I am probably in a very small minority when I say this, but I wasn’t among those cheering or celebrating when the Curiosity Rover touched down on Mars.

The recent CSO report which showed that older people prospered most during the boom, and have suffered least during the recession, is a welcome rebuff to the cottage industry that has built up in recent years which dedicates itself to scaremongering about the plight of the elderly.

Those in power in this country have no constructive purpose whatsoever.

The comment “bronze medals are for losers”, made during the coverage of the Olympics, epitomises the over-the-top, steroidal, wall-to-wall media hype.

As one of the few Cork supporters in Croke Park on Sunday, Aug 5, to see the game between Cork and Kildare, I felt sorry for my team’s lack of support.

Fair play to Katie Taylor on her honest win!

Only a couple of years ago, in the USA, it was a drink-swilling Taoiseach Brian Cowen being parodied on the Jay Leno Show; now it is the amazing and proud Irishwoman Katie Taylor being featured in the New York Times.

“Best bearing down on the opponent’s goal with the ball, outpacing all, reminiscent of the great Ballincurry hare, John Joe Barry.”

From a Catholic perspective, it was most gratifying to observe that Maeve Binchy died with the great satisfaction of a Catholic requiem mass.

Fox cubs are one of the secrets of hunting with hounds.