Results of the Kinsale RFC 5 mile...Sun 30th Sept 2012

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 Winners of the Kinsale RFC 5 mile...Mark Hanrahan and Claire McCarthy are presented with their prizes from John Walsh of Kinsale RFC.
There was a turnout of 180 for this event. 

1    23:52    Mark Hanrahan    Male    Open    Leevale AC
2    26:18    John Meade    Male    Open    St.Finbarrs AC
3    26:26     Danny Smith     Male    Open    Ballynonty AC
7    28:20    Claire McCarthy    Female    Open    St Finbarr's AC
9    28:55    Laura Crowe    Female    Open    0
27    33:40    Una Plant    Female    Open    0

The full results can be found HERE

Results of the Skibbereen 10k road race...Sun 30th Sept 2012

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The mens race was won by George Waugh of Bandon AC. George also won the 5k race in Rosscarbery the previous day!

    Place    Time    Name    Team    Race Age Category    min/mile       
    1    0:33:27    WAUGH, George    Bandon AC    M    05:22.9    279    1
    2    0:33:40    MURPHY, Cian    Iveragh AC    M    05:25.0    322    2
    3    0:36:42    PATTERSON, Robert    St. Finbarrs AC    M    05:54.3    329    3
   14    0:41:02    O'NEILL, Anna    Doheny AC    F40    06:36.1    244    14
   15    0:41:13    HAYES, Orla    unatt/Skibbereen    F    06:37.9    209    15
   31    0:42:48    O'NEILL, Eadaoin    East Cork AC    F    06:53.1    262    31

The full results can be seen HERE

BBC Panorama : The Truth about Sports Products...

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This one hour BBC Panorama programme which was first shown last July looks at the various claims made about sports products.

It starts off with sports drinks, then running shoes and finishes with nutritional supplements. In each case, the direct evidence for supporting manufacturers claims is poor. In one study of Marathon runners, they found that there was no performance difference between those who drank a sports drink and those who just drank water.


As with all YouTube clips, watch it sooner rather than later. Video clips of TV programmes are often deleted. Worth watching.

Race notice...Rebel Run 10k...Sun 21st OCt 2012

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This is a brand new race on the calendar and it looks likely that it will get a good turnout.


The race will start and finish near the CIT campus in Bishopstown and the course will take in a loop to the west.



From the organisers....The Leisureworld Rebel Run 10k is a joint initative between Leisureworld Cork and The Cork Sports Partnership and suppoted by CIT, CIT Athletics Club and Athletics Ireland. The 10k route is an officially measured and timed course that is the first of its kind in Bishopstown.  The event is open to runners and joggers of all fitness levels, and there are also prizes for different categories on the day. 
DATE: SUNDAY 21ST OCTOBER 2012
START TIME: 9.45AM
VENUE: BISHOPSTOWN
LIMITED TO 750 RUNNERS
ONLINE REGISTRATION ONLY (CLOSES 18TH OCTOBER 2012)
€15 Entry Fee

Chip Timing / Technical souvenir T-Shirt / Goody Bag / AAI Licence & Measured by Jones Counter / Over 18’s only

POSTAL ENTRY:  Download ENTRY FORM HERE - Closing date for postal entries is close of business October 12th or when max numbers (750) have been reached.

Sign in will take place in Leisureworld Bishopstown during the following times & dates prior to the event on October 21st: Thursday 18th & Friday 19th between 5pm and 8pm and Saturday 20th October between 12pm and 7pm.  You will pick up your goody bag, technical running t-shirt, timing chip and race number here.

THERE WILL BE NO SIGN IN OR REGISTRATION ON THE MORNING OF THE EVENT. 

For more information and to enter, go to.......... http://www.rebelrun.ie

Photos of the Cork BHAA Cork to Cobh 15 road race...Sun 7th Oct 2012

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A big crowd turned out for this year's Cork BHAA Cork to Cobh 15 mile road race in what were probably ideal weather conditions....cool and overcast. The forecast earlier in the week looked a bit grim but in the end, the wet and windy weather was missed only by a matter of hours.

This was in effect the showcase race of the year for the Cork BHAA and they didn't disappoint. It was a well organised event with plenty of volunteers out along the course helping out. There were plenty of water stations out along the course albeit in cups. I know some people might prefer small water bottles but personally, I think cups are the better option for this race. It's not fair to expect volunteers to pick up water bottles on what is a very busy road long after the runners have gone. At least with cups, the waste is probably within 100 metres of the water stations. It also helps to keep the overall entry fee down.

If any fault could be found with this race then it is probably the level of traffic out along the course...especially from around 4 to 10 miles With most races, you could suggest that the organisers find a quieter route but that's not possible in this case, it is after all the Cork to Cobh race. It's a traditional route and a lot of the appeal of the race is starting in Cork City and finishing in Cobh in the outer harbour. One possible solution would be to start at an earlier time like 8:30am but that's very early for a race where you can still enter on the day. The 9:30am start is probably the best compromise between traffic levels on the course and a realistic start time.

I'm sure many of you like me pre-entered for €10. For that, you got a...well organised race, t-shirt, water stations, goodie bag with drinks and snacks and a fine spread in the hall afterwards. In fairness, for €10, where else would you get it? It just goes to show what can be done with modest prizes and lots of volunteers helping out without the need to charge high entry fees.

Photos......(Updated 9:30am Tues 9th Oct 2012)
1) Doug Minihane has a very large gallery of photos HERE
2) Paudie Birmingham has a lot of photos near the finish line HERE 
3) Joe Murphy has a slideshow of photos HERE 
4) The Cobh Edition has about 600 photos near the finishing line HERE 
5) Gordon Kinsella has another large gallery HERE 
6) Joe Murphy has a second gallery of photos about 400m before the finish line HERE

Mile markers......?? By the way, did anyone else find the early mile markers a bit out? Some of the splits I was getting seemed a bit strange.

Pos     Name         Time
1     Sandis Bralitis         79:31
2     Ravis Zakis         82:28
3     George Waugh         82:49
4     John Meade         84:01
5     Michael Buckley         86:01
6     Mike Cunningham         86:58
7     John Browne         88:03
8     Shane Coffey         89:00
9     P Gallagher         90:04
10     Don Keohane         90:08
1F     Claire Gibbons-McCarthy         91:02
2F     Angela McCann         94:43
3F     Nollaig Hunter         97:14
4F     Ann-Marie Holland         98:41
5F     Anna-Meria Costello         1:40:01
6F     Mary Sweeney         1:41:10The full results will probably be out in about 3-7 days.

Usain Bolt plans to defend his Olympic titles in 2016...

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Usain Bolt announced today that he plans to defend his Olympic 100m and 200m sprint titles at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games. The Jamaican, who retained both titles as well as the 4x100m in London, said he has decided against switching to either the 400m or long jump.

In an interview, the 26 year old Bolt said...."To do the three [sprints], that is the focus. I don't want to try any different events at Rio. I will just defend my titles to show the world there's a possibility I can do it again."

Usain Bolt's medal haul
2007 Osaka World Championships: 200m, 4x100m silver
2008 Beijing Olympics: 100m, 200m, 4x100m gold
2009 Berlin World Championships: 100m, 200m, 4x100m gold
2011 Daegu World Championships: 200m, 4x100m gold
2012 London Olympics: 100m, 200m, 4x100m gold

Bolt also insisted that he has no intention of easing off in his training and he aims to run even faster next year, during which the World Championships will be held in Moscow.

3D Running Track in Spain...

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Recently, this new track facility was built in Alicante, Spain....


A standard 400m track except that it also has a 3-D feature..it has a hill as well!


An extra section of track curves up over an artificial hill with the changing rooms underneath. Between the curved hilly section and the normal track is a terraced section for spectators with an access tunnel under the track...


Obviously, the hilly section wont be used in competitions but what a novel feature...

IAAF announces names of candidates for 2012 World Athlete of the Year Award

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In a press release today, the International Amateur Athletics Federation announced the names of the 10 men and 10 women who have been shortlisted for the 2012 World Athlete of the Year Award. The 10 male and female candidates have been selected by an IAAF panel of athletics experts. An email poll involving the World Athletics Family began on Monday and will close on Sunday 28 October, midnight CET.

At the conclusion of the voting process, three male and three female finalists will be selected and announced by the IAAF. The Council of the International Athletic Foundation will then select the male and female winners from the finalists with the announcement taking place during a special ceremony in Barcelona, during the 2012 Centenary Celebrations, on 24 November 2012.

The candidates are: (in alphabetical order)

MEN - Yohan Blake (JAM) / Usain Bolt (JAM) / Ashton Eaton (USA) / Mohamed Farah (GBR) / Robert Harting (GER) / Kirani James (GRN) / Renaud Lavillenie (FRA) / Aries Merritt (USA) / David Rudisha (KEN) / Christian Taylor (USA)

WOMEN - Valerie Adams (NZL) / Tirunesh Dibaba (ETH) / Jessica Ennis (GBR) / Allyson Felix (USA) / Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (JAM) / Yelena Lashmanova (RUS) / Sally Pearson (AUS) / Brittney Reese (USA) / Sanya Richards-Ross (USA) / Barbora Špotáková (CZE)

The email voters will be: IAAF & IAF Council Members; IAAF Member Federations; IAAF Committee & Commission Members; IAAF Meeting Directors; IAAF Ambassadors; Athletes’ Representatives; Top Athletes; Members of the International Press; IAAF Staff Members.....IAAF

So, who should win? Who was the best male and female athlete of 2012?

In the mens list, Usain Bolt must surely be the favourite with him retaining his 100m and 200m titles at the London Olympics and setting an Olympic record in the 100m in the process. Mo Farah did the double in the 5,000 and 10,000 metres while David Rudisha was outstanding in the 800m final setting a new world record.

On the womens side, it's probably going to be harder to pick a winner. Jessica Ennis was very impressive winning the heptathlon. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica retained her Olympic 100m title so she must be one of the front runners. In the end, it might perhaps go to Sally Pearson who set a new Olympic record in the womens 100m hurdles final?

So who do you think deserves the accolade of best world athlete for 2012?

Athletic Ireland workshops cancelled...

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For anyone who was thinking of attending the various Athletics Ireland workshops coming up, please note that they have been postponed. See below......

Also due to unforeseen circumstances the workshops below have been postponed until after Christmas. Apologies for any inconvenience caused but the workshops will be back from January 2013. Please can you all make sure all athletes/parents/coaches are aware of this.

- 8th Oct Strength & Conditioning Workshop Cork IT
- 10th Oct Road Running Workshop Cork IT
- 19th Oct Jumps Workshop Cork IT
- 31st Oct Sports Psychology Workshop Cork IT
- 14th Nov Sprints/Hurdles Workshop Cork IT
- 21st Nov Sports Psychology Workshop Clonmel
- 27th Nov Road Running Workshop UL
- 5th Dec Road Running Workshop Castleisland

For further information please contact RDO Steven Macklin at 0876335565 or e-mail steven@athleticsireland.ie

Boosting energy levels for endurance events...

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Boosting Energy Levels.........If you are attempting any sort of endurance event, it's important that you are eating enough quality food to make sure that you perform at peak performance. Here are a few tips....

The starting point.......The secret to sustaining your dietary changes is to make gradual adjustments. You do not need to make wholesale changes in one go. It's far easier to swap and add bits to your diet every few weeks or so than emptying the cupboards and starting again!

Phase 1. Always eat breakfast.........This is fundamental if you really want to commit to boosting energy levels and improving concentration. You should aim to eat breakfast within 1 hour of waking - even if you don't feel hungry. This is the most important meal of the day. Eat some protein with complex carbohydrates to balance blood sugar levels. Sugary cereals are out of the question.

Examples:
-       Oats with skimmed milk and almonds
-       Greek yoghurt with fruit and seeds
-       Wholegrain toast with peanut butter
-       Ryvita / oat cakes with smoked salmon or cottage cheese
-       Scrambled / poached eggs on rye bread
-       Omelette
-       Muesli (no added sugar) with added nuts


Phase 2. Eat vegetables with every meal.............Vegetables are packed full of vitamins and minerals. Vegetables grown above the ground or fibrous carbohydrates are excellent sources of complex carbohydrates. This means they release energy slowly and help maintain blood sugar levels. You should be aiming to eat at least 2 portions of fruit and 3-6 portions of vegetables a day.

Phase 3. Eat complex carbohydrates AND limit sugar intake.............This is one of the hardest changes to make to your daily diet but is one that will have a huge impact. Carbohydrates are divided up by the response they have on blood sugar levels.

Glycemic Index (GI) is a measure of your blood glucose response to a particular food. This means that if you eat a high GI or simple carbohydrate food such as white bread, your blood sugar levels rise rapidly. As insulin is released in proportion to the GI of your meal; a high GI meal will release a large amount of insulin into the blood. Insulin works by storing blood glucose in the cells, often in the form of fat. As glucose is removed from the blood for storage, energy levels drop and you start to feel hungry again.

Many sweet tasting and starchy carbohydrates are high GI. Refined carbohydrates such as white rice, pasta, flour and processed cereals have a high GI and often contain few vitamins and minerals.

High GI foods...Eat only before or after exercise...White bread, White Rice, White Pasta, Parsnips,
Carrots, Couscous, Baked potato, Honey, Nutrigrain, Bagel, Pineapple, Rice cakes, Sweets

Low GI, energy dense foods...Eat in moderation...Wholemeal Pita bread, Rye bread, Oats, Spaghetti, Quinoa, Brown rice, Basmati rice, Banana, Apple, Pear, Sweet potato, Lentils, Beans (broad, kidney etc)

Low GI, low energy foods...Eat regularly...Asparagus, Aubergine, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Courgette, Cabbage, Kale, Lettuce, Green beans, Mushrooms, Peppers, Spinach, Onion.

Foods and behaviours to avoid...
Skipping meals
Snacking on refined carbohydrates
Adding sugar to hot drinks
Overcooking vegetables
Inadequate protein intake
Eating processed high-sugar foods such as chocolate, sweets, cakes, biscuits
Large portions sizes of pasta, rice or potatoes
Eating a low fibre diet
Excessive caffeine (3-4 cups a day)

Source : http://www.runnerslife.co.uk/

My company business trip!!

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It has finally happened, all my hard work has come to fruition. Like those elite of the fashion world that jetset around europe and the world I was today sent on a business trip.




(Swoon over the exotic curves of the superbly crafted intercity train)







To Cork.


Now I have nothing against Cork in itself but, well, wouldn't it be much better if I was writing about adventures in Paris or Milan, about exotic women and strange sights?

So anyway, my train to Cork leaves Heuston Station at 7:00am, which meant a stupid o'clock start to the morning. Secondly the train fare is a magnificentely overpriced €59 for a return ticket. I am reckoning I could probably fly down for a similar price and will post a brief comment if that is the case at a later date (when I can be arsed checking).

So I am knackered tired, out of pocket and dieing for a cup of coffee. It is at this point that I realise that out of all the inumerable cafes in Heuston Station only Supermacs had bothered thier arses to open for business in line with station opening times. Bravo Supermacs this will not go unrewarded by me, as a fast food connoisseur. The only issue with this state of affairs is that of course they were packed and my train was due to leave in a few minutes and the last thing I wanted was to be left standing for a 3 hour train journey.

I got a nice window seat and sat patiently waiting for 7:00am to arrive and was actually looking forward to seeing some of the countryside etc during the trip. At 7:10 a voice comes over the tannoy. "We apologise for the delay but we are having difficulties closing the doors of the train. Please bear with us for a few more minutes while we look into this". I laid my head against the window and fell asleep. Thankfully.

My day in Cork was uneventful, just work stuff. My return train was at 17:30 which was grand and I got in at 20:10. So all in all not a bad days journey. The weirdest thing about it is this. I basically spent less time working than I normally do everyday, was seated and relaxed for a longer period than I ever get and yet I am absolutely exhausted...

So the moral of the story is this, when you see these high fliers going off all over the place and you think it sounds exciting and suave, I am damn sure it is as tireing for them as my little trip to Cork was, so dont begrudge them. At the same time, when you are offered a similar trip tell your boss to feck off.

Loss

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Loss is a funny thing. Sometimes its a set of keys which is one of the most frustrating things in the world, the keys are generally where you thought they would be in the first place and thats what makes it so annoying.

Sometimes its a pet, and that brings around some terribly sad emotions and at the same time some beautiful memories and is nearly bitter sweet in its entirety.


However the worst kind of loss is the loss that is caused by your own stupidy. You create the situation and only when its too late do you realise what exactly it is that you have lost. Love is what I am talking about here. When this realisation takes hold it is the deepest kind of loss that can be felt, your chest is fit to burst and your concentration levels waver between you seeming to be an idiot and someone who is half asleep. When you try to counter this loss by trying to retreive it and get nowhere it is then that the fullest ache of true heartbreak hits home.

I would just like to say to anyone that is going through this that they should try to look ahead and try to remember all the joy and happiness that they once had. Apparentely there is a light at the end of the tunnel, I have not found it yet but hope to soon.

I am sorry for posting such a miserable post but maybe in its own way this post can help other people know that this happens to a lot of people at least once in thier lives and people do get through it, I have been told that when you get to the other side of the tunnel there is a huge party and everyone gets naked, pissed and has a mass orgy to send you on your way to new adventures and new happiness.

Zurich trip!

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Ok I am just back from a great trip to Zurich. I have a Friend called Ste living there the past 3 years or so and just haven't bothered my arse going before now. So it was just a brief 4 day visit but as it was so short we tried to fit everything in. 3 of us went over on Thursday and 2 more joined on the Friday so it was a decent crowd. Add to that all the head cases that Ste has met over the past few years it made for a great group of like minded people.

When I say we tried to fit everything in that would be fitting in as much drinking time as possible and as many different kinds of drinking venue as possible. It was probably the worst sightseeing trip I have ever been on but was made up for by 4 excellent nights out.

Advise for anyone who is thinking of ever going....

Don't start drinking too early as the pubs and clubs stay open till 4 or 5 in the morning which leads to long sleep ins the next day hence the lack of sight seeing. We kept forgetting this so kept sleeping late.

A good point is that beer contains little or no chemicals and so you don't seem to suffer as much the next day.

Take a train to Alpamare.

This is an excellent resort with some great water slides, iodine pool, saunas etc etc.

In a previous post i talked about the state of the internal infrastructure of Dublin and I tell you what I have never been more impressed with a public transport system that what I saw in Zurich. When you arrive to the airport just go downstairs to the train station and buy a 3 day tourist ticket. It works on all the innumerable trains, buses trams around the city and is excellent for getting around.

Another bonus is that everyone we met or talked had excellent english so don't worry too much about language barriers. The people themselves are friendly and very willing to help you out. With all the banking over there there is great mix of nationalities and the work culture over there is excellent, staff are treated well so everyone is always pretty happy.

Take a care when drinking in the nightclubs as prices are pretty expensive, but then if you look at Ireland at the moment there is not a huge difference.

All in all an excellent trip and I will be going back as soon as my bank allows me too.......

Smoking..........

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Ok its been a while since i have had anything at all to say on this blog. Call it a mental block or laziness I don't really care as bugger all people look at this thing anyway.

What I am writing about this evening is the matter of smoking in Ireland.

I am a great believer in freedom of choice whether that be the right to choose to smoke, drink, eat fatty foods or the more important choices like who to put in positions of power, who to bank with, where to head in your career.

I have felt left with little choice in the matter of smoking. Today it was announced that the sale of ten packs of cigarettes is to be banned and that we are to expect a hike in the cost of 20 packs with the next budget. There have been complaints that there have been no price increases in the past three years. Bollox. Either these people are living in lala land or I have been transported to a different dimension......

Firstly there have been consistent increases in the cost of smoking, A 20 pack now sits on €6.35 which is pretty steep in comparison to some of our neighbours. Each time they increase the price people keep buying...Why? Because they choose to. If it means cutting down on the amount of chocolate you buy fair enough.


But consistent increases in price is not the only thing they have done. They introduced the smoking ban. Personally it does not bother me but it is still the government stopping people from making a choice. If it had been left at a division between smoking pubs and non smoking pubs both would have done as well as the other. I have no problem sitting for a while in a non smoking area and my non smoking freinds would have no problem sitting for a time in a smoking area. So instead they have changed the feel of the Irish pub. Now its the stink of toilets, puke and sour beer that permeates around the pub instead of the smoky haziness that was part and parcel of a night out. This ban has also affected peoples ability to carry out full conversations! Half way through chats you now have individuals invariably walking outside to have a puff of a fag. This has lead to a new kind of "Outside the front of the pub" smoking culture. Why did we not fight this ban, because we are to bloody lazy and too bloody laid back for our own good.

So now we have to deal with what we have and make the best of it. I would like to thank the HUGE number of pubs that have introduced special smoking areas, they are heated, spacious and comfortable areas where large groups can sit and pretend that they are inside. Secondly I would like to thank the internet for introducing people to the delights of buying cigarettes online. I myself would of course never go down that road but thankfully I like to travel and so can keep my own stocks up. Instead of increasing prices why don't the government look at introducing cheaper aids for people to give up. Like your nicotine gum and patches etc, they cost a bloody fortune!

Never say that I can not see the good in things. I believe that banning the sale of 10 packs of cigarettes will act as an excellent detterent to the young people out there who are starting to smoke and feeling the pressure of having to smoke. Its a fecking disgusting habit. However please leave those of us without the inclination or will power alone and stop making life difficult for us, if anything reach out a helping hand and spend some of our tax money on eradicating the addiction as opposed to the item that led to it.

Shopping....

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Well its that time of year again! The joyous occassion that is christmas. It's a time for family, friends, giving, being thankful for the year just past........

It is also a time for teeth grinding, unending pushing and shouldering and having to deal with huge queues just to buy a pair of socks (for your dad).

Now all of this can be as annoying as having your eyelids cut off with a rusty razorblade but is all part of what we now call "getting into the Christmas spirit", I am not a great one for shopping at the best of times but equipped with a list and a stupid sum of money I get on ok. However, of late I have been noticing something which is putting my back up.


The Sales Assistant. Now, I am a retailer myself but am talking from a customer perspective. The problem I have been seeing is not accross the board and there are some fantastic retail stores out there with an excellent calibre of helpful happy staff. The ones that I am trying to avoid are the store where you walk in and find two or three sales assistants standing behind a counter chatting......

Assistant 1: "I was out last night and got feckin wrecked outta me head. It was dem fat frog tings dat done it!"

Assistant 2: "Yeah I know dey are awful yokes. I puked me ring de last time I had dem."

Assistant 1: "Yeah I got off with some bloke and can hardly remember it!!"

Me: "Excuse me....."

Assistant 1: "Yeah?"

Me: "Ahh, I would like to buy this please"

Assistant 1: Grabs my item "And den we went to this shit hole of a club and it was grand though because we were all wrecked"

Me: "Sorry, but how much is that?"

Assistant 1: "*SIGH* 14:99 please"

Me: "There you go" handing over a twenty

Assistant 1: "The queue for de taxi was a feckin disgrace. Had to flash me legs to get one!!!" big belly laughs ensue

Assistant 1: "Deres your change, thanks"

Me: "..................." moves quickly towards the exit.

So what the hell is going on that customers have to put with staff like that. I felt like I was intruding on them. There was no attempt at any customer service, add on selling, nothing!! Amazing!! So I have been thinking of ways to avoid this.



1st: Be a wanker. Just tell them to shut up and serve you now!! You may get bad looks and some snippy comments but you will be out of the store quicker.

2nd: If you see this happening leave the queue, put back your item and buy it elsewhere. This way the sales staff will not hit their targets and it may actually help the management of these stores to improve staff training etc

3rd: Make friends!! Join their conversation with your own little anecdotes! ie: "Well I once threw up in a girls mouth after drinking 47 litres of after shock. It was feckin deadly" or "I got sooooo drunk one time that I woke up sitting in the crows nest of a tall ship in Dublin Bay!!"

Other than that if you are looking to avoid the christmas rush you are too late...but when shopping this time just buy double and you wont have to bother shopping next year!!!

How the defeat of fascism in Europe was celebrated in Dublin, May 1945

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You could do worse than sign up for the Irish Times archive service.    You can search editions as far back as the 19th century and marvel at how little has changed in Ireland since then.  Apart from the installation of our very own gombeen class as the political "elite".

I thought the clippings above, from the very same page of the Irish Times Pictorial, 12th May 1945, spoke volumes about the stupidity and hypocrisy that seems to characterise many natives of our green unpleasant land. 

When the rest of Europe was celebrating the defeat of Nazism, this is what happened in Ireland (clip left)  -  gobshites who more preoccupied with their anti-Britishness and the order in which an Irish tricolour was placed on a flagstaff,  than the defeat of Hitler's murderous regime. 

Then (clip right) we have our shamless gombeens looking for British help for "the situation in Ireland", with 170,000 people who had worked in Britain - presumably helping the war effort -  due to return home to bolster the already significant unemployment figures.

The irony of it. 

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Michael Collins - things would have been no different had he lived any longer

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The cult of the personality in history:

Had Archduke Franz Ferdinand not been assassinated, there might not have been a First World War.

Had Trotsky not been ousted by Uncle Joe, Soviet Russia would not have become the corrupt, Stalinist state it became.

Had Hitler not possessed a hypnotic stare that could seduce the masses - or been saved by Irishman Michael Keogh -  Nazi Germany, the Holocaust, and the horrors of World War Two would not have occured.

Or closer to home:  if Michael Collins had not stopped a bullet from a fellow countryman adapting the same tactics he had used against "the British", Ireland would have been a paradise on Earth instead of the bankrupt little basket case it is today.  

All nonsense of course.

Whether it was the system of alliances built up prior to WW1 and the various countries' jealousy of others overseas possessions ;  a bureaucratic caste which formed in the Soviet Union after the revolution and cemented its own power ;  lots of unemployed soldiers, anti-Semites, and a fearful and ruined middle class in Weimar Germany ;  or a backward gombeen ruling class, using Catholicism and neo-Gaelicism as tools for its autonomy to take the reins of 1922 Ireland  -  the results would have, more than likely,  been the same in each case. 

Funny then, that Collins - if you read the papers, the blogs, or turn on the radio or TV - seems to be up there with Padre Pio (not to be confused with Paddy Pee) in the saintly stakes at the moment.  

All Collins did was provide a template and a pretext for generations of Lemming-like Shinners and Rah-heads.  Each one doomed to make the same mistakes as the ones that went before.  

Collins -  like de Valera, Pearse and the rest of them  -  was a narrow cultural nationalist. Nothing more. 

His death in Cork just made him the eternal poster boy for a certain strand of Irish nationalist what-might-have-been.  

That's all.

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The streets of Dublin - full of stupid, snarling scumbags

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Working in town, and putting an evening shift in every third Sunday or so, you get a good picture of Dublin, especially at night.   And do you know what?  It's not a very nice place.  

In fact, Dublin is scary  on a weekend evening if you do not have a bellyful of beer to buoy you up and give you a false sense of security.  

I just popped out for a kebab around 8pm and the streets are full of roaring, snarling scumbags whose inarticulate utterances would embarrass a family of apes.  

The only people you will see on the streets who are endowed with any tint of a civilised demeanor are the foreign workers and the tourists.  And the occasional stunningly handsome gent picking his way over to Abrakebabra.  

It really looks as though evolution has kicked into reverse in Ireland, though that can't really be the case, can it?  More than likely, it is because the Irish continue to breed like promiscuous rabbits - as if the world actually needs any more of their leprous devilspawn.  

It is also because Ireland has an education system which fails to instil any real education, or any sense of civic responsibility, into many of the people who are processed by it. 

Rote learning continues, with large periods of time devoted to nonsense subjects such as religion and Gaeilge.   Many maths teachers are not qualified, and many graduates take bullshit arts subjects and their third-level participation is more a reflection of their privileged social background than any intellectual abilities.  

Then there are areas where people simply do not go to university - ever.   These people make up Ireland's very large underclass - undercaste might be a better word - who will never have the opportunity to break out of their sink estates and make something of their lives, so self-perpetuating is the cycle they are trapped in and so complete is their exclusion from sampling the fruits of middle-class Official Ireland, such as they are.

Then again, as a fifth-generation Dubliner (at least), my own parents were from tenements in the inner city, and lived in such unglamorous spots as Fatima Mansions and Sean McDermott street.  But they were not ignorant, and nor were they scumbags.  Real, old Dubliners - the likes of whom seem to have died out.

As some of you may know, I've had reason to make a few trips to Brussels in the past three months, and it is another world.   No roaring gangs of scumbags staggering the streets, hurling abuse at people.  Pavements unsullied by copious deposits of phlegm, vomit, and spat-out chewing gum.   Plentiful litter bins that are actually emptied by the authorities.   It is, as I said, another world.

I'm going to sound like a right old fart now, but what is it with this upcoming generation of loud, ignorant morons?   And it seems to be a cross-class thing as well - say it loud, they're ignorant and proud.   Maybe those thrashy American TV programmes like Jackass and so on, where the object of the participants seems to be to behave as loudly and obnoxiously as possible, are partly to blame?  Or is there a post-bubble factor, with a generation many of whom were used to being spoilt rotten by their credit-swamped parents? 

Empty vessels make the loudest noise and all that.  

And Dublin's lamplit streets are full of them. 

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Real life v "pro life"

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Back in 2009 ,12 women a day travelled from Ireland to the UK to have crisis pregnancies terminated.

 4,422 patients gave an Irish address to UK clinics in that year,  with 142,060 women thought to have travelled to Britain for abortions since 1980 overall.

It would be interesting to hear if such people's voices are being heard in Ireland's latest abortion rights "debate".   Somehow I doubt it.


One of the best things I have read on this heated issue appeared in the Irish Times last month.  Well worth a read:

Real life demolishes absolutist stances on abortion

DAVID ADAMS

The Irish Times, Thu, Sep 13, 2012

I FIND the debate on abortion in this newspaper fascinating, not least for the personal reasons that I outlined in a previous column.

In line with a basic human inclination, both sides to the argument are guilty of trying to reduce an extremely complex issue to black-and-white absolutes, where principles seem to be of more importance than the people affected.

Yet each decision on whether to terminate a pregnancy is taken in isolation from all others, and is predicated on a human tragedy that has arisen from a particular set of circumstances. Most people on the “pro-life” side argue that abortion is always wrong, irrespective of extenuating circumstances: that such an act may even be on a par with murder.

Within this stricture, one can only presume, fall rape victims (including girls barely out of childhood and victims of incest); women and girls whose mental and/or physical health could be irreparably damaged by giving birth; foetuses so malformed that the baby’s chances of survival outside the womb would be negligible; and children who might survive but have only a short lifespan with little or no quality of life.

I sometimes wonder how a typical fundamentalist’s pro-life position would fare in a head-on collision with personal experience. Would it remain intact even if, for instance, instead of abstract woman it was oneself or a wife, daughter, mother or sister left pregnant by rape, or found to be carrying a hopelessly malformed foetus?

On the other side of the debate is the equally trenchantly held view that a woman alone should have the right to decide whether to terminate a pregnancy, regardless of the wishes of the prospective father. So vocal on this point are some pro-choice advocates, one might easily imagine that if they had their way the first question every just-informed father-to-be would be compelled to ask is, “Are you going to keep it, my love?”

It is worth bearing in mind that, even in countries where abortion is readily available, for the overwhelming majority of pregnant women the issue never arises. Abortion is only ever a last resort. Despite what many anti- campaigners like to suggest, no woman regards abortion as a means of birth control. And no one who has ever been privy to the traumatic after-effects of the termination of a pregnancy could possibly believe otherwise.

Should it be for a woman alone to decide whether to terminate a pregnancy? I would argue that, all things being equal, it shouldn’t be. But that position is rendered meaningless – merely rhetorical – by life’s realities. No woman in a loving, stable relationship would consider not consulting her partner before having an abortion. For those not in a stable relationship the decision falls by default upon the woman alone.

What if loving partners fundamentally disagree on whether an abortion is the least-worst option? Then, I’m afraid, no matter how strong the relationship, it has little hope of enduring, regardless of who finally acquiesces to the wishes of the other, as one partner will be left bitter and resentful.

For me, logic dictates that, in the event of a disagreement, it should be the woman’s wishes that prevail. It will be she, after all, who is left with the baby or the emotional scars.

The above does nothing to address the plight of a youngster or person with learning difficulties who has fallen pregnant. All one can hope in such an instance is that any decision taken by parents or guardians will reflect the wishes of the expectant mother, which might include a desire to carry the baby to full term and/or raise her or him.

Of course, most “pro-life” campaigners are driven by religious conviction and, outside of personal circumstances forcing a change of mind, they are unlikely to be swayed from their position. The churches and believers in general have as much right to their views as anyone else, and are as entitled to try to influence decision-makers as any other members of society.

However, while we all have a right to be heard, no one is under any obligation to act upon what we say. It isn’t even as though the Catholic Church, the most vocal opponent of abortion, is entirely at one on “sanctity of life” issues. Until recently, it was totally opposed to any use of contraceptives. However, this didn’t stop missionary nuns and priests who had to deal daily with the realities of HIV and Aids from distributing condoms in developing countries.

The church’s official position is now confused on the use of condoms, proving that even with religion, nothing is set in stone. As The Book of Mormon, a musical by the creators of South Park apparently puts it (in reference to a change in Mormon teachings that allowed non-white people to be priests): “I believe that in 1978, God changed his mind about black people.”

Perhaps He will change his mind again, in response not to clarion calls, but to the human tragedies that sometimes make abortion the only viable option.


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Autoworld Brussels - not a place for crusties or Young Shinners

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Ireland has never been a motoring nation.  Apart from bolting together VW Beatles which arrived in crates from Germany between 1950 and 1980.  That was Ireland's car industry.

Cars have always been treated with suspicion in Ireland, a place whose inhabitants still - subliminally or otherwise - hanker after donkeys and carts, piebalds and sulkies.  I think it goes back to Dev and the rest of the statelet's founders, who treated urbanisation, technology and modernity as threats.

When young American guys were motoring off to the drive-in movies with their broads by their sides, young Paddy and Mary could only aspire to a bit of chaste stick-fighting, bogball or camogie at the local crossroads. Strictly segregated, and supervised by a priest.

It is no surprise that the only car assembled in Ireland - as far as I know, but am open to correction on this detail - was designed for a nationalist dictator whose vision (if not his interest in technological innovation) was a reactionary myth-based one.  Just to clarify - I am talking about Hitler here, not Dev.

I had a look at one of the Irish Internet forums recently  - Boards I think - on which a debate about VRT raged.  VRT is the government's punitive "vehicle registration tax" which makes we Paddies pay over 40% more for our wheels, in some cases, than our lucky neighbours up north.

Some arsehole young Shinner (for they are young, and they are the future of this little shithole, natural forces save us) on Boards defended the tax on the basis that money spent on cars was "money flowing out of the country spent on luxuries".

 I'm sure Dev would have approved.  I hope the same poster uses public transport or, if he lives in the majority of places in Ireland with no such thing, uses his sturdy Gaelic feet to move about the crust of dear old Erin while denigrating the trappings of modernity and materialism.   Gobshite.

Anyway.  I've just come back from a visit to Autoworld in Brussels and have a few nice pics from automotive history for your delectation.  

Young Shinners, crusties and Devonians look away now.




 

 
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breaking news, roisin shortall, joan burton, health, primary care, politics, labour party, fine gael

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breaking news, roisin shortall, joan burton, health, primary care, politics, labour party, fine gael

Ms Shortall said yesterday that she had stepped down following months of conflict with Minister for Health James Reilly.

Speaking on RTÉ Radio, Ms Burton acknowledged that there were difficulties in the Government.

However, she said that these paled into insignificance when compared to the challenges that people were facing in the financial crisis.

Ms Burton said structures were in place to deal with difficulties between senior and junior ministers and the Government would have to reflect on why these did not work.

She said: "What you have to have at the end of the day, as in any structure, is a system of communication and ... over a period of time that communication became difficult to the point of breakdown."

Ms Burton also responded to claims that Ms Shortall had outlined her difficulties with Mr Reilly to party leader Eamon Gilmore several months ago.

She said: "I think that Eamon as the leader of the Labour Party has to have regard, if you like, to the national interest as well as to the interests of the Labour Party, but in the time of crisis that we're in, let's be very clear, the national interest comes first."

Incoming junior health minister Alex White has said he has no reason to assume that Mr Reilly acted improperly in relation to the primary healthcare centre list.

Mr White said he spoke briefly to Mr Reilly on Friday, but he has had no opportunity to engage with him or his officials about any health issues.

He said he was looking forward to doing so next week.

Sinn Féin's Pearse Doherty has said that Ms Shortall has shone a clear light over what he claimed was Minister Reilly's mismanagement of the health service.

Fianna Fáil calls for more clarity

Fianna Fáil's Sean Fleming said Mr Reilly needs to provide more clarity about the basis of his decision on care centre locations.

Speaking on RTÉ's This Week, Mr Fleming accused Mr Reilly of providing incorrect information to the Dáil about the criteria used to select the locations.

However, the HSE official in charge of drawing up the original list has said Mr Reilly's account in the Dáil does not contradict what happened within the HSE.

The HSE's former head of property, Brian Gilroy, said the original list of close to 300 potential sites was drawn up in 2007 without priorities attached.

Mr Gilroy said that as various centres progressed, priorities were added by early 2008.

He said he brought Balbriggan and Swords, which are in Mr Reilly’s constituency, to the HSE board for approval to progress in 2008 and the board agreed.

Mr Gilroy said sites progressed based on local GP buy-in, engineering approval and funding availability.

He said that when Mr Reilly told the Dáil on Thursday that Balbriggan and Swords were on a priority list in 2007, he was only out by a few months.

Meanwhile, the reason given by the minister's spokesman for the inclusion of Balbriggan on the list of primary care centres to be built by public private partnership (PPP) has been rejected by the developer of the site.

Rhonellen developments, which is to submit planning permission for the Balbriggan centre in the coming weeks, has disputed claims by Mr Reilly's spokesman that there was some doubt over the progress of the centre.

Rhonellen is building the Balbriggan primary care centre under an operational lease agreement, which requires it to build and source the GP for the facility. This is a separate development model to a PPP.

A spokesman for the minister is quoted in The Sunday Times saying that the Balbriggan site had been included on the list of projects to be developed by PPP because there was "some element of doubt about the Balbriggan project".

However, Rhonellen developments told RTÉ's This Week programme that the project is at an advanced stage and the planning permission will be applied for in the coming weeks.

breaking news, roisin shortall, joan burton, health, primary care

Breaking news, Christmas Special offers, Christmas Party offers, Dublin whats on, Dublin pubs, Dublin nite clubs, Dublin music, Dublin party, Dublin Hotels, Dublin hotel special offers,

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The Mercantile Hotel Christmas Special, The Irish House Party Christmas Special, The Blarney Inn Kildare Street Christmas Special 2012




Irish House Party Dublin Ireland Review 2012

Slide Show of Launch Night

Dublin whats on, Irish House Party Review 2012, Traditional Irish Music, Irish dancing, Irish session, Dublin entertainment, Dublin pubs, Dublin restaurants, Dublin Theatre, Tivoli TheatreThe Irish House Party Book YOUR Place right NowFor those of us who were reared on the finest of Irish traditional music, dance and folklore there can be nothing more disappointing than the often ‘plastic’ portrayal of those fine traditions by commercially centred enterprises to pander to a less than patriotic version of our traditions and nationhood. However, that is all about to change, and for the good.

The Irish House Party Review on Trip Advisor
Often, as I have reviewed the hospitality industry in Ireland, I have been pained by scratchy CD representations of Irish music, I have been unhappy to watch tired Irish dancers ‘perform’ their third ‘tourist’ show of the day. Finally, there is Celtic light at the end of the dark tunnel of gross commercialism.On Thursday the 20^th of September 2012, The Irish House Party nestled in Francis Street, Christchurch, Dublin and twinned with the Tivoli Theatre, launched the revival of traditional Irish music and dance in all its glory. Gone are the big blasts and fads of the Riverdance era and its substitutes, and returned are the soft furnishings, and cosy surrounds of a Traditional Irish House Party.The launch of the Irish House Party kicked off with a food and drink reception in the newly refurbished Irish House Party bar and restaurant at No. 19 Francis Street, Christ Church, Dublin 8. Parking is available both at the Tivoli Theatre Car Park in Francis Street, and on-street parking is also available (FREE after 7pm).The Irish House Party Bar and Restaurant have been renovated to a high standard and presenting guests with an ambiance that is both welcoming and traditional, in the finest sense of the word traditional, the glowing charm of soft tones and traditional furnishings make the Irish House Party Bar and Restaurant a unique home from home experience. The Irish House Party staff are professional, courteous and offer all that is so often lost in our once famous Cead Mile Failte.Unlike the often stand offish performers one fines at large commercially driven venues, at The Irish House Party, Ireland’s champion musicians and performers casually introduce themselves around the tables and sit for some banter if so invited to do so. The Irish House Party presents as one thing above all else, a labour of love, it is clear that this is a partnership born out of love for all things Irish, a passion to wrestle Irish culture and tradition back from the grasp of brute commercialism.As dozens of guests filled out the restaurant on the first floor, the air filled with an aroma of traditional Irish food, Dublin Coddle tickled at the nostrils, as beef and Guinness stew titillated the very soul of all gathered. The food was of the highest standard and would have sat easily on the menu of Dublin’s finest Restaurants. While this was a night of all things Irish, the wine connoisseur was not to be disappointed, with Findlater (wine supplier of choice) providing such suburb choices as Tocornal Sauvignon Blanc and Tocornal Cabernet Sauvignon, just to mention two.And what would an Irish night be without Murphy’s Irish Stout, Murphy’s Red Ale, Beamish Irish Stout and so forth, all of which combined to make a great meal, a world class experience.Following food, drink and banter in the Irish House Party Bar and Restaurant, it was time for the 8.30pm show in the Tivoli Theatre. Many will know the Tivoli Theatre for its long service to theatre and music in Ireland. As I walked along the tunnel entrance, I was moved by the diligence of the Tivoli owners to maintain nostalgia with what was clearly a ground breaking partnership between the Irish House Party and the Tivoli Theatre. Once inside the Tivoli, the bar area is nicely set out with traditional seating and a home from home atmosphere, again, staff are both helpful and courteous. The real surprise comes when one steps through the curtain as it where, and enters what at first glance appears to be someone’s sitting room, that has allowed, friends and neighbours to drop in for a session. The stage replicates a traditional Irish sitting room, with pine dresser and couches setting the scene.The main body of guests are seated directly in front of the stage, the stage meets guests at head height while seated, making the guest feel as though they are part of a traditional Irish session rather than part of a concert audience. The line-up of musicians and dancers is a ‘Who's Who’ list of the best Ireland has to offer. The casual stage setting makes the audience feel relaxed and at home, the banter, folklore and organic conversation between the session musicians and dancers adds an authenticity rarely if ever seen in modern representations of the Irish traditional session.Soon the Theatre echoed with the haunting sounds of hundreds of years of all that is good about Irish Culture and Tradition, music and song were not only played but explained, instruments were not a mystery but visualisations used to explain their time and place in our long rich history. Three hundred year old tunes, that made Leonardo De Caprio and Kate Winslet famous in the great epic Titanic, captured the hand and foot stamping mood of the guests gathered, Bono and U2 echoed from the traditional instruments as easily as the lyrics written by 1916 Patriot and Irish hero Padraig Pearse. A straw poll was taken before the bazooka and its player told a strange story about a well-meaning rugby player, and this was followed by Gerry telling a story in song, about a yellow haired girl, who may not have been all that she first appeared. This session with the Irish House Party was as much about music appreciation as it was about concert and performance; time was taken to explain the instruments, the songs, the dance and the music. The dancers stepped up from the couch causally and periodically, to perform what can only be described as dancing Gymnastics, the dancers reminded the audience, that one does not have to be on a big stage with multi-million Euro backing sets to perform and transcend the very essence of Irish Dance.Following rapturous applause from the guests gathered, many from America, New Zealand, our own Fair City and other parts of the world it was time to return to the Irish House Party Bar where yet more musicians had gathered to beat out a crescendo of tunes that seen even the most restrained, foot-tapping, hand clapping and singing along with the memories stoked by a timeless echo of ancient tradition.The Irish House Party has returned Irish music, dance and culture to its true home, that is home is built from the passion and the love of the few, to be shared with the many. The Irish House Party, above all else offers guests a truly traditional experience, that experience is captured in the ambiance, the food, the service, the passion, and most importantly a true Cead Mile Failte has been returned to the Irish session by world class musicians and dancers. dasher 2012

Christmas Party Special

Breaking news, Christmas Party 2012, Christmas Special, The Irish House Party, Irish House Party, Traditional Christmas, Irish music, Irish dancing, Dublin whats on Christmas 2012

If you are looking for something different for your company Christmas party this year then The Irish House Party Christmas Ceili is the perfect option. For the whole month of December we will be hosting our special Christmas Irish House Party shows.

This is a truly unique Christmas party and we are offering the best Christmas party price in Dublin this season:
€50 per personIncludes: Mulled Wine Reception on arrival at the restaurant
Sumptuous 4 course Christmas Dinner
The Irish House Party Christmas Ceili with All-Ireland Champion musician, dancers and entertaining presenters.
Ceili dance section where guests can take part in a Ceili dance led by our dancers
Bar extension till late
To book and avail of our special group rate
Email: Info@theirishhouseparty.com
OrCall Roisin on +353 (0) 1 6729272 Breaking news, Christmas Party, Blarney Inn Dublin, Club Nassau Dublin, Dublin whats on, Dublin pubs, Dublin nite clubs, Christmas Special 2012Book Now
Introducing: The Blarney Inn, Kildare Street, Dublin, Christmas menu which is available from November 30th - December 23^rd, the Blarney Inn will be decorated out in a Christmas Party theme and it is available on any evening at €35 per head plus 10% Service charge on parties of 6 or more.Lunch is available daily over that period for €25 per head on the same menu.On Thursday evenings for Christmas Parties there will be live entertainment in the venue until 2.30 a.m.On Fridays there will be Live Karaoke from 9p.m with Cormac and Steve and after in the Club with Fabulous DJ Lee Dennis playing the very best in the 90's, Naughty’s and Charts and of course all entertainment and access to the Blarney and Club Nassau is free for all diners and Kildare Street Hotel residents.On Saturdays there will be live entertainment in The Blarney and in Club Nassau, Adrian Kennedy Irelands most controversial DJ playing the very best of the 80's and your favorite party hits and of course all entertainment and access to the Blarney and Club Nassau is free for all diners and Kildare Street Hotel residents.In the Blarney Inn there are party platter options subject to availability please find sample menu attached but it could change on items closer to Christmas.Contact Our Food and Restaurant Manager Catherine on 086 8650165 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              086 8650165      end_of_the_skype_highlighting Operations Manager, Paul Somers
Sample Finger Food MenuBlarney Inn/ Club Nassau/ Stella LieuDeluxe Christmas Platter MeatChicken fillet Goujons, Meat Samosa’s, Succulent Baby Back Ribs, Duck Spring Rolls, Mini Burger Sliders, Shoestring Fries and served with B-B-Q and Garlic Mayo Dip40e per platter (Feeds 5-6 People)
Deluxe Vegetarian PlatterMini Smoked Salmon Bites, Vegetarian Samosa’s, Thai Spring Rolls, Deep Fried Brie, Jalapeno Poppers, Chunky Wedges and Sour Cream & Chive, Plum Sauce and Garlic Mayo Dips40e per platter (Feeds 5-6 People)
Standard Party PlatterBBQ Chicken Wings, Cocktail Sausages, Mozzarella Sticks, Beef Chili Nacho’s, Onion rings, Chunky Fries and BBQ and Sweet Chili Dips30e per platter (Feeds 5-6 People)