#Donal Hickey

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#Donal Hickey

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>Spring 2025 was the warmest in over 120 years and the sunniest ever recorded here. Temperatures were more than 2°C above the long-term average and it was the driest spring since 2020. These conditions created a very favourable environment for apples. </p>

outdoors

How do you like them apples... huge amount of fruit on trees in gardens and orchards

We had the ideal conditions for apple-growing this year — and scroll down for recipes for apple tart or mulled apple and whiskey

<p>Blackberry-stained hands from picking a bumper crop. Cork city, Sunday, August 31. Pictures: Larry Cummins</p>

outdoors

Donal Hickey: Best blackberry season in years, isn't it?

<p>Irish households generate around 220,000 tonnes of waste, with bread and bakery items making up 42% of that. The average household throws out 120kg of food each year, though a significant amount of this food is suitable for consumption</p>

outdoors

Donal Hickey: Food waste is a big problem for our pockets and for the planet

ladybug on a green leaf

outdoors

About one-third of insects here under threat of extinction due to pollution, intensive farming, and habitat loss

United States China The Bumpy Road

world

US and China extend trade truce for another 90 days

Increase in dolphin strandings — here's what to do if you see a live dolphin stuck on the beach

outdoors

Increase in dolphin strandings — here's what to do if you see a live dolphin stuck on the beach

When close up is too close — who's the worst culprit for invading wild birds' space?

When close up is too close — who's the worst culprit for invading wild birds' space?

It is illegal to disturb and/or photograph nesting birds without a licence from the National Parks and Wildlife Service

Thu, 31 Jul, 2025

The Big Butterfly Count

Donal Hickey: Small white butterflies — a welcome sight

Some believe white butterflies are the spirit of a deceased loved one letting you know they're ok. And folk tradition says you should make a wish if you see two side by side

Thu, 24 Jul, 2025

Homeward-bound goats, 'white horses' and adventurous gulls — all weather forecasters if you know how to understand them

Homeward-bound goats, 'white horses' and adventurous gulls — all weather forecasters if you know how to understand them

Some unofficial meteorologists say animals are amazing with an apparent ability to sense changes in the atmosphere and impending weather

Thu, 03 Jul, 2025

Older Couple Enjoys A Relaxing Day On A Sandy Beach, Sitting In Beach Chairs With Tropical Drinks In Hand

Donal Hickey: Links between climate change, rising temperatures and health in Ireland

Climate change could lead to 1,400 additional deaths annually in Ireland by the end of the 21st century

Thu, 19 Jun, 2025

Garden Allotment with Glass House

Donal Hickey: More allotments wanted — there's a 2-3 year waiting list in Cork

Community Gardens Ireland has written to Minister James Browne to call for a new survey of local authorities to be issued following a lack of engagement from local authorities

Thu, 12 Jun, 2025

Rain barrel in the garden

Midges, dogs, spiders, and fog were all once used to predict weather

In summers long ago, when midges were active on humid summer evenings, or ants began to appear in large numbers, our elders told us rain way was surely on the way. And it invariably was

Thu, 05 Jun, 2025

Just a tick — take time to find out about Lyme disease

Just a tick — take time to find out about Lyme disease

Tips on preventing tick bites include wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants and using insect repellent

Thu, 29 May, 2025

Wood spurge(euphorbia) close up

Bloom time for spurge, the plant once used to catch fish

Spurge is typically found in Cork and Kerry and in Northern Spain and Portugal — apparently this plant's poisonous sap was once a way of catching fish...

Thu, 22 May, 2025

Draining sewage from pipe into river, pollution rivers and ecology.

Donal Hickey: Solution needed to combat worrying trend of river pollution

There's a worrying trend in the loss of our highest quality river sites and an increase in poor quality sites

Thu, 15 May, 2025

Tobarnault Holy Well, County Sligo, Ireland

May dew as a beauty treatment and holy wells for cures — superstitions and ancient beliefs

Our ancestors went out before sunrise with bottles and jars to collect the dew from the grass.

Thu, 08 May, 2025

Ennistymon community to celebrate efforts to restore river this May bank holiday

Ennistymon community to celebrate efforts to restore river this May bank holiday

The festival takes place exactly two years since a fish kill in the Ballymacraven River wiped out more than 2,000 fish

Thu, 24 Apr, 2025

Donal Hickey: Glorious weather — but will we be hit by the Scairbhín?

Donal Hickey: Glorious weather — but will we be hit by the Scairbhín?

The anglicised version of the phenomenon is 'scaraveen' and it has been known to strike between the last two weeks of April and the first two weeks of May

Thu, 17 Apr, 2025

Obsolete and out of date technology

Donal Hickey: A mountain of unused smartphones but 80% are recyclable

Many of the materials in a phone are mined from the earth, a practice which can be very destructive, so it makes environmental sense to reclaim these metals for re-use rather than mining new ones

Mon, 14 Apr, 2025

Lithium Solid State Battery for EV Electric Vehicle, new research and development batteries with solid electrolyte energy storag

Donal Hickey: Irish research on the next generation of sustainable batteries

Four countries — Australia, China, Chile, and Argentina — account for 90% of the production of Lithium. Sodium and potassium batteries are promising alternatives, sharing similar chemistries to lithium. Currently, Canada, Russia and Belarus dominate potassium production, accounting for 66%, in 2023

Thu, 03 Apr, 2025

Noise pollution near schools has serious effects

Noise pollution near schools has serious effects

Almost 60,000 cases in Europe of behavioural difficulties in children are due to environmental noise generated from transport

Thu, 27 Mar, 2025

Hedgerows are a haven for nesting birds — and are protected during nesting season

Hedgerows are a haven for nesting birds — and are protected during nesting season

Legal restrictions on cutting hedgerows between March and August 31 are to protect bird life during the nesting season, and to protect vegetation and wildlife habitats during the months of growth and reproduction

Thu, 20 Mar, 2025

Spotted a fox on your town's streets? Let the urban fox survey know

Spotted a fox on your town's streets? Let the urban fox survey know

Link below — red foxes are a prime example of a species learning to adapt to these rapidly changing environments. The study will focus on Cork, Dublin, Belfast, Limerick, Derry, Galway, and Waterford

Thu, 13 Mar, 2025

Obsolete and out of date technology

Donal Hickey: Got a junk drawer like this? Time to get repairing or recycling...

We all pay the price for broken and obsolete electronics

Thu, 06 Mar, 2025

Donal Hickey: Sewage pollution and the pearl mussel

Donal Hickey: Sewage pollution and the pearl mussel

Once widespread, they are now found in very few catchments. Ireland is believed to have almost half of Europe’s pearl mussel population, with the Blackwater catchment accounting for a sizeable portion of that

Thu, 27 Feb, 2025

Bee on a dandelion with grass in the background

Donal Hickey: Welcome dandelions instead of banishing them

These early wild flowers are a vital source of food for pollinators emerging from hibernation

Thu, 20 Feb, 2025

Donal Hickey: Wearable air quality monitors to alert people of exposure to hazardous gases

Donal Hickey: Wearable air quality monitors to alert people of exposure to hazardous gases

The sensor technology has been developed by a team of researchers from University College Cork and Trinity College Dublin

Thu, 13 Feb, 2025

Donal Hickey: Forestry re-think badly needed — could a €20k forestry scholarship help?

Donal Hickey: Forestry re-think badly needed — could a €20k forestry scholarship help?

A Coillte Forestry Scholarship will award students up to €20,000 for the duration of their degree programme (€5,000 per year) to support with fees and living expenses

Thu, 06 Feb, 2025

DENIS SCANNELL

Donal Hickey: Will Brigid's promise hold true?

February 1 is regarded as the first day of spring by many people. In folklore, the saint promised that half of her own day and every second day onward would be fine

Thu, 30 Jan, 2025

Water Spouts Gushing

Raw sewage scandal — so many dangers with dumping untreated waste into our waterways

More than half of treatment plants discharge water that’s not always treated to EPA standards... and the EPA has identified 73 priority areas for urgent action

Thu, 23 Jan, 2025

Donal Hickey: Remember the 'Big Freeze' of 1963? Jog your memory with these images

Donal Hickey: Remember the 'Big Freeze' of 1963? Jog your memory with these images

Blocked roads, frozen seas, school closures... and hard work and good neighbours

Thu, 16 Jan, 2025

Donal Hickey: Early (black)bird gets spring things going

Donal Hickey: Early (black)bird gets spring things going

We have had early tulips and daffodils thanks for mainly mild weather this winter so this could be why garden birds are out looking for mates and proclaiming territory so early too

Thu, 09 Jan, 2025

Glorious grey rock: Ireland's drystone walls get international recognition

Glorious grey rock: Ireland's drystone walls get international recognition

Unesco recently included dry stone wall construction here in its list of protected, cultural heritage practices around the world. Good news as a new year begins, and a promise of safeguarding another part of our heritage following a long campaign

Thu, 02 Jan, 2025

Donal Hickey: You never know what you might find on a walk along the shorefront

Donal Hickey: You never know what you might find on a walk along the shorefront

Cargo 'leaked' from sunken shipwrecks, lost loggerhead turtles, interesting jellyfish, or maybe a message in a bottle... have all been found on Irish shores

Thu, 26 Dec, 2024

Hand holding a tablet with smart home system applications

Donal Hickey: How to save on energy bills over the Christmas period

Solar lights, being nifty with your cooking, and delaying putting on the heating if you're out and about anyway can all help reduce bills

Thu, 19 Dec, 2024

'Tis the season... for barn owl nest box maintenance

'Tis the season... for barn owl nest box maintenance

Barn owls can be killed if they eat poisoned rats or mice — these birds are themselves one of the best means of natural rodent control

Thu, 12 Dec, 2024

Donal Hickey: How we roll — road freight increase

Donal Hickey: How we roll — road freight increase

Ireland's former, well-developed rail freight system went into decline as roads improved

Thu, 05 Dec, 2024

Pushy Salesman

Donal Hickey: National retrofitting grants plan gaining momentum

The grant for a deep retrofit has been raised from 35% to 50% and to 80% for attic and cavity wall insulation

Thu, 28 Nov, 2024

One Funny Cat in Front of the Fireplace

Donal Hickey: Weather folklore to blow you away — or is it all just hot air?

What it might mean if your cat snuggles up close to the fireplace... from spotting swallows flying low to the science of cloud seeding we have a fascination with the weather

Thu, 21 Nov, 2024

Donal Hickey: Top eco award for Tralee wetlands group

Donal Hickey: Top eco award for Tralee wetlands group

Tralee Bay Wetlands Eco and Activity Park has won the overall All-Ireland Pollinator Award. The 22-acre park, alongside the road to the Dingle Peninsula, has a 20metre viewing tower, nature walks, pedal boats, a nature reserve and ecology section

Thu, 14 Nov, 2024

European leaders call for stronger defence after Trump’s US presidential election win

European leaders call for stronger defence after Trump’s US presidential election win

The European Political Community met on Thursday in Hungary’s capital Budapest

Thu, 07 Nov, 2024

Smoking chimney

Donal Hickey: Open fires are literally breathtaking

There are regular warnings from environmental and health promotion organisations about dangers of domestic emissions of solid fuel which cause 1,300 deaths per year, according to the EPA. Particulates can cause irritation to lungs, nose and throat and can be particularly harmful to older people

Thu, 07 Nov, 2024

9 things you didn't know about holly, our favourite Christmas plant

Donal Hickey: Early berries a sign of a harsh winter ahead?

This year, I saw red holly berries more than two months ago — trees working hard to feed hungry birds or is that a myth?

Thu, 31 Oct, 2024

apple eating race. Food On A String game. Activity for halloween party

Donal Hickey: Does winter start on November 1 or in December?

The Halloween/Samhain tradition marked the end of the farming year, with all the harvest in and animals housed for the harsh season ahead. Crops to feed animals and people were stored away safely — and it was a time to celebrate

Thu, 24 Oct, 2024

Parallel parking cars on urban street. Outdoor parking on road

Donal Hickey: Engine idling — and why it's so dangerous for humans and animals

We literally have to cut the engine idling. Exhaust fumes are especially harmful to children, pregnant women, older people and people with chest illnesses. Engine idling while on school or sports activities pick-up duty is a contributor to exhaust fume pollution

Thu, 17 Oct, 2024

Donal Hickey: Urban allotments and community gardens growing in popularity

Donal Hickey: Urban allotments and community gardens growing in popularity

It's National Allotments and Community Gardens Week now — anyone motivated to get stuck in might be interested to know that Cork City Council has more than 50 plots for rent in Churchfield

Thu, 10 Oct, 2024

Donal Hickey: Huge numbers of animals killed on roads every day

Donal Hickey: Huge numbers of animals killed on roads every day

It's World Animal Road Accident Awareness Day on Thursday, October 10 — people are urged to be extra careful in areas that are known animal crossings and also to consider what they would do if they hit an animal while driving

Thu, 03 Oct, 2024

Donal Hickey: With a sliver of opportunity and a helping hand, life finds a way

Donal Hickey: With a sliver of opportunity and a helping hand, life finds a way

Priority actions for the new NPWS/Coillte deal will include a focus on protected habitats such as raised and blanket bog, heaths and wetlands, lakes and rivers, and for threatened species such as freshwater pearl mussel, hen harrier, merlin, and breeding waders

Thu, 26 Sep, 2024

Boarded up shop

Much dereliction in our towns and villages, but also glimmers of hope

Would ‘derelict housing swat teams’, like those in operation in the US, help speed up the process of purchasing houses and other buildings left vacant by absentee, or disinterested, property owners?

Thu, 19 Sep, 2024

Coast Road

Long way around is worth it when you're talking about the beautiful Beara peninsula

A trip around the south-west starting at Roaringwater Bay and heading northward towards Tralee is only around 40 miles on a map but it's nearly 500 miles if you follow the coast and zig-zag around all the promontories and inlets

Wed, 04 Sep, 2024