Innehållsförteckning för March 2025 från The Primary Planet

Hello, TPPers! Welcome to the March issue of what we hope is your favourite magazine! And boy, have we got a packed issue for you to lose yourself in this month. But, before you do, let me ask – how did you enjoy reading about the latest tech on offer? The CES feature is always one we enjoy bringing to you, so we hope it didn’t disappoint. In this issue – our 140th, I may add – we’ve strayed a little off track. Or, to be more accurate, a little underground. It wasn’t a planned feature, I can tell you, but when I stumbled upon the story last month, I was mesmerised. Imagine a secret cave in the Austrian Alps protecting and safeguarding the story of modern man for what…

Saint Patrick’s Day Festival On Monday, March 17, 2025, join half a million spectators in Dublin to witness more than 4,000 parade participants in a stunning display. The theme is Adventures (Eachtraí), representing the adventurous spirit inside us all. Spectacular floats will wind through the streets, while 12 marching bands from across Ireland, North America and Austria add to the celebratory mood. It’s shaping up to be the largest ever St Patrick’s Day Parade! A special pageant will celebrate 40 years of the Pavee Point & Roma Traveller Centre, highlighting the shared traditions of these communities. At the heart of the pageant is the iconic wagon wheel – a powerful symbol of both cultures. To honour this now-lost skill, Pavee Point has partnered with a skilled Romani craftsperson to design…

This month in history 60 years ago On this day NASA launched its Ranger 9 spacecraft on a mission to crash into the Moon and send back live TV images. It weighed 366.87 kilograms and was 3.6 metres long. 20 minutes prior to impact, it began taking the first of 5,814 pictures from an altitude of 2,100 kilometres. It then crashed into the Moon’s surface. The images were broadcast live across the US. It was the final Ranger mission and was targeted to the Alphonsus crater, a possible site for recent volcanic activity. 75 years ago On this day, American Edgar Rice Burroughs died of a heart attack, aged 74. He was the creator of Tarzan, who became a famous character world-wide and a cultural icon (an important and enduring…

Shredding and Spreading Hup out of it, Planet Farmers, and welcome to the March edition. You may have heard the phrase ‘mad as a March hare’. Well, it is mad busy around our farm at the moment and I am running like a hare from Billy to Jack. The calves are coming thick and fast. My wife is not overly happy as the utility is full of calving ropes, jugs, feeding bottles, iodine spray etc. To be fair to her, the smell is not great either. Back around 2012, Big Cow (known as Big) was the matriarch of the herd. The fourth-generation heifer was born last week and I was very emotional when she arrived. I might do an article on the four generations at a later date. On St…

Maker: Aspark CoCountry: JapanModel: Owl SP600Year: 2025Fuel: ElectricTransmission: AutomaticTop Speed: 438.7 km/hHorsepower: 2,012 hp Engineering & Design: The Owl’s chassis is made from carbon fibre, with a stainless-steel support structure in the roof to increase body strength. It weighs 2,000 kg and features a double wishbone suspension system for improved handling. Did You KNOW? Why is it called the Owl? Do its butterfly doors resemble an owl’s wings? Nope. Do its headlights look like owl eyes? Not quite! According to Aspark, the name was inspired by an owl in flight hunting its prey – silent but deadly. (Hmm, OK, we’ll allow them that!) Behind the Badge Founded by Japanese entrepreneur Masanori Yoshida in Osaka, Aspark marks its 20th anniversary in 2025. Initially providing engineering services for the automotive and electronics…

To Boldly Go John McFall, a former Paralympian sprinter who lost his right leg at 19, is on a mission to become the first astronaut with a disability. When he saw a job advert for astronauts, his first thought was – that would be awesome! Now, after tackling the European Space Agency’s gruelling selection and training process, he’s pushing the boundaries of space travel – testing whether someone with a disability can live and work in space. Aiming for a mission at some time between 2027 and 2030, John sees his role as more than just a test pilot. ‘My job is to make sure people have a well-rounded and informed definition of disability and what being disabled means,’ he explains. DID YOU KNOW? John rejects the term ‘parastronaut’, insisting…

The Bere people come from the frosty lowlands of Planet Trulls, and are renowned for their magical songs and long memories. Their singing can make people cry, laugh or fall asleep. Curiosity, greed and ferocity are three of their defining characteristics. They love all birds, bar the lesser spotted gruck-duck whom they hunt mercilessly. On their first visit to Earth they saw at once that the children were the problem ... WIN! WIN! If your story is published in next month’s issue, expect a super-cool TPP hoodie in the post, along with a copy of The Girl Who Fell to Earth. Remember to keep your stories to 400 words or less and email them to schools@theprimaryplanet.ie before March 20. This month’s winning entry The Wish Ellie was eight and a half,…

Sport not to be missed this month Highlighting the best sporting action taking place this month Ireland vs France MAR 8 A Six Nations title-decider takes place in Dublin, where an Ireland victory would put them on course for a hat-trick of championships. France suffered a surprise loss away to England last month but remain one of the best teams in world rugby. Cheltenham Festival MAR 11 MAR 14 Thousands of Irish horse racing fans will travel to England for the highlight of the jumps season. The best Irish horses and jockeys will compete with their British counterparts for almost €6m in prize money, with crowds of 250,000 expected across the four days. Clare vs Cork MAR 9 There is a repeat of last year’s epic All-Ireland hurling final in Ennis, and Clare…

Antrim Threaten Boycott Antrim have insisted their Ulster Championship opener against Armagh be played at their home ground, Corrigan Park, or they will refuse to play the match. Antrim were drawn as the home team for their provincial quarter-final with the All-Ireland champions on April 12. However, Ulster GAA officials said their Belfast home wasn’t big enough to host the match. Corrigan Park has a capacity of 4,000 but a game involving the Sam Maguire Cup holders could attract more than double that. Antrim are resisting attempts to move the game to a neutral venue and say they will not fulfil the fixture if that happens. ‘Corrigan Park is our home venue and that's where the Ulster Championship game against Armagh should be played,’ said Antrim manager Andy McEntee. Meanwhile,…

Ireland face their toughest test to date in the Six Nations when France visit Dublin on March 8. Pre-tournament, this was billed as a potential Grand Slam decider but France’s surprise loss to England put paid to that notion. Beat Les Bleus and Ireland are on course for a third successive Six Nations title, something that has never been achieved (even when it was the Four and Five Nations). Lose and a nerve-wracking final round awaits on March 15, when Ireland travel to Rome and France host Scotland. Ireland have won their last two matches against France, including an impressive 21-point victory in Marseille last year. A red card helped Ireland’s cause that day, however. This game is expected to be much tighter. The final round is known as ‘Super…

Welcome to The Safety Zone, in partnership with the Health and Safety Authority (HSA). The Safety Zone is an important part of AG MAG, bringing you the latest tips, news and events on farm safety. In this month’s Safety Zone, HSA Farm Inspector Róisín takes us through the dangers of tractors and machinery on farms. Farmers use all sorts of machines – tractors, slurry tankers, fertiliser spreaders and more. These machines make farm work easier but can also be dangerous if we’re not careful. Knowing how to stay safe around them is key to preventing accidents and injuries. STAY AWAY FROM DANGEROUS MACHINERY! Machines can be extremely dangerous – for example, some have moving parts that can seriously injure you if you get too close to them while they are…

TRY OUR TREE-MENDOUS WORD SEARCH! National Tree Week is all about celebrating the amazing trees that grow across Ireland. From giant oaks to tiny acorns, trees help nature, provide homes for wildlife, produce sustainable wood and even clean the air we breathe! Hidden in this word search are 26 tree-related words from our A-Z of Ireland’s Super Trees, listed below. Can you find them all? Look carefully – words can read forwards, backwards or diagonally! ○ ACORNS○ BIRD CHERRY○ CARBON○ DECIDUOUS○ EVERGREEN○ FUNGI○ GIANT○ HAZELNUTS○ IRELAND○ JAYS○ KING OAK○ LEAVES○ MAGPIES○ NESTS○ OLDEST○ POLLINATION○ QUERCUS○ ROOTS○ SITKA SPRUCE○ TIMBER○ UNDERSTOREY○ VIKINGS○ WINDBLOWN○ XYLOPHAGES○ YEW○ ZERO WASTE NATIONAL TREE WEEK 2025 QUIZ TIME How much do you know about trees? Can you name a tree from its leaves? Do you know…

? Ask your teacher for the answer! Age: 20 County: Tyrone Sport: Athletics Nick Griggs may have only just reached his twenties, but he’s already making serious strides in athletics. A two-time European Championship gold medallist at U20 level, the Tyrone speedster has set his sights on becoming an Olympian at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. While Griggs now competes in middle and long-distance events, it was a 100m icon who first inspired his love for athletics – Usain Bolt. ‘I first watched Usain at the London 2012 Olympics,’ said Griggs. ‘I sat in front of the TV and screamed the house down when he ran 9.63 seconds in the 100m. It sparked a dream that is still with me – to be an Olympian and win a medal.’…

Oooooh! Last month’s hiding spot was a very sneaky and – if I am to be honest – slightly blurry affair. Seamie did nothing wrong, as such. He headed for the capital – the GPO, to be exact – and took up a spot on a pillar to the right of the building. The only thing is, he seemed to blend right into the background. And by that we don’t mean figuratively – we mean quite literally. I found it hard myself trying to pick him out from the image. However, there was no fooling many of you, fuzzy though our little man was, because no sooner had the magazines hit the school tables than we were getting entries in from as far north as Donegal to as far south…

Project: Deep We often hear about the possibility of humans living in outer space, but have you ever wondered what it would be like to live under the sea? Sounds crazy? Well, soon it may become a reality, thanks to a project taking place on the Welsh border. The project, called Deep, aims to test and build underwater accommodation. From 2027, the project founders hope to establish a ‘permanent human presence’ under the sea. The project is being funded by an anonymous donor who believes it will ‘increase understanding of the ocean and its critical role for humanity’. The test site is in an old quarry that was flooded around 30 years ago and was used by a diving school until 2022. On land, there will be a training school,…

Title: City ViewDate: 1994 Artist: Friedensreich Hundertwasser Nationality: Austrian; later New Zealander Born: Austria, 1928 Died: Pacific Ocean, on the Queen Elizabeth 2 ocean liner in 2000 Style: Transautomatism Medium: Mixed, including watercolour, egg tempera (egg yolk mixed with coloured powder) and oil Friedensreich Hundertwasser was an Austrian artist and architect who emigrated to New Zealand, where he bought land and lived closely connected to nature. He strongly believed that humans cannot be happy living apart from nature, and he hated the conformity of buildings that have no character and don’t allow people to be individual and creative. He loved vivid colours and absolutely hated straight lines, which he said were ‘unnatural’. Even the houses he designed had strange shapes, often with trees growing from inside and stretching out through…

Crawl Space While Samy Arbid was packing to evacuate his home in California with his family during the Los Angeles wildfires, he heard strange sounds from the crawl space under the floor. He thought it was an opossum – until the animal started bellowing. Turned out it was Barry, a big black bear who had been hanging around the neighbourhood for some time. Before Samy could do anything, he was ordered by firefighters to evacuate immediately. When Samy and his family came home days later, to their amazement there were still noises coming from under the house. Rather than making a run for it, Barry had stayed holed up there as the fires raged. To lure Barry out, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife put a huge meal, including…

Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia, was founded in 1949 and put on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1979. The protected area extends over 296.85 square kilometres in central Croatia and is visited by about almost two million people a year. Its name is pronounced ‘pleet-veet-seh’ and comes from the Croatian word for ‘shallow’ because of its remarkable shallow lakes. Unique creation It really is an amazing and unique place. Visitors are mesmerised by the brilliantly coloured lakes and waterfalls in shades of bright blue, green and grey. The colours change constantly, depending on the quantity of minerals or organisms in the water and the angle of the sunlight. The largest waterfall, Veliki Slap (Big Waterfall), is 78 m high. There are 12 upper lakes and four lower ones; they…

Is Mars to be our future home? The experts think so. In fact, some are determined that it will be. Even in the year 2000, setting foot on the Red Planet seemed like a fantasy. Today, landing and exploring there is certain – and some say so is colonisation. An ancient name Mars was named by the Romans, after their god of war because of its reddish blood-like colour. (March is also named after him: the Latin is ‘Martius’.) Other civilisations also named it after warlike gods. We call it the Red Planet. It looks red because of iron minerals in its rocks, soil and dust that oxidise and rust. In actual fact, it’s more of a light orange colour. Rovers explore Mars is the only planet where rovers have…

In today’s fast-moving world, stress and anxiety are everywhere. We rush from one thing to the next, putting huge pressure on ourselves. Wouldn’t it be great if we could slow down and feel more in control? Well, we can! The way we manage our thoughts is our choice. Letting go of certain thought patterns can free us from unnecessary worries. Anxiety often isn’t real – we say things like ‘What if…’ or ‘I bet…’, imagining worst-case scenarios that may never happen. We can also get stuck in past mistakes, but remember – your past does not define who you are today. In moments of worry, never underestimate yourself. This too shall pass. Now, let’s explore ways to manage anxiety and even use it to our advantage instead of avoiding it.…

With the Super Bowl dust beginning to settle, we thought this would be an ideal month to look at the stateside version of football – a game full of strategy and planned plays. They say when you know the rules, it is a thrilling sport to watch – so here is American football in a nutshell. American Football Touchdown: Scoring a 'touchdown' is the biggest goal in American football and earns six points. It happens when a player carries the ball into the opposing team’s end zone or catches it there. Strangely enough, they don’t have to actually touch the ball down, unlike in rugby. Teams: There are 11 players from each team on the field, and they play specific positions grouped into three main categories – offense, defense and…

What an impact David Moyes has made since returning to the Toffees! A superb unbeaten run helped pull them clear of the Premier League relegation zone. The Scottish champions suffered late heartbreak in the Champions League as they conceded an injury-time goal against Bayern Munich to bow out 3-2 on aggregate. United in Relegation Trouble There are less than three months remaining in the Premier League season and Manchester United are looking nervously over their shoulders. United fans are used to seeing their side compete at the table of the table, but the Red Devils find themselves embroiled in a relegation scrap. Could the unthinkable happen? A Premier League without Manchester United? Unless results drastically improve, it could become a reality. Ruben Amorim has failed to turn United’s fortunes around…

Howdy, AG MAGGERS! Here we are in Issue #4 already, and what an action-packed issue we have for you this month! As you may have noticed, we are on a mission this month. With National Tree Week taking place from March 9 to 16, we're bringing the amazing world of trees to you, with special attention paid to the beautiful forests of our land. From quizzes to conundrums, and from fascinating facts to our A-Z guide to our super trees, we hope you will come to learn just how important and amazing our woodlands, forests and parks truly are. Of course, we’ve got lots more in here for you too. For starters you can check out our collection of farming news from the last month. From reports on the terrible…

CELEBRATING IRELAND'S TREES AND FORESTS This year, National Tree Week takes place from Sunday, March 9, to Sunday, March 16, with the theme ‘ Planting Trees, Growing Together’. Coillte is a proud partner of National Tree Week and celebrates all the benefits that trees and forests deliver to us – for climate, nature, wood and people. During National Tree Week, lots of fun activities take place around the country, including tree-planting ceremonies, guided forest walks, educational workshops and conservation talks. GET INVOLVED National Tree Week is the perfect time to learn all about Ireland’s trees and forests. Get involved by planting a sapling, exploring a local woodland or learning more about the trees that thrive here. Everyone can play a role in protecting Ireland’s green future. Has your school planned…

This issue of AG MAG sees us leave John Deere but stick with the green, as we have chosen the Fendt 620 Vario DP as our tractor of the month. This award-winning high-tech tractor is built for power and efficiency – helping farmers do tough jobs like ploughing, baling and harvesting with ease. It has a fuel-saving engine, a super-strong hydraulic system and a comfy, high-tech cab that makes driving it a dream! With its sleek design and iconic green and red, the Fendt 620 Vario DP is a tractor that turns heads both on the road and in the field! SCAN ME to watch a video of the Fendt 620 in action! The Fendt 620 Vario DP can reach up to 224 horsepower, making it perfect for pulling heavy…

3,700 people are killed worldwide on roads every day. Here in Ireland, there were 174 fatalities on Irish roads in 2024. It’s something we have come to expect. But we cannot deny that most so-called ‘accidents’ are actually preventable. And very often driving too fast is involved. More than 1,000 motorists were stopped for speeding over the Saint Brigid bank holiday weekend in February. New limits New speed limits are now being put into effect. Vision Zero, a Road Safety Authority (RSA) programme, aims to eliminate deaths and serious injuries on our roads by 2050. New signs will be erected – there will be a rural speed limit sign, which is a white circle with three diagonal black lines, signifying a reduction to 60 km/h. Rural roads first The local…

Our Island’s History Proudly Sponsored By As we discovered in last month’s article, the 1798 rebellion was ruthlessly crushed by the British with a great loss of life. It is estimated that at least 30,000 people died in that conflict, with thousands more injured. Those who supported the rebellion lived in fear that they might be arrested and exiled to the British colonies in Australia. Fear of France Despite the failure of the rebellion, William Pitt, the British Prime Minister, and his government feared that another rebellion might take place. At this time England and France were bitter enemies and had been at war for many years. The British were especially worried that France might help the Irish to stage another revolt – or worse, that they might invade Ireland…

# 1 The Truth Is Out There … in Russia Miners in Russia have been left scratching their heads after finding a strange object that looks suspiciously like a flying saucer. Deep in the Earth at a mine in Siberia, workers uncovered the perfectly circular 440 kg piece during a routine dig. ‘I have never seen anything like this object, which is obviously man-made, here in the middle of nowhere,’ said excavator Boris Glazkov, who was called in to examine it. UFO enthusiasts around the world have reacted excitedly after seeing pictures of the bizarre object online – but they don’t exactly agree with Boris that it is man-made. ‘Why on earth would a human create such a weird object and bury it so deeply?’ asked one web-user. ‘I think…

When our STEM writer Dr Martin McHugh sent in his news articles for last month’s Planet STEM, one of the pieces was about the incredible story of the DNA memory crystal (see left), and it got us thinking. Firstly, how amazing it was that we could possibly send a message to people (or others) living thousands of years in the future. Secondly, where exactly would the people behind the project store this tiny, indestructible piece of human history? Our curiosity (and research skills) soon led us to the Memory of Mankind (MoM) project – an underground archive preserving knowledge, culture, and now even DNA for the future. It was such a fascinating discovery that we decided to write a full feature on it for TPPers to marvel at and, hopefully,…

It was World Book Day, and Ms. Quinn’s class wanted to do something special to celebrate. Every year they visited the local library, but this time – thanks to a rare brainwave from Kevin Gallagher – they had decided on a trip to The Quaint Quill, a small bookshop at the end of Church Street. What was strange was that, out of 32 children, only four had ever set foot inside the shop. Kevin wasn’t one of them – which, he admitted, was exactly why he suggested the trip in the first place. At the door, Mr. Joyce, the bookshop owner, greeted them with a slightly shaken expression. ‘Come in, come in,’ he said, ushering them inside. ‘I had a special surprise for you, Ciara,’ he began to explain, ‘but…

TPP's Book of the Month Check out The Girl Who Fell to Earth by Patricia Forde, our book of the month for March. Title: The Girl Who Fell to EarthAuthor: Patricia FordePublisher: Little Island BooksYear: 2023 Aria is a proud Terrosian who loves living with her friends and family on Planet Terros. However, Aria’s always felt a little different; she isn’t good at science, despite being genetically designed to be a scientist, she gets ill and has allergies (Terrosians are designed to never get sick), and she loves writing (a skill of no use on Planet Terros as they have all the literature they will ever need). One day Aria discovers that her DNA is different to other Terrosians, and it seems that the answers as to why are linked…

Sea lions have six extant (living) and one extinct species. The Japanese sea lion became extinct in the 1970s, due to being hunted in the 1900s for their oil and use in medicine. In total, Japanese trawlers caught as many as 16,500 sea lions and didn’t stop until they were all gone. Now, another sea lion species is in danger. According to the IUCN Red List, the population of Galápagos sea lions is around 9,200-10,600 mature animals. That means this species is classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List, and its numbers are decreasing. Galápagos Islands The Galápagos sea lions live on the Galápagos Islands and on Isla de la Plata, off the coast of Ecuador. The islands are world-famous because the animals Charles Darwin observed there in…

Tributes have been paid to boxer John Cooney and jockey Michael O’Sullivan after the pair tragically lost their lives last month. Cooney, from Clarinbridge in Galway, died aged 28. He won 11 of his 12 professional fights and was crowned Celtic super-featherweight champion in November 2023. Cork rider O’Sullivan died aged 24. He was crowned champion U21 rider in 2019 and memorably won two races on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival in 2023. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a n-anamacha.…

Have you time to take Tony’s Premier League Quiz? Of course you do! 1. What was the final score when Nottingham Forest faced Brighton? 2. Can you remember who scored a hat-trick in that game? 3. Everton drew 2-2 with Liverpool in the final Merseyside derby to be played at Goodison Park. Who scored their injury-time equaliser? 4. There were angry scenes at the full-time whistle, with two players sent off. Can you name them? 5. Who scored the only goal as Tottenham beat fellow strugglers Manchester United? 6. Who hit a hat-trick as Manchester City thumped Newcastle 4-0? 7. Liverpool came from behind to draw 2-2 at Aston Villa. Who scored their second-half equaliser? 8. Chelsea lost back-to-back matches against the same team in the FA Cup and Premier…

AG MAG NEWS FEED IS PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY IRELAND'S LARGEST FARMING NEWS PORTAL STORM ÉOWYN FOREST RECOVERY On January 24, Storm Éowyn swept across Ireland, causing widespread damage to trees and forests nationwide. Forests in the north-west of Ireland were the worst affected. The storm’s impact was severe, damaging all types of forests including productive woodlands, biodiversity areas and recreational forest parks. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, and Minister of State for Forestry, Horticulture and Farm Safety, Michael Healy-Rae, have established a Forest Windblow Taskforce to ensure that storm-damaged forests are managed safely and appropriately. A large-scale assessment of the damage is underway. Foresters are using drones, satellite imagery and on-the-ground inspections to determine the extent of the damage and support the recovery process. For…

Ireland is home to some truly amazing trees – from towering centuries-old giants to tiny seedlings that will grow for hundreds of years to come. Trees clean our air, shelter wildlife and even shape our history! Check out our A-Z guide, packed with tree-mendous facts about Ireland’s trees, from acorns right through to zero waste. Explore the incredible world of trees and discover why they are so important for our climate, nature, wood – and our future! A IS FOR ACORNS Acorns, the nuts of oak trees, are collected by squirrels and jays. Best of all, uneaten ones can grow into mighty oak trees. B IS FOR BIRD CHERRY The bird cherry tree produces small black cherries that are a favourite food for blackbirds and thrushes. C IS FOR CARBON…

We caught up with Kevin Keane, the young farmer from Drumshanbo in Co. Leitrim who stole the show on The Late Late Toy Show last November. From TV appearances to farming life, Kevin shared his amazing experiences with us! AG MAG: How did you end up on The Late Late Toy Show? I applied and was lucky enough to be chosen! It was unreal – seeing how live telly works, meeting Patrick Kielty and the RTÉ crew, and hanging out with the other participants. I had great fun, but I never expected the reaction afterwards! It turned out, everyone loved my ‘Leitrim Half Dozen’ joke. Sure you know yourself – eggflation! AG MAG: We thought it was by far the pick of the night! But what was it like after…