A feeling of hunger that never goes away

EDITOR – I would be grateful for the opportunity to let readers of the Southern Star know about an important conference for people with an interest in Prader-Willi Syndrome taking place in the University of Limerick from July 6th to 10th.

Prader-Willi Syndrome, or PWS, is named after the Swiss doctors who first identified it. It is a complex genetic disorder that is characterised by a feeling of hunger that never goes away and an inability to control the impulse to seek and eat food.

People with PWS live in a constant state of worry and anxiety about food. Unless the person is supervised at all times, it can lead to excessive eating and life-threatening obesity.

PWS also gives rise to intellectual disability, mental health problems, challenging behaviour, and complex medical issues such as scoliosis and seizures.

The forthcoming conference offers a particular opportunity for families to come together to gain support from each other.

There is a stream dedicated to parents, with talks on supporting children with PWS from children to adulthood, as well as sessions on topical issues such as nutrition, physical activity, body perception, obesity management and sleep disorders.

While there is no cure or treatment yet for PWS, the conference will showcase the latest international research and the significant advances that continue to be made.

We also hope to shine a light on how people with PWS can be better supported and how standards of care can be improved.

We would be delighted to welcome anyone with an interest in the area to register at www.pwsai.ie/ipwso-conference.

Anthony Carr,

Chairperson Prader-Willi Syndrome Association Ireland,

Dublin 7.

Looking for films on hurling in Hollywood

EDITOR –We are producing a new series for TG4 recounting the history of depictions of Gaelic on film.

Based on Seán Crosson’s book Gaelic Games on Film, Iománaíocht Hollywood/Hollywood Hurling will be the first screen exploration of this fascinating topic.

It will feature rarely screened or never-before-seen footage of Gaelic games from both international and indigenous productions.

We are seeking contributors to the series – including past players, contributors to relevant productions, and followers of Gaelic games – who may recall the screening of Gaelic games on film in previous decades, perhaps in the highlights, productions of All Irelands produced by the National Film Institute between the 1940s and 1970, Amharc Éireann, documentary productions of Gael Linn, or major productions featuring Gaelic games like Rooney (1958).

We’d be eternally grateful to your readers with memories to share and contributions to make if they’d contact us at [email protected].

Mac Dara Ó Curraidhín,

LMDÓC,

An Spidéal, Gaillimh.

Barristers services do not come cheap

EDITOR –We are informed that based on the ruling of ‘one’ person, it is possible that barristers may now replace gardaí prosecuting district court cases.

There may be some valid justification for this, but should the ruling of one person change a long established policy?

In addition this will involve substantial costs to the taxpayer, one would imagine, as barristers do not come cheap.

Should the government not be involved in this due to cost to taxpayers?

Michael A Moriarty,

Rochestown.

Bank holidays seem to be linked to bad driving

EDITOR –The country seems to be slipping back into the routine of carnage over bank holiday weekends.

Our last bank holiday was labelled by the media as ‘appalling’ with seven fatal crashes. No one will dispute that.

Every time one hears of a bank holiday coming around the corner, it is almost invariably the case that people will die on our roads. Let’s not pretend that it has nothing to do with alcohol or drugs, because these elements are big causes of crashes as statistics have shown.

In fact, we would be better off without bank or public holidays altogether, because they seem to be a magnet for bad or impaired driving. Gangs of young men packed into one car with the music up full blast, shouting and roaring is a common sight over long weekends, which can be accompanied by reckless or dangerous driving. However, bad and impaired driving is not exclusive to young men.

Our insurance premiums are going to continue to rise and soar, notwithstanding recent changes to quantum given out in our courts for personal injury, if we cannot stop our culture of road deaths over long weekends.

Maurice Fitzgerald,

Shanbally.