Life in a hotel – stories of asylum
A powerful new photograph exhibition has opened at Gorey Library, Co Wexford, offering a rare glimpse into the everyday lives of asylum seekers living in the Courtown Hotel. Entitled, Shared Space: Life at the Courtown Hotel, the asylum seekers have documented their own surroundings in Ireland for the first time. The exhibition is the culmination of a three-month workshop led by JP Keating, a photographer whose work has appeared in The New York Times also taught the group a weekly photography class over the summer. Admission is free and the exhibition runs until 20 September. See wexfordcoco.ie
Emmanuel Ehikioya, Baba Williams, Barkhad Mire and Mohammed Gesis with photographer JP Keating, in Courtown. \ JP Keating
Aldi recently revealed the 30 finalists of this year’s Grow with Aldi programme at a showcase event in The Glasshouse, Dublin. Celebrating Irish artisan innovation, the selected products range from chipshop curry sausages to honeycomb ice cream and they’ll be launching on 11 September in all of Aldi’s 164 stores. However, if you fancy trying any of these Irish flavours and showing your support for home-grown talent, get shopping as the range will only be available for a two-week period. Now in its eighth year, this initiative, in partnership with Bord Bia, helps small Irish producers grow their businesses. See aldi.ie
The 30 finalists in the 2025 Grow with Aldi programme.
Janni Bars is a business on a roll, winning gold again at the Free From Skincare Awards – this time for their Hemp and Honey Lip Balm (€6.90). Made in Drumlish, Co Longford with Irish heather honey and cold-pressed hemp seed oil, this balm wowed judges with its nourishing and natural approach to skincare. Packaged without plastic and made with no artifical ingredients, this is a lip balm to keep in your handbag for autumn. See jannibars.com
Hemp and Honey Lip Balm (€6.90) was recently awarded gold in the Free From Skincare Awards.
Grant is bringing the future of home heating to this year’s National Ploughing Championships. Visitors can explore award-winning technologies like the Grant Aerona R290 heat pump and HVO biofuel-ready Vortex boilers, along with smart controls, cylinders, radiators, and underfloor heating. From new builds to rural homes, the Grant team will share practical, sustainable solutions to cut costs and carbon. Find them at Stand 450. See grant.ie
The Stockman’s Mission By James Sunderland, Nurney, Co Kildare
The cows graze greedily in the sun,
Their ears flapping gently as they wolf down the fresh grass on either side of the avenue,
When it gets scarce they start on the weeds and the leaves,
Lawn mowers and strimmers can’t compete,
And no effort involved, just sit at the road grid in the jeep.
Writing a few lines for amusement,
Thinking it can’t get any better than this,
Soaking up the midday sun blasting through the windows,
The unseasonably frosty May wind swirling outside,
Cocooning don’t you know in the most positive sense of the word,
But soon they’ll get full and restless and look for wide open spaces,
Leaving their unmentionables in really annoying places,
Like where one would be motoring along,
Minding one’s own business until evasive action would have to be taken.
The ladies will be cribbing and who could blame them,
But it’s a small price to pay for a nicely manicured margin,
It’s a win-win situation I tell them,
They get a perfect entrance when yours truly has dumped the offending material,
And I get to fill up my bovines empty rumens,
For with the wind and sun drying by day,
And the frost burning by night,
Every blade is precious in order to keep the cows content,
And that is all that matters really,
To keep the cows content.
Life in a hotel – stories of asylum
A powerful new photograph exhibition has opened at Gorey Library, Co Wexford, offering a rare glimpse into the everyday lives of asylum seekers living in the Courtown Hotel. Entitled, Shared Space: Life at the Courtown Hotel, the asylum seekers have documented their own surroundings in Ireland for the first time. The exhibition is the culmination of a three-month workshop led by JP Keating, a photographer whose work has appeared in The New York Times also taught the group a weekly photography class over the summer. Admission is free and the exhibition runs until 20 September. See wexfordcoco.ie
Emmanuel Ehikioya, Baba Williams, Barkhad Mire and Mohammed Gesis with photographer JP Keating, in Courtown. \ JP Keating
Aldi recently revealed the 30 finalists of this year’s Grow with Aldi programme at a showcase event in The Glasshouse, Dublin. Celebrating Irish artisan innovation, the selected products range from chipshop curry sausages to honeycomb ice cream and they’ll be launching on 11 September in all of Aldi’s 164 stores. However, if you fancy trying any of these Irish flavours and showing your support for home-grown talent, get shopping as the range will only be available for a two-week period. Now in its eighth year, this initiative, in partnership with Bord Bia, helps small Irish producers grow their businesses. See aldi.ie
The 30 finalists in the 2025 Grow with Aldi programme.
Janni Bars is a business on a roll, winning gold again at the Free From Skincare Awards – this time for their Hemp and Honey Lip Balm (€6.90). Made in Drumlish, Co Longford with Irish heather honey and cold-pressed hemp seed oil, this balm wowed judges with its nourishing and natural approach to skincare. Packaged without plastic and made with no artifical ingredients, this is a lip balm to keep in your handbag for autumn. See jannibars.com
Hemp and Honey Lip Balm (€6.90) was recently awarded gold in the Free From Skincare Awards.
Grant is bringing the future of home heating to this year’s National Ploughing Championships. Visitors can explore award-winning technologies like the Grant Aerona R290 heat pump and HVO biofuel-ready Vortex boilers, along with smart controls, cylinders, radiators, and underfloor heating. From new builds to rural homes, the Grant team will share practical, sustainable solutions to cut costs and carbon. Find them at Stand 450. See grant.ie
The Stockman’s Mission By James Sunderland, Nurney, Co Kildare
The cows graze greedily in the sun,
Their ears flapping gently as they wolf down the fresh grass on either side of the avenue,
When it gets scarce they start on the weeds and the leaves,
Lawn mowers and strimmers can’t compete,
And no effort involved, just sit at the road grid in the jeep.
Writing a few lines for amusement,
Thinking it can’t get any better than this,
Soaking up the midday sun blasting through the windows,
The unseasonably frosty May wind swirling outside,
Cocooning don’t you know in the most positive sense of the word,
But soon they’ll get full and restless and look for wide open spaces,
Leaving their unmentionables in really annoying places,
Like where one would be motoring along,
Minding one’s own business until evasive action would have to be taken.
The ladies will be cribbing and who could blame them,
But it’s a small price to pay for a nicely manicured margin,
It’s a win-win situation I tell them,
They get a perfect entrance when yours truly has dumped the offending material,
And I get to fill up my bovines empty rumens,
For with the wind and sun drying by day,
And the frost burning by night,
Every blade is precious in order to keep the cows content,
And that is all that matters really,
To keep the cows content.
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