Sometimes reading the newspaper classifieds throws up unique notices! From today's Irish Independent, Friday 16th October 2026.

Hello if anyone could help me with a query I have regards buying a banjo for the first time it would be greatly appreciated.

I’m stuck between three banjos for Irish trad if people want to help me decide the first is a deering good time two 800 the second Gold Tone IT-19 Irish Tenor 680 and the third a Clareen bridge 450.

Id appreciate any advice on what would be most suited to playing in Irish trad sessions, thanks.

To the young lad and girl going around Dublin handing out food and drink to homeless people on O'Connell Street on Thurs night 15/10, you two are heroes and deserve to be applauded 👏👏👏

Drove way across town to get this, Seattle.
So much tea in the bag! Some tea bags are very miserly with how much tea is in the actual tea bag! Not this one…I like a brew that you can stand the spoon up in…this fits the bill😆

The absolute state of our health service.

I’m currently 22 weeks pregnant and had a bleed yesterday which was extremely worrying. I rang my maternity unit and was told, because I’m less than 24 weeks, I would have to present at A&E department instead of getting straight to maternity ward. I sat in a packed waiting room for 8 hours before I got to see a doctor. Absolutely no urgency. Thankfully the bleeding has subsided and baby is happily kicking away.

Don’t get sick in this country.

To any of ye that wanted an update on the delivery driver who shat in my garden, after a few weeks of back and forth with Just Eat, sending them the photos and videos, they first offered me £25 (idk why it’s in pounds I presume the higher up compliance team is UK based) which I refused as insulting considering the circumstances.

They’ve settled on £50 which I haven’t accepted yet. Obviously it’s good they got rid of the fella but I think there should be better avenues for this, it took two weeks for them to even see the report in the first place.

Anyways, doubt my sister will be ordering crisps and chocolate again.

I wonder when he’ll get removed from the packaging like Uncle Ben & such

While employers are under no obligation to recognise them, significant advances can still be made through well organised strike action in the private sector.

Your right to freedom of association and trade union membership is constitutionally protected and guaranteed. Legal structures and protections exist for taking industrial action (imperfect) but they are there and not complicated.

Dispute over t&cs -> ballot -> serve 7 days notice -> strike.

Not complicated at all, takes time to organise, prepare and strategise but not complicated.

Striking is the most powerful tool workers' have and its high time the employer class was reminded of that.

It's the third anniversary of my Dad's death today. To mark the day myself and my siblings, scattered across Ireland and abroad, indulge with cake to remember a man who loved nothing more than a sweet treat. What traditions if any do you partake in to remember lost loved ones?