Tabla de contenidos para February 2025 en News Flash

Did you find Flashy’s balloon last month? It was hiding on page 7, on Judy’s badge, of all places. If you did spot it, well done! We had made it extra tricky but clearly not tricky enough. If you didn’t find it, don’t worry, you can try again this month. Flashy treated himself to a shiny new heart medal – it is Valentine’s Day after all! But typical Flashy, he’s gone and lost it. And, as usual, he’s looking for you to help him find it. If you happen to spot it, let us know by emailing win@newsflash.ie. If you are correct, you will be entered into a draw for a super-cool News Flash hoodie. Closing date for entries: February 25. Last Month's Winner: Dallán Mac Conmara Gaelscoil Chaladh an…

On February 14 we celebrate St Valentine’s Day. Last month’s featured florist will be very busy at this time of year! So too will this month’s member of the community, the jeweller. Many people give jewellery as a sign of love. Some families have heirloom jewellery. This is jewellery that has been passed down from ancestors to parents to children. So, jewellery can be very special indeed. The work of a jeweller A jeweller is someone who designs, makes and sells different types of jewellery. There are many kinds of jewellery, including necklaces, earrings, bracelets and rings, as well as many other items, so a jeweller has to be very creative. Jewellers don’t just make jewellery. As part of their job, they also repair any damage to pieces, such as…

World Book Day is coming next month – and we want you to help us celebrate it! What’s your all-time favourite book? Is it a thrilling adventure, a hilarious laugh-out-loud read, a comic, a magical tale you couldn’t put down … it might even be a magazine!? If you can find five minutes to spare over the next few weeks, we’d love it if you could send us a photo of yourself with your favourite book and write a short piece about why you chose it. Maybe it’s a book that made you laugh, taught you something new, or sparked your imagination like never before. Your entry might even be featured in next month’s issue of News Flash! So, grab your favourite book, strike a pose, and let us know…

Honesty means speaking the truth. It means you don't say things about people that aren't true. It means you admit to your actions, even if it means that you will get into trouble. Honesty is when you explain what really happened. The truth Honesty is about acting truthfully. When you hide your actions because you know they are wrong, you are not acting truthfully. If you act in a way that you know is the right thing to do, then you are being honest. Honesty is about using your conscience. This is the voice in your head and the feeling in your heart that tells you if something is right or wrong. Honesty means not hiding the truth – but it doesn't mean betraying someone else's secrets, unless there is…

There are seven temples of the Baha'i faith in the world, including the beautiful Lotus Temple in New Delhi, India. The Baha'i faith teaches that all people and all religions are equal. So, the Lotus Temple is open to anyone who wishes to pray there. Because of its wonderful design and beauty, the Lotus Temple has become one of the world’s most-visited buildings since it opened to the public in December 1986. The design of the New Delhi temple is based on the lotus flower – the national flower of India. It is made from concrete that is covered in white marble. The marble was brought from Mount Penteli in Greece. Although it looks quite delicate, the building is actually very strong – and it needs to be, as earthquakes…

Imagine a blend of tennis and lacrosse. Then add a dash of hurling and handball, and you have one of the world’s fastest (and wackiest, if you ask us) sports – Jai Alai. It originated in the Basque region of France and Spain in the 1800s. The ball used in Jai Alai, called a pelota, is made from a clump of Brazilian rubber bound together into a ball and then wrapped in goatskin. A pelota may only last for 20 minutes before needing repairs. During a game, the pelota is flung from the player’s cesta (a curved basket worn on the arm) around a walled court, called a fronton, at speeds of up to 300 kilometres an hour. The court has a centre line and seven extra lines marked out…

Meet the Gritters School children across County Clare were recently invited to name seven new gritters. Clare County Council asked for fun suggestions for names for the new vehicles, which play an important role in keeping our roads safe during snowy and icy weather. Naming gritters has become a popular trend over the last few years, and the more creative and wacky the better! The deadline for suggestions closed on January 24 and at the time of printing the winners were yet to be announced. We’ll be sure to let you know the results as soon as we do! Some suggestions from our neighbours in Scotland – who get very snowy weather – include: ‘You’re a Blizzard, Harry’, ‘Gritty McGrit Face’ and ‘Taylor Drift’. What do you think would be…

Nicolaus Copernicus was born in Torun – a city on the River Vistula in Poland – on February 19, 1473. He was the youngest of four children and his father was a wealthy copper trader. After his father’s death, when Nicolaus was ten years old, he was raised by his uncle who was a Catholic bishop. University In 1491, at the age of 18, Nicolaus enrolled at the University of Krakow in Poland. He studied mathematics and science for four years and became very interested in astronomy (the science of space and the universe). Bologna Nicolaus’s uncle sent him to Bologna in Italy to study the Laws of the Catholic Church. He hoped that Nicolaus would return to Poland after three years and take up a well-paid job in the…

Author: Jed LynchIllustrator: Stephen StonePublisher: Little IslandYear: 2020Age Range: 8+ Available now! The Free Range Detective Agency is open for its next investigation. Turkey detective Seamus is itching to get his claws into a new case, and this one could be his most challenging yet. When a top-secret money-making facility owned by two-time BusinessMonkey of the Year, Frank Bloombum, is broken into, only private detective Seamus can crack the case. This is the second instalment from Jed Lynch’s The Free Range Detective Agency series. If you loved the first one as much as we did, then you’ll want to gobble-gobble this one up. NF Rating: The Lost Treasure of Clew Bay Author: Sarah KilcoyleIllustrator: Sarah KilcoylePublisher: Gill BooksYear: 2025Age Range: 6+ Available March 2025 Saoirse and her grandad’s dog, Nessa,…

Eye Spy It’s time for the magnifying glasses again! To solve this rosy-looking puzzle, all you have to do is find the 10 hidden objects … in under 90 seconds. Time starts … NOW! Your teacher has the answers to all these puzzles (not that you'll need them… but just in case you do). Just ask nicely … AFTER you’ve tried them all, of course! Sum It Up Check out this rather lengthy sum and see if you can make it work out so that you end with 36? Careful how you go! Word Search For this month’s word search, we’ve packed the grid with Valentine-related words for you to find. As always, we’ve included a secret word not listed below. Clue: you might write one of these for a person…

Type: MammalLength: Up to 50 centimetresWeight: Up to 2 kilogramsLifespan: 12 yearsHabitat: FreshwaterWhere we live: Australia G’day mates, I’m Paco. I am a platypus and I live in Australia, in the states of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. I am one of the most unusual animals in the world. I have a paddle-shaped tail like a beaver, a sleek furry body like an otter, and a flat bill and webbed feet like a duck. I am carnivorous, which means I eat meat, not plants. I hunt for my food in the water where I live, usually at night. I am an excellent swimmer and can stay underwater for up to two minutes. As I swim, I try to detect food along the muddy bottom of the river, stream,…

This year, Chinese New Year fell on January 29, 2025, marking the start of the Year of the Snake! For Chinese people around the world, it was the biggest celebration of the year. With traditions dating back over four thousand years, the festival began as a way to mark the end of winter and the arrival of spring. Unlike the Western zodiac, which is a monthly cycle based on constellations, the Chinese zodiac includes 12 animals, each representing a year in a repeating cycle. It is believed that people born in a particular year share traits with its animal. For example, those born in the Year of the Snake are said to be wise, intuitive and mysterious. Do you know which Chinese zodiac animal represents your birth year? Tiger Born:…

Etna Date: 1944 Artist: Tirzah Garwood Nationality: English Born: 1908, England Died: 1951, England Style: Naïve Medium: Oil on Canvas On display at: Private collection Other works by Tirzah Garwood Tirzah Garwood’s parents encouraged her to study and draw flowers, birds and insects. She spent her summers hunting insects with her brother John. Later, at art school, artist Eric Ravilious taught her wood engraving. She became an expert – and later married Eric! Eric served as a war artist in World War II and died when the aircraft he was in was lost off Iceland. Tirzah then took up oil painting, creating bright and beautiful scenes despite her grief. She chose to paint in a naïve style. Etna is a simple country scene, but the effect is magical. It looks…

Official Name: Italian Republic Population: 58.9 million (nearly 10 times the population of Ireland) Capital: Rome Area: 301,277km 2 (3.5 times the size of Ireland) Major Mountain Ranges: Alps, Apennines Major Rivers: Po, Arno, Tiber Language: Italian Money: Euro Famously shaped like a boot, Italy is one of the most recognisable countries in southern Europe. It is surrounded by the Adriatic Sea, Tyrrhenian Sea and Mediterranean Sea. The Alps mountain range run along the north of the country, while the Apennines run all the way down the middle. With a population of 58.9 million people, Italy has the fifth-largest population in Europe. History People have been living in Italy for over 40,000 years and the country has a rich history. It has 50 UNESCO World Heritage Sites –…

New Deal for Haaland Erling Haaland has signed the longest contract in Premier League history. The Manchester City star agreed a nine-and-a-half-year deal – keeping him with the Premier League champions until 2034! Haaland is in his third season with Manchester City, having joined from Germany’s Borussia Dortmund in June 2022. He has already scored more than 100 goals. Should he stay at City for another decade, many believe he will break the Premier League goals record of 260, which is held by Blackburn and Newcastle legend Alan Shearer. Manchester City have been below their best this season and look set to lose their grip on the Premier League trophy. Liverpool currently lead the way and the two teams play each other on February 23. FLASHY FACT Erling Haaland once…