead battery is actually not that different from a fresh one.
The word ‘mistletoe’ is believed to stem from the Saxon ‘mistl-tan’, meaning ‘different twig.’
Note: Raw white mistletoe berries are very poisonous and tend to fall off the plant easily. They have been known to cause seizures or death when accidently ingested. Indeed, here in Ireland we are more inclined to have in our homes, hanging over our doors, the ornamental plastic variety, since ingesting real mistletoe berries can be especially lethal to small children and household pets.
Historically, mistletoe [A parasitic plant, that derives some or all of its nutritional requirements from a wide range of host trees], represents romance, fertility, and vitality. Celtic Druids valued mistletoe for its healing properties. Its berries ripen in December, with the plant continuing to remain green, hence its appeal at Christmas.
Warning: Let be it known to all you ladies, young or old, you the fairer sex, cannot ever refuse to grant a kiss, if caught under a bunch of mistletoe. Ladies also please note, such a kiss under mistletoe will greatly increase your chances of marriage within the next 12 months. According to an ancient custom, ladies not kissed will remain single until next Christmas.
Gentlemen Note: After each kiss, one berry should be removed from the mistletoe bunch. A fresh bunch of course can then be introduced, should you be required to kiss a lot of women.
Yes, it’s not an easy job for the male species, but let’s face it, someone has got to do it.
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