Two of the questions I am most often asked at this time of year are when to cut back hydrangeas and how to prune ornamental grasses. That matters because if you cut them back too hard, you remove the flower buds. Hydrangeas can be pruned now, but be careful not to cut them too hard or you could miss this year's flowers. The first distinction to make is between herbaceous deciduous grasses and evergreen grasses. Gather the old stems into a bundle and cut down to 10cm–15cm above ground level, trying not to cut into emerging shoots.

Cutting out meat may reduce the risk of some cancers, but a major study suggests it could be linked to a higher risk of bowel cancer – particularly for vegans. That ruling followed research showing that eating just two rashers of bacon – around 50g a day – can raise bowel cancer risk by nearly 20 per cent. But they were more likely to develop bowel cancer – with vegans facing a 40 per cent higher risk than meat-eaters. The team also suggested the higher bowel cancer risk seen in vegans may be linked to low calcium intake, a known risk factor. Blood cancer risk was also lower, which researchers linked to healthier body weight, with obesity a major risk factor.

People want a greater degree of control and choice in relation to their retirement age, says Catherine McGuigan, chief officer, Age Friendly Ireland (AFI). Many organisations and people in their sixties share a view that their age and experience can be of great value after they’ve reached retirement age. Ireland was the first country to be affiliated with the World Health Organisation’s Global Network for Age Friendly Cities and Communities. Catherine says: “Since early 2025, AFI has been developing an Age Friendly Workplace pathfinder programme. Internationally, the WHO Global Age Friendly Framework, and as part of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing, is also seeking to address ageism.

Ed Sheeran attempted to showcase his strength by challenging Chris Hemsworth to an arm wrestle in a clip shared to Instagram on Thursday. Laughing off his success, Ed attempted to ride the win and challenge him to a left-arm wrestle, which, unfortunately, saw the star less successful. I went to bed, then Lyra woke up 20 minutes after I’d fallen asleep. 'I woke up and I was like, "F*ck, I probably shouldn’t drink if I’m going to feel this dreadful." 'It all came in at the same time of wanting to be a responsible dad, wanting to feel and look good.

For their latest encounter with the Welsh side in Cardiff Arms Park (kick-off 7pm), Cullen has selected Rieko Ioane and Robbie Henshaw as his centre partnership. Between them, this midfield pairing has accumulated a combined total of 172 senior international caps in the colours of New Zealand and Ireland respectively. LEINSTER: J O’Brien; J Kenny, R Ioane, R Henshaw, R Moloney; H Byrne, F Gunne; J Cahir, J McKee, A Sparrow; A Spicer, B Deeny; M Deegan, S Penny, J Culhane. Replacements: G McCarthy, A Usanov, R Slimani, RG Snyman, J Ericson, L McGrath, C Tector, A Osborne. Replacements: D Hughes, D Southworth, K Assiratti, R Thornton, E Rees, J Mulder, I Lloyd, T Bowen.

Aligning housing with public realmWhat’s critical now is to align Docklands housing delivery with adequate transport infrastructure, utilities and services, adequate public realm (the stellar redevelopment of Marina Park is a head start), and adequate flood defences and climate resilience. Transport infrastructureTHE city’s transport infrastructure is also critical to its successful development. Approved housing bodies are increasingly playing a role in housing delivery in the city. On Albert Quay, Clúid Housing has partnered with John Cleary Developments and the city council to deliver 217 units in Railway Apartments. The challenge is to maintain the pace of change, and to reshape the city to meet the needs of future generations.

This week, she meets Siobhan Weldon, who shares her experience of postnatal depressionI met Siobhán Weldon in St Anne’s Park, Dublin. Statistics say that between 10 and 15pc of Irish mothers will have postnatal depression, however it’s thought that figure is actually much higher, as many cases go unreported. Photo by Ruth Medjber“It’s so lonely and isolating but I just felt so inadequate, so unprepared for how to care for them. “It’s like all the worst things you think about yourself and all the worst things you think other people might think about you. To ask them honestly and outright “do you think you might be depressed?” when you think things are a bit off.

Spring arrives on Sunday, but Met Éireann’s long-range forecast shows Ireland will not enjoy settled and dry conditions until at least the end of March. Met Éireann is expected to confirm new rainfall records for February as the unrelenting downpours have caused flooding and left land saturated. Met Éireann said rain was recorded at various locations across Ireland every day so far this year. The extended-range forecast indicated that, from March 2 to 22, Ireland will have unsettled weather with dry spells interspersed with bands of rainfall. Met Éireann’s Holly O’Neill said the weekend will bring a mix of cold, frosty mornings and spells of rain, some heavy.

It’s clear from the scale of construction, expansion and technological change currently taking place in Ireland that we are a country in flux. The Irish Examiner's Future Cork series this week aims to capture the level of transformation that is taking place across the city and county, and that is being repeated nationwide.

The airline collected two stars for its booking process, boarding, customer service, seat comfort and food and drink. With a 63 per cent customer score, the airline achieved three stars on value for money and two stars for the other factors. Another low-cost giant, easyJet, scored 67 per cent, receiving two stars for boarding, customer service, seat comfort and cabin environment. United Airlines and American Airlines, both based in the US, followed scoring 68 and 69 per cent respectively. The airline scored five stars for customer service and cabin environment, and was the only one to do so.

The broadcaster said this was based on its legal obligations to broadcast the match and in order to support Ireland’s national team. The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has said the Ireland team will play the matches, with the October 4 match due to be played at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Social Democrats TD Sinead Gibney had written to RTE to ask it not to broadcast either match. Taoiseach Micheal Martin said the matches should go ahead (Cillian Sherlock/PA)“In Ireland, the responsibility obviously falls to RTE as Ireland’s national PSM, and a member of the EBU. “The FAI need to endeavour to run soccer matches, and RTE needs to do its job in fulfilling its contractual obligations,” he told RTE’s Drivetime.

John Stamos enjoyed a mini-Full House reunion with his onscreen niece Jodie Sweetin to make a funny dance video imagining what Uncle Jesse and Stephanie Tanner would post on social media today. In the cute clip, Stamos and Sweetin perform a choreographed dance to Taylor Swift's 2025 hit Opalite while coordinating in fuzzy baby-blue track suits. Stamos - who boasts 10.7 million social media followers - captioned his Instagram post: 'I'd follow them.' The talented twosome ended their dance with the two-time Emmy-nominated producer lifting Sweetin in the air and striking a dramatic end pose. Meanwhile, Sweetin welcomed two daughters - Zoie, 17, and Beatrix, 15 - during her brief marriages to second ex-husband Cody Herpin and third ex-husband, DJ Morty Coyle.

The term Gen Z refers to anyone born between 1997 and 2012 and they are classed as the first generation of digital natives, never experiencing life before dial-up. “Gen Z fundamentally questions traditional work patterns and values flexibility and other intrinsic rewards as much as salary,” he says. “For candidates, particularly Gen Z, flexibility is a must-have and they want to see it genuinely supported by leadership. From my experience, Gen Z wants the same fundamental things that all generations before them have wanted - to feel valued, respected, and connected to the work they do. Kilmartin says: “Given the espoused value system of Gen Z, we would expect to see an inclusive, collaborative and empathic style of leadership.

Jack Dorsey has axed thousands of workers at Block, the parent company of Cash App, Square and Afterpay, in a move signaling a major shift toward artificial intelligence. In a note to staff, Dorsey explained that Block would be taking on risk by investing in 'intelligence tools,' as the company cut more than 4,000 employees on Thursday. However, alongside that success came new ways for the company to integrate its intelligence tools with smaller teams, leading to massive layoffs. He added that a smaller company also creates an opportunity to grow 'the right way, on our own terms, instead of constantly reacting to market pressures.' We're going to build this company with intelligence at the core of everything we do.

This winter, avian influenza viruses have continued to circulate in wild birds across Pennsylvania, and more birds will be migrating to and through the state in the coming weeks. Strains of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus have been present in Pennsylvania’s wild birds since early 2022. As migration unfolds, the Pennsylvania Game Commission continues to respond to the outbreak, and is asking the public to report any wild birds observed sick or found dead. Submitting reports allows the Game Commission the opportunity to step in with wildlife-management actions including dispatching sick wild birds, recovering and removing carcasses, pursuing diagnostic testing, and conducting stakeholder outreach. Wild birds are natural carriers of avian influenza viruses and bird migration enables the disease to be spread over vast distances.