Loftus Hall set to reawaken 665 years of history

Irish Ghost Hunters; Tim Kelly, Tina Barcoe, Ruth Algera and Wayne Bolger

With almost 666 years of history that has intrigued, spooked and unsettled even the most hardened cynics, Ireland’s most haunted house, Loftus Hall, will reopen to the public tomorrow, March 28^th  following its winter hiatus.

Nestled on the Hook Peninsula in Co. Wexford in barren and austere surroundings, Loftus Hall which has stood on the site since 1350, is not just a mecca for paranormal enthusiasts, but for families, tourists and locals. In fact, many visitors to the area are intrigued to find out more about Hook Head’s incredible heritage and colourful history.

Aidan Quigley, owner of Loftus Hall, is busy preparing for the opening, “From previous years, we know that there is great interest in the Hall, its history, its stories and the mysterious events.”

“There has been a lot of inexplicable activity on the site.  Obviously the most heralded story is that of the “stranger” who was invited to play cards by the then owner, Charles Tottenham Loftus, in the 18^th century.  When his daughter Anne bent to retrieve a fallen playing card, she discovered that the invited guest had cloven hooves.  The stranger flew into a fiery rage, crashing through the roof leaving in his wake a smell of sulphur and brimstone, and the very same roof has been irreparable ever since.”

Last year Loftus Hall hit the international headlines once again, when tourist Thomas Beavis snapped what appeared to be a ghostly apparition in the window of the Hall.  The figures, believed to be that of Anne Tottenham who discovered the cloven hoof of the card playing stranger, and an old lady went viral igniting world-wide curiosity about Loftus Hall and its eerie past.

Aidan added, “While the Hall was closed we undertook some repairs and general maintenance over the last few months.  Even though most of the work was carried out smoothly and seamlessly, there have been a few strange goings-on such as light bulbs not working and frosty temperature drops in certain areas of the house.”

Ahead of the reopening, a group of paranormal investigators took a journey through Loftus Hall.  The Irish Ghost Hunters are a team of spectre seekers, which investigates haunted locations throughout Ireland and further afield.

As part of a TV documentary, IGH visited the Wexford demesne and their findings were somewhat disquieting.  Location Manager and Lead Investigator with IGH, Tina Barcoe recounted some of the team’s findings.  “The team used practical hand-held devices which register temperature and energy readings.  There were major temperature drops, particularly in the Chapel and the Tapestry Room.  We also registered significant spikes in the electro-magnetic fields in some areas of the house, which indicates that something, an energy source, was close by.  We also heard tapping noises within rooms that we were investigating and responses on our K2 meter (EMF) which seemed to be in connection to our questions.”

Tina added “The team in general got an unsettling feeling, and our investigation left us with more questions than answers.  We’re certainly looking forward to coming back again to see if these phenomena can be explained.”

Loftus Hall opens to the public on March 28^th and guided tours are available from 12pm to 5pm.  The tour takes 45 minutes, combining the history and legend of Loftus Hall in an entertaining, informative and interactive package.

To find out more about the House Tour, Nightfall at Loftus or the Loftus Lockdown visit www.loftushall.ie or call 051 397728.

Family carer and senior citizen guidebook-free resource for family and older people.

More than 50,000 people in Ireland are caregivers for elder parents and relatives, almost one third of the adult population. The caregiving role can be rewarding but it’s also one of high stress, low recognition and family strain.

It is always essential that people make informed decisions when it involves care for their loved ones and also paramount that carers look after themselves so as to continue with their caring role. The Family Carer and Senior Citizen Guidebook brings together practical advice and information to encourage and support these men and women who give so much for their ageing loved ones.

“Being a caregiver can be physically and emotionally exhausting. Caregivers often feel overwhelmed by the work and the demands of those receiving their care. Over time caregivers pay a high emotional, physical, social and financial price for caring and giving.”

“The Family Carer and Senior Citizen Guidebook is a support to caregivers and encourages them in their labour of love” says Danette Connolly, Director of Care at Home Instead Senior Care, Waterford.

Produced by Home Instead Senior Care with the support of Age Action, Nursing Homes Ireland and Age and Opportunity the guidebook provides a comprehensive overview of ageing issues and supports available in Ireland including: Allowances and Entitlements, Financial Advice, Legal Information, Community Support and Care Options.

The information and advice available is for family carers and older people making it easier to navigate the caring and ageing terrain in Ireland. The guidebook also contains real life stories and case studies from people who age “ successfully “- these are people who are prepared for their senior years or have cared for ageing loved ones and taken steps to safeguard their health, safety, social and family needs.

“While ageing and caring for loved ones may present many challenges, it presents an opportunity to continue to live a happy, healthy and independent life. We encourage older people and family carers alike to take the time to read the guidebook and stop, think and plan for the future and think about what is necessary to age successfully” advises Danette.

Your free copy of the Family Carer and Senior Citizen Guidebook is available from local G.P.’s and pharmacies or why not come along and collect it from the Home Instead information stand at Dungarvan Shopping Centre on Friday March 27th where the Home Instead team will be available to answer any questions you may have on the carer’s role or ageing successfully.

For more information on our homecare options or to arrange a FREE Care Consultation call 058 75298 or visit www. homeinstead.ie  

Internationally renowned Chef back on home turf!

At the age of 21 newly qualified chef Adrian O’ Herlihy graduated from Dublin College of Catering in Cathal Brugha Street, armed with a freshly pressed set of whites and a toque ready to take on the culinary world.

In a highly impressive career spanning thirty three years and nearly as many countries O’ Herlihy has returned home to Ireland.  You could be forgiven for asking why an award-winning Executive Chef who has worked in the most prestigious hotels and restaurants in the world, including the Sheraton Hotel in Addis Ababa and the Park Plaza Beijing is returning to Ireland.

According to O’ Herlihy Ireland is experiencing a resurgent food movement and he is looking forward to being part of it. “The Ireland I left behind in 1982 is very different from the Ireland of today.  The food and hospitality sector is rightfully reclaiming its place as one of the world’s leading food tourism destinations.”

“It’s an exciting time for Irish chefs and for the Irish hospitality sector, in general.  The economy is on the up, VAT is stable at a favourable 9% and the investment in great chefs, great suppliers and great producers is creating a food tourism economy that’s the envy of many countries.”

On March 19^th, Adrian will also showcase indigenous producers to a small gathering at Bellissimo. The Waterford restaurant, under the helm of renowned Head Chef Paul Power, has been championing local producers for almost 15 years.

According to Tony McMahon, proprietor of Bellissimo Restaurant the idea came about when he met Adrian on his return to Ireland. “From the outset it was obvious that we both shared the same vision and passion about good food.  There is a growing movement in Waterford of people passionate about promoting a great dining experience.  Many restaurants and hotels in the city are working in tandem, to create a quality, enjoyable and accessible dining culture.”

“By having someone of Adrian’s exceptional calibre, who brings a myriad of international experience, working alongside local producers is energizing and will certainly put the spotlight on the wonderful array of raw materials and resources that Waterford has to offer.”

Adrian will merge the characteristic styles of African, Asian and Eastern cooking with local ingredients from local producers.

Hailing from Tallow, Co. Waterford O’ Herlihy is no stranger to plaudits.  Following graduation from Dublin College of Catering, his career began its stellar trajectory and he has worked in the U.S.A, U.K., Germany, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, China, Africa and Japan. He has cooked for Royalty, Presidents, Heads of State, international diplomats, celebrities and has received personal commendations from many including Her Majesty Queen Sirikit and HSH Prince Bisadej of Thailand.  He also cooked for President Michael D. Higgins on his working visit to Africa last November.

For more about Bellissimo Restaurant check out www.bellissimo-waterford.com or visit www.adrianwohelihy.com to find out more about Adrian’s international career.

Whitfield Clinic serves up Fuel for Life

As part of its commitment to patient’s well-being, Whitfield Clinic introduced a Food and Health Initiative which ran in tandem with RTE’s popular health programme Operation Transformation.

For the last two months an Operation Transformation hot meal option was made available each day at the Atrium Café and also on inpatient menus. The meals were developed to provide a similar nutrient profile to the RTE Operation Transformation recipes and clearly labelled to help patients, staff and visitors make a healthier choice.

While nutrition plays a big role at Whitfield Clinic, so does taste and quality menu choices. Good nutrition is especially important to patients because illnesses and their treatment can affect one’s energy levels, ability to recuperate and appetite. Certain treatments can even affect ones’ body's ability to tolerate certain foods and best use of nutrients. 

The Whitfield Clinic catering department’s Nutritionist Charlotte Cummins emphasises the importance of a healthy and nutritionally balanced menu. As patients present themselves at Whitfield Clinic it is essential that the menu offered provides optimum nutrition for people with illnesses and recovery plans. “I nutritionally analyse the operation transformation meals to ensure the nutrient profile is suitable for patients; these meals are low fat, low salt, source of fibre, suitable for vegetarians or made from ingredients containing no gluten to ensure there is something healthy for everyone.”

Whitfield Head chef Romain Bierry outlined his team’s commitment to giving patients a healthy choice.  He said, “Our commitment to patients and visitors is to ensure that we provide them with daily, tasty, fresh and nutrient rich choices.  We work with local producers to ensure market-fresh ingredients in all our recipes. Each morning the kitchen team creates every meal from scratch to ensure that our customers enjoy higher quality food with more taste.”

“We are determined to ensure that all patients at Whitfield are assured of a meal that is fresh, tasty, packed with nutrients and in some ways goes to assisting recuperation.  The Operation Transformation healthy meal options were a resounding success and we intend to continue offering a varied and tasty selection of health options for all our patients.”

The daily menu at Whitfield included Operation Transformation favourites such as Stir Fried Pork with Ginger, Lemon Aioli Marinated Chicken, Chorizo Spiced Haddock and a range of vegetarian options.

 “We are delighted to see that our patients and visitors supported our Food and Health Initiative with almost 70% of patients choosing our Operation Transformation option,” explained Whitfield’s Catering Manager, Alan O’Connor.

“Every day we invest a huge effort into helping our patients and visitors eat right by making the healthy option the easy option. The food on our plates is the result of intensive work and commitment by our dietician, food development team, chefs and local suppliers.”

 If you would like to learn more about Whitfield Clinic’s health food options, offer some suggestions, or if you just want to see what they have for lunch, please contact us on whitfieldclinic@ksg.ie