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Monthly Archives: May 2018

A new poll published in today's Sunday Independent shows majority support for a 'Yes' vote on May 25, though the gap is narrowing. 

Figures show that 45 per cent of respondents say they intend to vote 'Yes' and 34 per cent say they will vote no. 

18 per cent of those survey were still undecided, while 4 per cent did not have an opinion. 

The results were welcomed by Together For Yes who say poll shows consistent support for a Yes vote on the referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment. 

Campaign Co-Director Ailbhe Smyth said: “We note today’s referendum poll which shows a consistent pattern of support for a Yes vote on May 25th. It demonstrates that the Yes campaign’s message of care and compassion for women in Ireland is hitting home with people across the country.

"In particular we note the strong support among young women, whose future healthcare will be directly affected by the referendum result." 

However, she did acknowledge the 18 per cent of voters who are yet to make up their mind. 

“However, Together For Yes knows that each and every vote will matter over the next 19 days, and we recognise the large number of undecideds who have yet to make up their mind.

“That is why our 'Get Together For Yes’ conversations tour being launched today in Athlone is an important opportunity to speak directly to voters and encourage people to start the discussion with friends and family about the harms of the 8th Amendment.

“The poll shows a growing appetite among Irish people to ensure that abortion in Ireland is safe and regulated. People are well aware that we already have abortion in Ireland, and that it is a reality.

"Voting Yes will regulate it, make it safer and ensure we provide care to women in Ireland who need it."

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Conor McGregor’s son Conor Jr turned one yesterday, and it’s safe to say the family celebrated in style. It is understood that Conor and Dee rented out the K Club in Kildare for his son’s special day.

And of course, it wouldn't be a McGregor bash if they didn't share tons of snaps from the occasion on Instagram.

 

Conor Jr’s 1st birthday party 

A post shared by Conor McGregor Official (@thenotoriousmma) on

The fiesta-themed party included personalised balloons, a lobster dinner (yes, really), a huge birthday cake, a BBQ, balloon animals, a jazz band and a giant inflatable slide.

Taking to Instagram, Dee gushed about her boy turning one, “We had the best day yesterday for Conor Jr’s first birthday!! Happy birthday baby boy we love you,” she wrote.

 

Family 

A post shared by Erin Mcgregor (@erinmcgregor123) on

Conor’s sister Aoife also wished him a happy birthday, “Happy birthday my beautiful nephew. I love you more then you will ever know. You have brought so much joy to my life in one year. I thank god every day for you and little harry. You fill my heart with love and my belly with laughs.”

The McGregors certainly threw a memorable event for little Conor. He may only be one-year-old, but he’s already had the coolest birthday bash in all of Ireland.

Fans were quick to comment on snaps of the lavish event, “Such a cute happy baby. Happy Birthday handsome.”

Another fan shared, “You and Dee look great! Conor Jr. is precious!!!”

“Thank you for sharing this special day with your fans!!! Love your family,” said one fan.

Happy birthday to Conor Jr!

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After falling victim to failings in Ireland's CervicalCheck service, terminally ill Vicky Phelan has revealed that her daughter is set to meet Ed Sheeran.

In an effort to lift her spirits following her mother's diagnosis, Amelia will be the envy of girls across the country when she gets to chat to he flame-headed singer at his Cork gig this weekend. 

In a tweet reply, Vicky revealed how Amelia is "beyond excited" about the meet and greet. 

It comes after Vicky Phelan's incorrect cancer result highlighted failings in the CervicalCheck programme. 

Her case came to light after the 43-year-old mother-of-two was awarded €2.5m by the High Court. The HSE had sought a confidentiality clause with Ms Phelan as part of the settlement, which she refused. 

Since then, over 10,000 women have contacted an emergency helpline set up by the HSE over concerns raised by the recent controversy. 

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Thought your Insta game was strong? Think again. 

With a keen eye for a selfie and a wardrobe to die for, one Irish granny is putting us all to shame with her stylish snaps. 

Known to her followers as eileenstylequeen, Eileen Smith has amassed over 17,000 followers – and it's not hard to see why. 

 

Enjoying the sun at Malahide Castle gardens. 

A post shared by Eileen Smith (@eileenstylequeen) on

Her classic style and timeless charm has proved to be a huge hit on the Irish Insta scene with Pippa O'Connor even said to be a fan. 

Eileen set up her account as a way to keep in touch with her daughter in Australia.

Speaking to Independent.ie Style, she said: "I've got three daughters and they’re all mad about clothes and style. One of my daughters said, 'Go on this and have a bit of a laugh’." 

 

The last of the summer days 

A post shared by Eileen Smith (@eileenstylequeen) on

"One is in Australia and we started doing the photo a day thing for each other, so it kept us in the loop."

At 79-years-young, Eileen says she doesn't let her age hold her back. 

"I find age doesn’t make any difference to me, I don’t mind what age you are," she said.

 

Happy to be back to normal routines again 

A post shared by Eileen Smith (@eileenstylequeen) on

"I have very good health, I like to walk, I like to meet up with people.

"I have a little note here beside my bed that says, ‘Get up, dress up, get out and don’t look back’."

Solid words to live by from Ireland's newly crowned style queen. 

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Ladies, listen up!

Whether you're looking for a break from the male population or just a bonding trip with the girls, the small island off the coast of Finland might be your perfect destination.

Founded by Kristina Roth, SuperShe promises its female visitors a relaxing atmosphere, health focussed activities and good vibes all round – oh, and there's no men either.

SuperShe operates a strict 'No Boys Allowed' policy, allowing women to focus on themselves without any distractions from the opposite sex.

The founder, and former consultant, was inspired to create the island resort after taking several restorative holidays at the Ashram in Calabasas, Calif., and the nearby Ranch Malibu.

An while she says she enjoyed both experiences, she believes that the male presence dampened the relaxing vibes.

“When there was a cute guy, women would put on lipstick,” Kristina told The New York Post.

“The idea is, hey, focus on yourself — don’t try to get your hormones up.”

She chose Finland as the location after falling in love with one of the locals – who's parents also just so happen to own the island next door.

“His parents own an island on the archipelago, and he kept telling me, the island next door is for sale.”

“I said, I’m not interested, I just bought a beautiful piece of land in Turks and Caicos — I’m really not interested.” But once she saw the place, she fell in love with serene landscape.

 

A post shared by SuperShe (@supershesnaps) on

Despite the female-only rule, Roth insists she's not a man-hater and is even open to the possibility of allowing men to visit SuperShe in the future.

So, does this sound like your dream holiday? Public reservations will open this July, though costs are yet to be determined.

For more information check out supershe.com.

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We all have our own personal likes and dislikes when it comes to getting busy between the sheets – but judging by the results of this new survey, an awful lot of us like to partake in the lost art of dirty talk.

A study conducted by the online dating agency, Saucy Dates, has revealed the noises and words that men and women love to hear while getting down to business – and the results were very interesting indeed.

Both sexes said they enjoyed moaning sounds the best, with 90 per cent of men and 77 per cent of women admitting it was a huge turn-on for them.

Next came dirty talk, with men (76 per cent) and women (73 per cent) both saying that being able to vocalise their sexual thoughts and desires heightened the experience.

But, as the research points out, it's always good to have a few go-to phrases in your back pocket – you know, so you don't get caught off guard and kill the moment with some cringe-worthy phrase you heard in Fifty Shades.

Heavy breathing, screaming and swearing also ranked quite highly on the list of likes.

Check out the full table below:

Table via saucydates.com

What they say

Men like

Women like 

Moan 

90.5%

77.6%

Talk dirty

76.8%

73.5%

Heavy breathing

60.1%

45.9%

Scream

51.4%

36.2%

Swear

38.6%

31.2%

Squeak

27.9%

14.8%

Silence 

8.3%

12.8%

 

At the other end of the spectrum, respondents were also asked the worst things that have been said to them during sex.

Unsurprisingly, saying the wrong name came in as the number one mood killer, closely followed by 'I need a poo' and 'I'm going soft' – yep, that'll do it alright.

At the end of the day, whether you're a full-blown dirty talker or as quiet as a mouse, it's all about finding what works for you can your partner.

Laugh, moan, swear or squeak – but most importantly, just have fun!

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Kristen Bell has always been open about her struggle with mental health. 

Having previously spoken publicly about the depression she suffered as a teenager and the ongoing battles that followed, the actress is determined to break the stigma that surrounds the issue. 

In a new video for the Child Mind Institute, the 37-year-old shared the advice she would have given to her younger self. 

“What I would say to my younger self is don’t be fooled by this game of perfection that humans play,” she said. 

“Because Instagram and magazines and TV shows, they strive for a certain aesthetic, everything looks so beautiful, and people seem like they don’t have problems, but everyone’s human.”

She went on to stress the importance of self-love and care, even when we are at our lowest points. 

“You deserve to feel just as beautiful on the days you wear no makeup, and the days you don’t shower, and the days you feel like you’re depressed,” she said. 

“You have an obligation to take care of yourself from the inside out, because that’s how you can truly feel beautiful.”

Urging those suffering with mental health issues to seek help, Kristen assured viewers that they are never alone. 

“There are resources out there, if you’re feeling anxious, of people to talk to and doctors to interact with and there are tons of solutions out there for you,” she said. 

“You are not alone. Never feel embarrassed or ashamed about who you are.

“Never feel embarrassed or ashamed about the uniqueness that is you, because there are people out there to help and we’re all just human, and you can do it.”

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American Idol alum Jordin Sparks has become a mum for the first time. She took to Instagram to share the joyous news with her fans.

The doting mum shared a picture of her baby boy Dana Isaiah Thomas Jr, named after her husband Dana Isaiah, whom she married in 2017.

Alongside the adorable photo, she wrote, “He's here & we couldn't be more in love!!! Go DJ.”

Isn't her son the cutest?

 

He's here & we couldn't be more in love!!! Go DJ!  @people

A post shared by Jordin Sparks (@jordinsparks) on

Speaking to People about her new arrival, she revealed that he was born on May 2 at 9:04 p.m. at the Natural Birth Center & Women’s Wellness, Los Angeles.

The One Step At A Time singer’s son weighed in at a healthy 8 lbs. 4.5 oz.

“It was miraculously beautiful. Dana caught him with my midwife, Simona, and when he handed him to me, I was absolutely overwhelmed with joy. He was and is everything we imagined,” the new mum gushed.

She praised her husband, who has been a huge support throughout her entire pregnancy, “I am so grateful for my husband and the amazing team at the Natural Birthing Center. I don’t think I would be feeling this great without them!”

The No Air singer is embracing every second of motherhood, “I’ve always loved kids and knew that if given the blessing, that I would love and embrace it more than I realized.”

Huge congratulations to Jordin and her husband Dana Isaiah. What an exciting time for the couple!

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10,731 women have contacted an emergency helpline set up by the HSE over concerns raised by the recent CervicalCheck controversy. 

It's understood that thousands of women have requested re-checks after an audit revealed how 209 women were not told about inaccuracies in their results. 

The HSE confirmed last night that it has returned 1,406 calls so far, while 198 of the first group of 209 women have been contacted. 

The IMO's Dr Padraig McGarry says GPs are determined that women have their concerns addressed. .

"There's the repeat smear which is offered to patients who feel that they need it, but there's also the consultation around that because there's a lot of questions that women would like to ask their GPs and get reassurances and that's a time requirement," he said.

"We are delighted to see that this paves the way for women who have such concerns to access them without any financial burden."

 The CervicalCheck helpline can be reached on 1800 45 45 55.

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We got a glimpse of the new price when Kate and William stepped outside St. Mary's Hospital on April 23, 2018, and now, the Duke and Duchess have kindly released the first official photos of their darling son, and they are far too cute.

Kensington Palace shared the photos on behalf of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

They wrote, "The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to share two photographs of Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, taken by The Duchess at Kensington Palace."

As per tradition,  Kate took the photos herself at ‬Kensington Palace.

"This image of Prince Louis was taken by The Duchess of Cambridge at Kensington Palace on 26th April.‬ ‪The Duke and Duchess would like to thank members of the public for their kind messages following the birth of Prince Louis, and for Princess Charlotte’s third birthday.‬"

The parents also shared a stunning photo of Princess Charlotte kissing her baby brother's forehead as she holds him in her arms. The image was taken on Charlotte's third birthday, May 2, 2018.

It looks like Charlotte has taken to her new role as a big sister like a duck to water.

The young princess and her brother Prince George were the first to meet their newborn brother, after Prince William of course, when he was born on Monday, April 23.

Kate gave birth to her son at 11:01 am, with Louis weighing in at 8lbs 7oz.

Kate and William revealed that their son’s full name is Louis Arthur Charles.

The baby will be known as His Royal Highness Prince Louis of Cambridge.

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While we're still waiting for the fifth series of Peaky Blinders to air in 2019, the show's creator Steven Knight has confirmed its bright future.

Speaking about possible seasons to come, Steven told the Birmingham Press Club, “We are definitely doing six and we will probably do seven."

Cillian Murphy, who stars as the troubled Tommy Shelby, and his fellow cast mates are apparently onboard with the plans.

“We've talked to Cillian Murphy and he's all for it, and the rest of the principal cast are in for it," he said.

We are utterly THRILLED tbh. We've got our flat caps on and our spots on the couch reserved.

As well, Steven spoke about some exciting developments regarding a dance adaptation of the programme. Nope, we're not kidding!

The English screenwriter revealed that he has been approached by the celebrated Rambert Dance Company.

“I had a meeting with Ballet Rambert who want to do Peaky Blinders – The Ballet. I'm saying 'why not?'" Steven said.

“I wasn’t supposed to say anything about it, but I don’t mind talking about things.“

We have to admit, the Shelby crime family doesn't necessarily scream 'ballet' to us, but admittedly some of the oddest pairings are also some of the best! Sweet and salty foods, Bert and Ernie on Sesame Street, the list goes on and on.

And, now, we binge-watch until 2019!

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You might think you're making the healthy choice by choosing a piping hot coffee over a chocolate digestive for you mid-morning pick-me-up, but let's face it, more often than not you'll end up reaching for both anyway.

Well, you're not alone, in fact, a new study claims there's actually a scientific reason why our bodies crave sugar after a few sips of a tall Americano.

It seems that caffeine could alter our perceived sense of sweetness, meaning that our sugar craving are heightened after a cup of coffee.

The study, published in the Journal of Food Science, divided participants into two groups. One set were drank caffeinated coffee while the other set drank decaf, but neither group knew which was which.

Both groups were then asked to add sugar to their drinks and rate the sweetness.

The results showed that the group who drank caffeinated coffee rated their drink as less sweet than those who drank decaf.

What's more, both groups of participants reported a boost in mental alertness, though this is probably down to the placebo effect.

Researchers believe that caffeine works to mask our tastebuds somewhat, leading us to crave more sugar in order to be completely satisfied.

So, if you're thinking about cutting your sugar intake, you may want to consider dropping that coffee habit too.

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