Featured Image Credit: Cute little tern chick on sandy beach calling in spring. (Photo by: Sven-Erik Arndt/Arterra/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Topics: Ireland
Paul Farrelly
Topics: Ireland
If you’re in need of a laugh or a little lift, you’re in luck! Here are three cracking good news stories from across Ireland to brighten your week. Let’s get into it!
The Rhu Glenn Hotel in South Kilkenny has truly taken Irish hospitality to new heights-by welcoming a family of birds who’ve checked in without paying a cent! These cheeky guests didn’t just wing it when it came to picking a home; they’ve set up their nest right in a large, tubular ashtray at the hotel’s main entrance. Talk about thinking outside the (ash) box!
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Instead of ruffling any feathers, the hotel staff embraced their new tenants, even putting up a sign to make sure no one disturbs the little family. The hotel shared the news on social media, quipping, “Our little nest has seen new life today. Hard to stop nature. Not sure if she’s done much research into her new home though.” Clearly, these birds didn’t bother reading the reviews before moving in!
Guests have been chirping with delight at the sight, and the staff are happy to let nature take its course-even if it means sharing the limelight (and the lobby). It’s not every day you see a hotel so egg-cited to host non-paying customers.
So, if you’re checking in at the Rhu Glenn and see a family of birds making themselves at home, don’t be alarmed-they’re just taking advantage of the hotel’s new “fly now, pay never” policy!
A Donegal-based barbershop quartet is making musical history! Ceoltóirí Canóla, an all-female group of secondary school students, has become the first Irish barbershop quartet ever to qualify for the prestigious Varsity Quartet Contest at the Barbershop Harmony Society’s International Convention in Denver, Colorado this summer.
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Formed in late 2023, the quartet features Alice O’Connor (Soprano), Sadbh Breathnach (Lead), Katie Coyle (Baritone), and Síne Ó hAodha (Bass). The group’s journey began in the Danu Young Women’s Choir, where their shared love for vocal harmony was nurtured by choir director Douglas Carnes.
In just over a year, they’ve already captured the attention of judges and audiences, taking first place in the Youth Quartet category at their debut Irish Association of Barbershop Singers (IABS) competition in 2023 and then being crowned IABS National Quartet Champions in 2024.
Now, seeded sixth out of 22 quartets worldwide, they’re set to represent Ireland on the international stage-an incredible achievement for both the group and Irish barbershop music as a whole.
As they prepare for Denver, the quartet has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover travel and competition costs, and they’re “beyond excited and incredibly honoured” to fly the flag for Donegal and Ireland.
Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? In Ballymacarbry, County Waterford, the local bingo crowd is proving that not only can you have a ball at any age, but you can also raise a tidy sum for a great cause while you’re at it. The final bingo session before the summer break packed out the Ballymacarbry Community Centre, with dabbers at the ready and eyes sharper than ever on those precious numbers.
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But this wasn’t just about shouting “house!” and pocketing a few quid for a cuppa. The bingo nights have been a lifeline for the Panda Playground appeal, helping chip away at the loan for the new community playground. Thanks to the bingo-loving legends, there’s now just over €10,000 left to raise-a phenomenal achievement considering the whole project only kicked off 18 months ago.
So, hats off to the Ballymac bingo brigade, who’ve shown that when it comes to fundraising, the older generation really are the ones doing the heavy lifting-one bingo card at a time. Who needs a gym membership when you’ve got a dabber and a dream?
That’s your dose of Irish cheer for now-proof that from birds and bingo to barbershop ballads, there’s always something to smile about. Let the good times flow!