42272508‘Sup?

The remarkable photograph of two chickens nesting on top of four newborn puppies was sent to the Limerick Leader by John Franklin from Ballyneety, Pallasgreen.

John says their Springer Spaniel called Sally had four pups around the same time that they bought 30 broilers.

After they were born whenever Sally used to leave them for a little while two hens would come in and lie down with the pups.

[Said John]: “It was almost like they were babysitting them – taking over from Sally to give her a break. The pups, they were only a few days old at the stage, would snuggle into the broilers.”

 

Feather-brained?

Blended family, dude.

Feather-brained chickens babysit puppies (Donal O’Regan, Limerick leader)
Thanks Niall O’M

90197784

During a recent post about the difficulties encountered by parents seeking a non-denominational school in Ireland to send their children.Bingo wrote:

It’s going to be tough decisions to be made in terms of choosing between the Catholic School next door that all your child’s friends are going to but which you don’t want to send them to because of your beliefs and the difficult to gain entry to Secular School 8 miles away…

To which ‘Teal’, a parent, has responded:

We made the ‘tough decision’ 4 weeks ago when our son’s two closest friends since birth went, respectively, to a Protestant primary school and a Catholic primary school.

Never mind that all three children are four years old (that is SO young to be going to school!) but my son was number 63 on the waiting list for our local Educate Together school. We had nowhere to send him, so he is being educated at home, for now.

I am not religious and it seemed hypocritical for me and my non-Catholic Irish partner to send our kid(s) to a Catholic school. While I am not a die-hard atheist, I am not a Catholic.

It makes as much sense for me to send my children to a Catholic school as it would for most of you to send your kids to a Muslim school. It wouldn’t do your kids any harm, but would it make sense if you never intended to practice the faith?

I was born and raised in Canada where freedom of conscience and religion is enshrined in our Charter of Rights and Freedoms and where “no religious dogma or creed” can be taught in schools. It’s been this way for over 40 years.

I am also an Irish citizen and my partner and children were born in this country. Is the message that I should go back to where I came from if I don’t want my kids to go to a Catholic school?

I’ve lived here for 15 years and am quite shocked that anyone would see that as a solution to this dilemma. For those that don’t, thank you for thinking outside the box and for showing that your Catholic education did not shape you into a small minded bigot.

 

Previously: Finding A Non-Catholic School
(Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland)

 

 

 

Thanks Bonzor

lovehate1First this

and then this

and then THIS

Robbie writes:

I may be late to this but can’t help the feeling that these things coincide very well for our state broadcaster. Love/Hate brought forward to be scheduled to be aired the very week a”tiger kidnapping” case was going to go through the courts.What happens in first episode: Tiger Kidnapping. I’m well aware that this is pure speculation and possible sheer coincidence. But then is it? RTE knew what was in the first episode. They also knew that this case was going to be happening this week.

 

Pic: Katriona Furey

livepreview2.aspxDo you know someone in the cup business?

We are in the early stages of producing a Broadsheet mug/beaker [with an eye on the ‘festive’ gifting season] and would like to know if there are any indigenous cupsmiths left in Ireland able to make 25 full-strength tay-sized receptacles for a non-splutter price?

We would like to avoid this type of cup if possible

Broadsheet.ie