columnists Victoria White: Easing of lockdown restrictions brings an end to slow pace of lifeTake away the death, the sickness and the financial hardship and who wouldn’t want to slow down, asks Victoria White
home and gardens Richard Collins: Skylarks are the star singers of the parkEach morning, blackcaps and thrushes sing in Malahide’s Robswall Park. The star performers, however, are skylarks.
home and gardens Richard Collins: German blue tits die from mystery illnessIn 1929, a blue tit in Southampton pecked open a bottle-top to get at the cream underneath. Others copied it and, soon, tits all over Britain and Ireland were doing the same. Tackling today’s milk cartons won’t be so easy but a far greater challenge is facing blue tits in Germany; they are dying of a mysterious illness.