Features

Helping to battle an ancient illness

When we think of leprosy, we think of stories from the Bible or imagine it as obsolete; not in keeping with the modern day and its unrivaled medicinal supremacy. Sadly, it is not the case and nobody knows more about the scourge of present-day leprosy than Ladybrook man, Tommy Devlin. Tommy will never forget the first time he visited a leper camp in Nigeria, the experience changed his life forever and he has spent the past 30 years working to...

Read More »

Lay up your ends and enjoy the show

After 25 years the much-loved play about Belfast’s greatest industry is to be revived for the Grand Opera House. Making a return to the stage in August, the legendary Charabanc Theatre Company play, ‘Lay Up Your Ends’ will  reach out to audiences under the direction of the renowned, Ian McElhinney and produced by acclaimed playwright, Martin Lynch. Adding to the excitement of the upcoming production is the fact that internationally-renowned playwright and actress, Marie Jones will reprise her original role...

Read More »

Square pegs in round holes no longer?

Member of the Alternative Education Providers’ Forum and much-respected director of the West Belfast Newstart Programme - which caters for teens who have fallen outside the formal education system - Mairead McCafferty talks about the future of education in a time of huge change   As we move through a period of transition in education it is to be hoped that the proposed new structures under the Education and Skills Authority (ESA) provide opportunities to promote inclusion and realise the...

Read More »

School bell rings the changes for old and new heads

There was sadness this week at Holy Cross Girls Primary School as outgoing principal Betty Quinn rang the school bell for the last ever time. The “demanding but extremely rewarding” job of managing one of North Belfast's most successful schools now becomes the work of newly appointed headmistress, Maura McNally. Ardoyne woman Maura has been a teacher at in the area  for the last 21 years and vice-principal of Holy Cross for the last three years. She is the third...

Read More »