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Referendum posters a real nuisance

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As the seemingly never-ending Eight Amendment debate rumbles on, one aspect of the whole chaotic scene is a particular source of annoyance: the ubiquitous campaign posters. People on both sides are slating the other’s billboards and public adverts, with the Yes campaign especially critical of the alleged misinformation being spread by the Pro Life brigade. But, whatever about the content, it’s the sheer volume of these posters that I have a gripe with.

I recently travelled by road to Donegal and by the end of the trip I had the images seared into my brain. Foetus, YES, mother and child, Mary Lou McDonald, foetus YES, mother and child, Mary Lou McDonald. It was non-stop. I understand that it’s an important issue, but do we really need to be beaten over the head with it? One particular stretch of road near Kerry Airport has a row of posters that are so numerous and so close together that trying to read them would genuinely induce carsickness.

As I mentioned last week, I’ll be voting ‘yes’ but you would have to seriously question the thinking behind one of Sinn Féin’s ads. A big photo of Mary Lou McDonald’s head? As my father would say, what has that got to do with the price of milk? Maybe they’re trying to associate her face with the Yes campaign in the hopes that they’re on to a winner. It’s a bold move. And a strange one, too.

Then you have the whole issue surrounding the illegal removal of these signs. Labour say they put up around 80 ‘yes’ posters in Limerick over the past few weeks, and roughly half of those had been taken down. “This is just purely trying to suppress democracy and I would go so far as to say it smacks of fascism,” said Jan O’Sullivan TD.

Fianna Fáil TD for Waterford Mary Butler has also said that she had seen a "huge ‘no’ poster" torn down on the way to Dungarvan over the weekend.

"They cost a lot of money to put up. The tearing down of posters whether they are Yes or No is obviously not the right way to deal with this issue, people are entitled to put up their posters," she said.

Whatever about fascism or the law, the mysterious poster bandits might do us all a favour and take down the rest of them as well.

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HeartBeat to host Advanced Healthcare Directive information night

Anne O’Shea Clarke, Regional Manager of SAGE Advocacy Mid & South West Regions, will provide a comprehensive explanation of the process involved in properly creating an Advanced Healthcare Directive (AHD) […]

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Anne O’Shea Clarke, Regional Manager of SAGE Advocacy Mid & South West Regions, will provide a comprehensive explanation of the process involved in properly creating an Advanced Healthcare Directive (AHD) on Tuesday, April 29, starting at 8pm in the Parish Centre, Park Road.

An ADH is a document which sets out your instructions in relation to healthcare treatments in the future, when you no longer have the capacity to decide. AHDs are not solely relevant to older individuals. Young adults can also significantly benefit from putting these directives in place for themselves or when assisting loved ones. Attendees will gain valuable ‘Knowledge is Power; regarding legal and personal matters
The meeting will specifically look at two key application forms: the standard AHD Form and the Think Ahead / my form.
Prior to the main meeting, a Blood Pressure. and Pulse Clinic will be available from 7:15pm until 8:00pm sharp. Following O’Shea Clarke’s presentation, there will be a Question & Answer session, followed by tea and coffee.
SAGE Advocacy, the national service for older people, works to ensure access to information, support, and independent advocacy, while also providing safeguarding services across various settings, including homes, day centres, hospitals, and nursing homes.
They also support vulnerable adults and healthcare patients in situations where other services may not be available.
For further information, email anne.osheaclarke@sageadvocacy.ie or visit www.sageadvocacy.ie.

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Singer-songwriter Lillie Foley releases second single

Local singer-songwriter Lillie Foley, from Whitebridge Manor, has released her second single of 2025, titled ‘That’s Life’, on all major streaming platforms. ‘That’s Life’ is described as a powerful blend […]

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Local singer-songwriter Lillie Foley, from Whitebridge Manor, has released her second single of 2025, titled ‘That’s Life’, on all major streaming platforms.

‘That’s Life’ is described as a powerful blend of pop and soul music, drawing on Foley’s own life experiences. The track marks a further step in the promising career of the emerging local artist.
Recorded at the renowned Windmill Lane Recording Studios in Dublin, ‘That’s Life’ showcases Foley’s emotive lyrics, soulful vocals, and a sound that is both modern and deeply personal. Collaborating with music producer and audio engineer Hermann Ogulla, Foley has crafted a song that blends her Irish background with contemporary musical styles, aiming to resonate with listeners in Ireland,and beyond.
Foley said: “This is a song about resilience and accepting that bad things happen in life and we just have to get on with it and move on as best we can.”
‘That’s Life’ is the second of several songs Foley has planned for release in 2025.

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