Features
Support for Trócaire Lenten Appeal will help thousands in Zimbabwe
UK government support for charity Lent appeal will help thousands in Zimbabwe fight devastating impact of Covid-19 and climate change TRÓCAIRE, the local overseas development charity, has launched its annual Lent appeal with an announcement that the UK government will match public donations in Northern Ireland which could result in up to £2 million of extra funding. The ‘UK Aid Match’ initiative will see the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) double donations from the public in the North during the Lent campaign which starts this Ash Wednesday 2nd March. This year’s appeal highlights the challenges faced by people in Zimbabwe who are struggling in the face of the effects of climate change and the added challenges of Covid-19. Siobhan Hanley, Trócaire’s Head of Region in Northern Ireland, said: “Around the world, Covid-19 and climate change have already taken so much from so many. People in Zimbabwe were already facing a daily struggle to provide food, water and education for their families and facing droughts due to climate change, but the Covid-19 pandemic has made this struggle even harder. People living in poverty, especially women, in drought-prone southern Zimbabwe have been disproportionately affected by the long-term impacts of Covid-19. “The generous support of the public in Northern Ireland for Trócaire’s Lenten Appeal will provide vital support for families as they strive to become self-sufficient. Donations are being doubled by the government through UK Aid Match, meaning even greater impact. “We are incredibly excited to have received this support from the UK government and it is a recognition of the loyalty and generosity of our donors. It comes as we hope for a more ‘normal’ Lenten Appeal with Mass attendances back, schools open and the iconic Trócaire Box back in homes once again. We are asking the public to support our Lenten Appeal so that we can maximise this matched funding. We are asking supporters to pick-up Trócaire boxes from their local Catholic church or make their donation online at trocaire.org. “The Lenten Appeal this year features Thandekile, a young mother with two small children who lost her husband to Covid. Thandekile longs to be self-sufficient, so that she can provide a better future for her children. The overarching theme of this year’s appeal is about creating long term, positive change in people’s lives. Ultimately, a drive towards these families being self-sufficient without having to rely on aid. Trócaire turns your compassion into action so that together we can conquer the greatest fears, poverty and injustices in developing countries for positive, permanent change for families like Thanekile’s. “This Lent, every pound the public in Northern Ireland and across the UK donates by 1st June 2022 will be matched by the UK government up to £2m, doubling the help you bring. These matched funds will enable thousands of people in Zimbabwe like Thandekile to continue feeding their families through climate shocks. We know that there is a lot of pressure on people here at home with rising costs but no matter what the challenges we face here the people of Northern Ireland always step up to the plate when it comes to supporting those less well off,” said Siobhan Hanley. To find out more about this year’s Lenten Appeal or to make a donation visit www.trocaire.org or call 0800 912 1200.
HEALTH AND FITNESS: Olympia Leisure Centre is a modern 21st Century complex
OLYMPIA Leisure Centre was the first centre to benefit from Belfast's £105m leisure transformation programme, which saw the facility become a modern 21st Century complex.
THE MOTOR MAN: City-friendly Ami replaces the Citroën C1
IT’S the end of an era as the last Citroën C1 rolls off the production line at the plant in the Czech Republic. Changes to working patterns, restricted vehicle usage in city centres and the need for an ultra-affordable electric solution in response to a host of new urban mobility needs have led Citroën to refocus on an innovative solution: the Ami Electric. Launched in 2005, the C1 amassed almost 1.2 million sales thanks to its stylish design, practicability for city driving, compact 3.46m length and its urban agility. Restyled for a second generation in 2014, the C1 could adapt to offer customers three and five-door versions, as well as an electric cabrio-style canvas roof on Airscape models. As the C1 finishes its production run, the Ami Electric prepares to launch here in the spring.
EMAIL FROM EDINBURGH: Are Celtic and Gers' supporters fans of Scottish independence?
It was two days before Christmas and the mood in the away stand at Easter Road, home of Edinburgh’s Hibernian, was anything but festive.
FEATURE: The pitiful plight of the 19th Century Ballymacarrett handloom weavers
LOCATED on the opposite east side of the River Lagan in County Down, Baile Mhic Gearóid – McGarrett’s townland – in the early 1830s was an isolated place of 428 acres, surrounded by vast swathes of countryside, settled with some mansions and numerous cottages, occupied mainly by handloom weavers, who provided the staple industry of the locality, defining its cultural traditions and heritage. It was here that John Keats, the famous poet, passed, whilst walking from Donaghadee to Belfast in 1818.
PROFILE: Evangelist of the street corner, Rev Karen is a minister on a mission
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Gearrscéal: An Sliabh
An tríú ceann sa tsraith nua de ghearrscéaltaí as Éirinn, as Tír na mBascach, as An Chataloin agus as An Ghailís, urraithe ag belfastmedia.com in Éirinn. Buíochas ar leith le Gráinne Ní Ghilín as a cuidiú. Seo scéal Gailísise, Gaeilge curtha air ag Réaltán Ní Leannáin.
GEARRSCÉAL: Níl sa samhradh ach seal
An tríú ceann sa tsraith nua de ghearrscéaltaí as Éirinn, as Tír na mBascach, as An Chataloin agus as An Ghailís, urraithe ag belfastmedia.com in Éirinn. Buíochas ar leith le Gráinne Ní Ghilín as a cuidiú. Scéal Gailísise, Gaeilge curtha air ag Réaltán Ní Leannáin. Cad é mar a thig le clocha sneachta titim ar an tríochadú lá de mhí Iúil? Bhuail na céadta teilgeán oighir na tíleanna den díon agus sciúr siad na glasraí i ngairdín thigh Mhamó. Chíor Alma a cuid gruaige taise os comhair an scátháin sa seomra folctha. Rug an stoirm uirthi ar a bealach ar ais ón trá. Tá an íomhá den déagóir sa scáthán chomh difriúil ón té a bhí inti mí ó shin. An craiceann buí, na súile niamhracha, an ghruaig cuimilte ag an ghrian agus ag an fharraige, saoirse ina féitheoga agus, go dtí cúpla bomaite ó shin, lúcháir. Alma. Ainm cóir don té a bhí in amhras go minic arbh ann di féin. Ón chistin, cluineann sí an gáire ag méadú. Tá siad ar nós dlúthchairde anois, cé nach bhfuil siad ach i ndiaidhaithne a chur ar a chéile tá cúpla bomaite ó shin. Mothaíonn sí faoi léigear. Cóiríonn sí an cachtas ar an mballa. Is maith léi cachtais. Maireann siad i dtimpeallachtaí naimhdeacha agus diúltaíonn siad do dhuilleoga, sásta iad sin a mhalartú ar dhiasa ar mhaithe le iad féin a chosaint. Cuireann sí a lámh thart air. Fáisceann é lena méara. Déanann na spící an craiceann a tholladh, ag polladh na feola. Cuireann na céadta críochnú néaróg comharthaí péine chuig a hinchinn. Tagann aoibh ar a haghaidh is an sailpítear ag sileadh síos a leicne. Taobh amuigh, maolaíonn ar an stoirm. Tá tigh Mhamó suite i mbaile beag cois abhann, áit a gcuireann mná oinniúin agus gairleog san ithir sna páirceanna, áit a dtógann siad breallaigh agus ruacain ón láib sa ghaoth farraige. Tá Alma ag caitheamh an tsamhraidh ann ó bhí sí an-óg. Mí ó shin, in aice leis an traein, lig sí uirthi féin go raibh lúcháir uirthi agus í ag fágáil slán. Chuir sí aoibh an gháire ar a haghaidh, cúramach nach bhfeicfeadh a máthair, a hathair, ná Andrea, a deirfiúr a bhí ceithre bliana níos sine, go raibh faoiseamh uirthi imeacht óna radharc. D’amharc sí ar scáil an teaghlaigh i ngloine an charráiste ar an ardán: ceithre aghaidh liatha, dhorcha, cuma thuirseach orthu. Aontaithe ina bpian níos mó ná ina ngéinte. Bhí siad ina gcónaí in árasán, ar cóimhéid leis na céadta árasán eile, i gcomharsanacht iar-eisimirceach a tháinig ar ais. San árasán, rothlaigh an saol thart timpeall an fhéilire a bhí ar crochadh de dhoras na cistine. Rialaigh sé sin am Andrea, agus dá réir sin, am achan duine eile. Ba chuma cén lá, cén tseachtain ná cén mhí a bhí ann. Roinneadh an saol ina thimthriallta - teiripí, ag ullmhú d’obráidí, tréimhsí iar-obráide agus tréimhsí téarnaimh. I gceann de na timthriallta seo, d’fhoghlaim Alma siúl, ag cloí le leaba a deirféar. I lár ceann de na timthriallta nach raibh cúrsaí ag gabháil go maith ann, thuig sí gurbh é an rud ba mhó a d’fhéadfadh sí a thairiscint don teaghlach ná gan aon rud a bheith de dhíth uirthi, gan aon rud a iarraidh orthu, gan tuisliú ar a cosa. Sheas sí ar a dhá cos, d’ith sí an méid a tugadh di, choinnigh sí siar a deora, agus rinne sí staidéar. Ní raibh sé doiligh, ná ní raibh spás fá choinne rud ar bith eile taobh istigh den seachtó méadar cearnógach a bhí acu. Chuir sí a cuid gruaige i bhfolach le caipíní le bheith cosúil le Andrea. Gach lá breithe, nuair a dhéanadh a tuismitheoirí dearmad air, thochail Alma stumpa de choinneal as bun tarraiceáin, shéid sí ina seomra é agus rinne sí guí go dtiocfadh tinneas inteacht uirthi. Thaitin na cinn sin a chríochnaigh in -íteas léi. Ansin, luíodh a máthair síos in aice léi agus théadh a hathair trí shiopaí na cathrach ar thóir bronntanais chun aoibh an gháire a chur ar ais ar a haghaidh. Ach an t-aon uair amháin a tháinig sí ar ais ón scoil le fiabhras, sheol siad chuig aintín í a chónaigh in aice láimhe. Bhí sí róchontúirteach dá deirfiúr. Rinne Andrea iarracht an tinneas a throid. Ach chaill sí í féin ann. Ghreamaigh an tinneas le achan rud ina saol: le himeacht an ama agus fiú leis an aer féin, lena lasta de bholaithe leighis, urlacain agus insiltí de luibheanna lofa. Go dtí gur tháinig an samhradh agus gur thug an traein Alma go domhan nach raibh ach an sáile le brath san aer ann agus nach raibh aon bhéicíl ann lena múscailt seachas scréachaíl na bhfaoileán. Áit ar fháisc lámha a Mamó í. Ní raibh áit níos deise lena cloigeann a chur ná sa bhrollach fairsing úd. Go dtí an samhradh seo. An samhradh seo bhí Louise ann. Louise le o. Loise leis an e deiridh, atá scríofa, ach nach ndeirtear, mar a bheadh litir chosctha, rúnda ann. Louise, aois dheirfiúr Alma, iníon le col ochtar inteacht, i ndiaidh teacht ón Fhrainc cúpla lá roimhe sin. Bheannaigh sí d’Alma le gáire tarraingteach agus, “Haidh, cherie!” Níor dhúirt aon duine “cherie” léi riamh. Níor fhuaimnigh éinne an r mar sin. Ní dhearna duine ar bith gáire mar sin le Alma riamh. Chrith sí nuair a chroith Louise a lámh; leis an lámh eile bhain Louise an caipín di. Saortha, thit folt Alma anuas a droim.
GEARRSCÉAL: An Troid
An dara ceann sa tsraith nua de ghearrscéaltaí as Éirinn, as Tír na mBascach, as An Chataloin agus as An Ghailís, urraithe ag belfastmedia.com in Éirinn. Léaráid le Fearghal Kavanagh. (Buíochas ar leith le Gráinne Ní Ghilín as a cuidiú.)
Réaltán Ní Leannáin: Buille ar bhuille
An chéad cheann de sraith nua de ghearrscéaltaí as Éirinn, as Tír na mBascach, as An Chataloin agus as An Ghailís, urraithe ag belfastmedia.com in Éirinn.
Féile 2021 - WATCH: Map and full guide to Frederick Douglass Walking Trail
The Frederick Douglass Belfast Walking Trail will be launched at 11am today (Tuesday) as part of the Féile an Phobail celebrations. You can watch back on the launch below.
LETTER FROM SCOTLAND: Hold your tongue - linguistic minorities battling for recognition across the sheugh
Can you understand Scotland if you can’t understand the Scots language?
Out-of-control gambling ruins lives and devastates families; now an A'town man is leading a fightback
A WEST Belfast man is heading up the work of a new charity focused on problem gambling.
THE MOTOR MAN: Wow, it’s a Manta!
VAUXHALL is opening the next chapter of its comprehensive electrification offensive and will focus entirely on full battery electric vehicles from 2028. Paul Willcox, Managing Director of Vauxhall Motors, says as of 2028, Vauxhall would only offer fully electric cars and vans in this marketplace. Vauxhall believes that the future of the automotive industry is electric, and that it will lead that revolution. At the Stellantis (Vauxhall’s parent company) EV Day 2021, held online, it was announced that a new, exciting, all-electric car, a modern-day version of the Opel Manta, will be introduced, following on from the positive public reception to the Manta GSe concept car. Incidentally, my favourite car from the 1980s is the Opel Manta, and although I am not a big electric car enthusiast, I will be at the front of the queue when this beautiful car is launched.
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