Inside track: When summer sales are replaced by school merchandise, you know the holidays are nearly over.
This is so depressing that Seasonal Affect Disorder, a condition including fatigue, anxiety and irritability can occur. It can be depressing to think about school, post-summer expenses and gridlock. To combat despondency make a list of all tasks, organising just one day to complete them. Plan short breaks and treats for autumn Marie Murray, clinical psychologist
Cool for kids: The Lambert Puppet Theatre and Museum in Monkstown, Co Dublin stages shows each Saturday and Sunday at 3.30 p.m., only a short journey from the city centre. The theatre houses a 250-seat auditorium, function room and a museum featuring puppets from the Lamberts' shows. There is also a fine collection of other puppets from all over the world. Currently running are Little Red Riding Hood and Bandicoot and the Egg. For further details contact 01-2800974 Louise Holden
Watch out: This summer has been great for the west of Ireland ferns, sprouting from walls and giving any old oakwood the look of a rainforest. Plumes of male and lady fern, tree-gardens of polypody, ripples of hart's tongue - such an elegant collection. Most stately is the royal fern, osmunda regalis, that flourishes in wet, peaty ditches along moorland roads. Its fertile fronds terminate in elaborate plumes that shed its spores. Michael Viney
Stars and gripes/Pat Dolan - Cork City manager and football pundit
Best holiday: It was in Denver, in the mid-west of the US. To be honest with you, the main reasoI went was because I'd seen Dynasty as a kid. There is always something to do there, from the Rocky Mountains to skiing in Aspen to a week-long rodeo festival we saw in neighbouring Wyoming.
Worst holiday: In Turin, when I was given advice by a friend about where to rent a car. I came to a toll bridge, tried to stop, but couldn't find the brakes. I pulled in and saw all the brake fluid gushing out. I rang the rental place but they couldn't understand me and I couldn't understand them. So there I was in the lashing rain next to a broken car speaking to people with no English and me with no Italian. In conversation with Fiachra Ó Cionnaith
Where to go, what to see: For entertainment listings, see The Ticket, every Friday in The Irish Times, or go to www.ireland.com/theticket
For other events see the What's On column in the main paper every Thursday and the Saturday magazine
Off the shelf
The Road to Croker, Eamonn Sweeney, Hodder €12.99: Looking beyond the usual GAA heroes to the supporter, this book covers the 2003 championship. Non-stop anecdotes are woven together into a narrative which is hilarious from the first line. Not since Breandán ó hEithir's Over The Bar has there been such a fine book on the GAA. Tomás Kenny, Kenny's Bookshop, Galway
