Ireland

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    The Irish Times -

  • Barton accepts one of two FA charges

    16 May 2012 | 12:42 pm
    Soccer:QPR captain Joey Barton has accepted a charge of violent conduct against Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero but denied the same charge for his confrontation with Vincent Kompany.

  • Man killed in Co Tipperary crash

    16 May 2012 | 12:26 pm
    A man in his 70s has died after his car left the road and went into a ditch at Lagganstown Lower, on a side road off the New Inn Golden Road in Co Tipperary.

  • Exotic dancers strike at Paris club

    16 May 2012 | 12:26 pm
    Topless dancers at the renowned Crazy Horse night club in Paris have gone on strike, saying they are not being paid enough to take the shirts off their backs.

  • Anderson comedy charms Cannes

    16 May 2012 | 12:26 pm
    The 65th Cannes Film Festival opened today with a screening of Wes Anderson’s latest picture Moonrise Kingdom.

  • Louth fuel-laundering plant found

    16 May 2012 | 12:11 pm
    A fuel-laundering plant costing €2 million a year in lost taxes has been uncovered.
 
 
 
 
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    Ireland News

  • Noonan: Rejecting EU treaty dangerous for Ireland

    16 May 2012 | 12:30 pm
    A poster supporting the EU fiscal treaty is defaced by anti-EU stickers at a crossroads in Dublin, Ireland, on Wednesday, May 16, 2012.

  • 400 jobs to be created by Rehab

    16 May 2012 | 10:20 am
    More than 400 jobs will be created by the Rehab Group as it expands its operations over the next three years.

  • More

    16 May 2012 | 6:20 am
    There are some big changes ahead for people flying in and out of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

  • McGrath cites cases of Carrick subcontractors left unpaid

    16 May 2012 | 5:20 am
    The case of four different projects in Carrick-on-Suir, all paid for by the State, but where the subcontractors were left high and dry was commented upon by Independent deputy, Mattie McGrath in the Dail.

  • ZMDI to design power chips in Ireland

    16 May 2012 | 1:10 am
    Dresden-based semiconductor firm ZMDI is to set up a power management chip R&D centre in Limerick, Ireland.
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    Silicon Republic - News

  • Halo 4 to debut new game modes plus live action video series

    16 May 2012 | 12:23 pm
    The latest game in the Halo franchise, Halo 4, will launch on 6 November with a new multiplayer offering called ‘Halo Infinity Multiplayer’ and two campaign-based experiences. The launch of the game will coincide with the premiere in October of a new live action digital series ‘Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn’ created by top Hollywood and TV talent.The hub of the new multiplayer experience created by 343 Industries for the Xbox 360 game will be the UNSC Infinity, the largest starship in the UNSC fleet. This is where players will build their Spartan career, customising their super soldier…

  • Mobile phone sales decline, smartphones driving growth

    16 May 2012 | 11:11 am
    Analysis of quarter one sales of mobile devices show an overall decline, but the smartphone market is driving growth, with Samsung at peak performance while Nokia and RIM trail behind.Worldwide sales of mobile phones declined 2pc in the first quarter of 2012, with the sale of 419.1m units, marking the first year-on-year decline since the second quarter of 2009.The figures come from the report ‘Market Share: Mobile Devices, Worldwide, 1Q12’ from IT research and advisory company Gartner.Anshul Gupta, principal research analyst at Gartner, puts the unexpected decline down to a…

  • Washington Post experience chief: reader engagement key to survival

    16 May 2012 | 10:56 am
    The chief experience officer of the Washington Post has warned publishers that newspapers in the online space are missing the point by lashing up Britney Spears stories that they know will bring lots of page views. Instead they should be focusing on using analytics to drive better engagement with the reader.Speaking at yesterday's Media Future Conference 2012, Laura Evans said that in terms of online publishing, The Washington Post had to find a way to handle its dual purpose: to be a newspaper for the city of Washington, DC; and to be a source of news for the globe from the capital city of…

  • Nanoscientists aim to shake up future of electronic devices

    16 May 2012 | 10:34 am
    Nanoscientists in Ireland have been carrying out research to develop materials that, they claim, could in time revolutionise the manufacture of silicon chips and lead to a new wave of next-generation computers and real-time 3D video processing.The research was recently published in Nanoscale. The researchers themselves hail from the Science Foundation Ireland-funded nanoscience institute CRANN, which is based at Trinity College Dublin, and from University College Cork (UCC).Researchers from the University of Wisconsin and Intel's researcher-in-residence based at CRANN assisted the…

  • Google unhappy with report on Google+ user engagement

    16 May 2012 | 10:20 am
    Google has challenged a report from RJ Metrics showing that Google+ user engagement is weaker than its counterparts, but a lack of transparency with user data leaves its claims unfounded.Business intelligence software provider RJ Metrics analysed posts from 40,000 Google+ users selected at random. Using only information that was publicly available, these users’ timelines were downloaded in order to research Google+ user engagement.Though this data is not a complete reflection of the Google+ populace, as private data could provide far more insight, it still gives a worthwhile glimpse…
 
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    In Photos dot Org

  • Dungarvan Cakes

    Donncha O Caoimh
    15 May 2012 | 1:29 pm
    Cakes in the window of a shop/café in the square in Dungarvan, Co Waterford. Related Posts Heavenly Cakes Cork St Patrick’s Festival Market Tourquoise Doors

  • A Peaceful Tree in Iceland

    Donncha O Caoimh
    11 May 2012 | 7:16 am
    A tree wrapped in a woven covering with the peace sign on it in Reykjavik. Anyone know the story behind it? Related Posts Desert Tree Chistmas Tree Lights Grooming the Monkey

  • Phil Oakley on stage

    Donncha O Caoimh
    9 May 2012 | 1:48 pm
    Phil Oakley of The Human League on stage in Cork last weekend. Related Posts The Human League Kinsale at Night False dawn of the city

  • The Human League

    Donncha O Caoimh
    6 May 2012 | 7:37 am
    The Human League played to a packed crowd in Cork last night. Murphy’s sponsored the event as part of their Little Big Nights Out promotion so there was plenty of the black stuff drunk. I still have my voucher if anyone wants it? The band played most of their hits, mixing in songs I’ve never heard as I’ve never bought any of their albums. Still, it was surreal hearing them sing Don’t you want me and other songs that synonymous with 80′s music! Yes girls, there’ll be a picture of Phil Oakley in a few days time … (left to right: Susan Ann Sulley, Joanne…

  • Four Points Cadiz

    Donncha O Caoimh
    2 May 2012 | 9:34 am
    Cadiz is a city and port in the Iberian Peninsula in Spain. The centre of the city is filled with old alleys and narrow streets. Here’s I shot straight upwards at the junction of 4 such alleys, I think it was here near the local cathedral. Many years ago I took a similar photo of buildings in San Francisco. Related Posts Points to relief An Bhlarna No climbing the poles
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    Anthony McGAnthony McG - Do you know Anto?

  • Yosemite – Range of Light

    anthony
    14 May 2012 | 2:54 pm
    I’d posted a stunning video of Yosemite National Park in the US a few months ago and I’ve just found another. Hit the gear icon and watch it full screen in 1080p. I must start planning to get there soon.

  • Fund some zombies

    anthony
    14 May 2012 | 5:51 am
    That may sound like a weird blog title but that’s exactly what I’m urging you to do. Devious Theatre, IMO the most talented amateur theatre company in the country, are staging Night of the Living Dead in July and need your cash money. Darren has more here on culch or you can go direct to the fundit! page here. Please consider investing as rewards start from €5.

  • To Athens!

    anthony
    13 May 2012 | 12:55 pm
    I wasn’t expecting the scream. I’d landed in Athens not an hour before and was getting the tour of my friend Cait’s apartment. I’d be staying there for the 5 nights I was over and the reason for her exclamation suddenly became clear. There was a pigeon sitting dead still in the corner of her room. He seemed shocked, almost as much as us, and we stood there for a minute trying to figure out how to remove him. Luckily he was sitting beside closed doors to the balcony. A gentle open-the-door-and-position-the-curtain-and-poke manoeuvre had him off and gone but he’d…

  • Friday Photo – Ready to climb the Acropolis?

    anthony
    4 May 2012 | 1:40 pm
    Taken from the Acropolis Museum in Athens where I’m visiting my friend Cait (@raptureponies). There’ll be a full post when I’m back.

  • Skynet becomes self-aware

    anthony
    28 Apr 2012 | 7:38 am
    Brilliantly funny from XKCD
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    Inside View

  • Surrounded by 6000 Ghosts

    insideview@podcasting.ie (Bernard Goldbach)
    16 May 2012 | 11:06 am
    Bernie Goldbach in LIT-Clonmel | Image from Topgold IF I BELIEVE a lot of the tech press, I'm surrounded by 6000 ghosts on Google Plus. And I like it a lot. I like watching the ghosts stream by faster on my iOS G+ app than tweets scream by on my Twitter clients. I like the images that dissolve in and out of view, faster than I get on Instagram or Flickr. I'm following fewer than 4000 people but nearly 6000 people are following my musings. And that's just fine because I'm getting longer interactions on G+ than on any other network. That's "longer" in terms of word count and "longer" in terms…
 
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    Bock The Robber

  • Francois Hollande's Plane Struck By German Lightning Weapon

    Bock
    15 May 2012 | 3:34 pm
    There's no end to those Germans, I'm telling you.  Aware that the new French president was on his way for a chat with Frau Merkel, they came up with a warning weapon just to remind him who's boss. Poor old Francois wasn't Monsieur le President more than an hour when the Death Star struck his [...]

  • Virgin Mary Wins League for Man City

    Bock
    14 May 2012 | 1:41 pm
    Who knew the Virgin Mary was a football fan? According to the callers on Liveline, Manchester City's second goal was a miracle resulting from prayers to the Virgin Mary at Medjugorje.  JoeYehYehYeh played along, even going so far as to ask one of the crooks priests at Medjugorje how many miracles had been attributed to the [...]

  • Catdig 2012 Fringe

    Bock
    13 May 2012 | 3:46 pm
    It takes a special hairdresser to turn this: into this: But Niall Colgan the hairdresser is up to the job.  His people are geniuses and Catdig is the non-festival that keeps on giving. I asked Niall  what he could do to help out with Catdig and he said immediately, Frantic upstyles! What's that supposed to [...]

  • Showtime Cinemas Limerick Exploit Cancer Charity Request

    Bock
    12 May 2012 | 5:08 pm
    I notice a breast-cancer support group on Facebook promoting a new local cinema.  Apparently this cinema has promised funding on condition that the group get them 500 likes on Facebook. I find this despicable and unethical. Showtime Cinemas, opening a new premises on the Ennis Road in Limerick, is the company using fatal illness to [...]

  • Busking at Catdig 2012

    Bock
    12 May 2012 | 3:35 pm
    Playing the blues at Catdig 2012
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    Caricatures Ireland

  • Hen Night present for the Bride to Be!

    Allan
    14 May 2012 | 6:08 am
    L-plate and veil in place! A present for a hen last weekend.

  • Wedding Entertainment in Rosleague Manor, Connemara!

    Allan
    13 May 2012 | 12:52 pm
    It’s been ages since I updated my live stuff, so here’s a wedding from last year in Connemara. I remember it well as I almost ran out of petrol on the way!

  • Wedding Invitation Artwork

    Allan
    13 May 2012 | 12:12 pm
    A piece specially commissioned for the wedding invitations!

  • 60th Birthday Present!

    Allan
    12 May 2012 | 1:32 pm
    This was a present from his colleagues in work!

  • Know a Backbencher: James Bannon TD for Longford/Westmeath, Fine Gael

    Allan
    11 May 2012 | 6:39 am
    James Bannon: Former Fine Gael Senator (Industrial & Commercial Panel) Member, Committee on Environment, Transport, Culture and the Gaeltacht (since 9 Jun 2011) Recent Dáil quote: “Deputy Boyd Barrett wants to take up arms in Galway again.” Has spoken in 64 debates in the last year — average among TDs. Has received answers to 240 written questions in the last year — above average among TDs. All information via Kildare Street. (Suggested by @stephie08. If you’d like to suggest someone, drop me a line!)
 
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    Conor's Bandon Blog

  • Diary of A Virgin Semi-Veggie, Part 4

    Conor O'Neill
    29 Apr 2012 | 7:33 pm
    Hard to believe I started this in mid-Jan and we are just about to bounce into May. Plenty of activity in the past month, some good, some bad. Variety and texture remain problematic but overall, sticking to veggie and fairly vegan for the past few weeks. Some product updates to share. First, the good ones: Sojade – A bifidus soya yoghurt-alternative. This is a shocker. Smells and pretty much tastes like natural yoghurt. Has that lactic tang which is so missing in most soy products. Used it in a curry instead of yoghurt and could not tell the difference. Pretty sure you could add pureed…

  • Diary of A Virgin Semi-Veggie, Part 3

    Conor O'Neill
    1 Apr 2012 | 8:40 am
    It all kicked off in mid-Jan and here we are on April 1st, still at it. I don’t have a huge number of updates since the last one in February but a couple of interesting tidbits, including one which just happened and threw me completely. Overall, it’s still entirely vegetarian except for the Friday chicken curry and I’m be strongly tempted to replace that with something veggie soon due to a great Indian Veggie book my sister got me. Apart from milk in my tea and porridge and the odd bit of cheese on a homemade pizza, I’m still also pretty close to vegan. Those fake…

  • Bandon in 8-bit Google Maps

    Conor O'Neill
    31 Mar 2012 | 1:31 pm
    Go to Google Maps. Zoom into Bandon. Click Quest. Gotta love a giant global corporation that allows stuff like this to be made. Quick, I’m sure it’ll be gone by April 2nd. And here’s the video that explains it. Just fantastic. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rznYifPHxDg

  • This year’s chilli harvest

    Conor O'Neill
    30 Mar 2012 | 1:01 pm
    Catherine is delighted with this bumper crop of kitchen-grown chillis. Next year we hope to get upwards of 2. Sidenote: The best picture quality you’ve ever seen on this blog. Guess who finally got a proper camera?  

  • How to avoid the Irish pharmacy gouge by buying from drugstore.com

    Conor O'Neill
    20 Feb 2012 | 11:37 am
    For the past few years I have been buying a variety of pharmacy products from drugstore.com in the US. Don’t worry, they’re part of Amazon, not some dodgy crowd flogging fake horse tranquillizers. There are two reasons I’ve been doing this. The first is that I use a miracle stomach drug called Omeprazole which solved over 20 years of chronic stomach problems when I finally discovered it (and other PPIs like Nexium). Getting the branded versions via prescription here would cost an arm and a leg but it is available as a non-prescription (i.e. OTC) generic in the US. The…
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    Grannymar

  • The sun did shine

    Grannymar
    16 May 2012 | 3:13 am
    In 2005. Here is the evidence: Standing on Torr Head, County Antrim on a warm sunny August day. Looking towards Fair Head with Rathlin Island off to the right. I need some of that sunshine now, to warm my bones.

  • Food Monday ~ Fruity Slices

    Grannymar
    14 May 2012 | 2:24 am
    Fruity Slices Preheat the oven to 180°C 4 ozs butter 3 ozs caster sugar 9 ozs digestive biscuits, crushed 6 ozs sultanas 2 ozs cherries 1 teaspoon mixed spice 2 small eggs, beaten Melt the butter and sugar. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Press into a greased swiss roll tin. Bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool in the tin. For Icing: 3 tablespoons orange juice 6 ozs icing sugar Sieve the icing sugar into a bowl and add the orange juice and mix well. Drizzle over the cold tray bake and cut into squares.

  • The Linesman

    Grannymar
    13 May 2012 | 4:22 am
    The Linesman ~ Bronze Sculptor: Dony Mac Manus At City Quay in Dublin’s revitalised Docklands, this lovely 7ft bronze sculpture by Dony McManus recalls the days when the Guinness boats docked close to the centre of Dublin City. With several new bridges now in place, only small vessels can access this part of the River Liffey. Can you feel the pull on the muscles?

  • Openings 36 ~ Massereene Forge.

    Grannymar
    12 May 2012 | 11:38 am
    Massereene Forge, Antrim. I was on my way to photograph the building above, back in the month of September. It was following my visit to Pogue’s Entry. Alas, I had an unforeseen change of plan, it was the day I landed flat on my face and ended up in A&E at the local hospital.  I am doing fine, but even all these long months later, I have numbness in my face. I still need to think about the food I eat, my meals take longer to consume and I am unable to chew on the right side of my mouth.  I have not starved, and indeed come a long way from drinking coffee through a straw and eating…

  • Moods

    Grannymar
    11 May 2012 | 8:00 am
    Liz was clomping around the room, testing the new footwear that had arrived by courier that morning. She had found them on that webbie place the younglings were so fond of. Huh! She would show those giddy gals that there was life in the old doll yet! What was it GM said the other week? “It’s never too late to have a Happy Childhood.” “Yes that was it….  and it is time I took it on board”. Said Liz. “Just look at this rubbish that Dave sent over for me to read this afternoon at TSOP. This is my year, and I have made up my mind.  There will be changes and the pink Hunter Wellies…
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    Slugger O'Toole

  • A quick backward glance on European History…

    Mick Fealty
    16 May 2012 | 7:36 am
    At a time when politics and economics in Europe is busting open day by day, it’s probably as well to remember Europe didn’t always look the way it does today…

  • Paisley: I have nothing to apologise for…

    Mick Fealty
    16 May 2012 | 4:54 am
    And, it seems the former junior Minister is refusing to apologise for those £10,000 worth of free Assembly envelopes… North Antrim MLA Daithi McKay says he has questions to answer… and it seems he’s getting the same answer his own party gave after the Inkgate controversy… which is roughly, “I didn’t do anything wrong, now mind your own business…”

  • Unemployment in Ireland: a tale of two countries…

    Mick Fealty
    16 May 2012 | 3:53 am
    As figures on the live register of unemployed in the Republic continue to even out at 14.5% (albeit at historically high levels,) the NI Labour market report released this morning shows a slight drop in unemployment rates 6.7%, down 0.5 percentage points over both the quarter and year… Hardly an indication of a recovery in the Republic and, just possibly, a calm before the cuts really start to bite in Northern Ireland?

  • Looks like the Minister really did find that extra £72 million down the back of a departmental sofa…

    Mick Fealty
    15 May 2012 | 4:02 pm
    Interesting that with just over a month to go before Sammy Wilson puts all departmental budgets under scrutiny to see what he can claw back for DFP, the Education Minister managed to locate £72 million of ‘savings’ over the next three years. According to the Minister’s party political presser, this figure was as a result of “an internal review that has led to further reductions in bureaucracy and savings from other educational services.” That impression was enhanced by his colleague Daithi McKay who added that “over £72 million in extra investment is…

  • Greece: “good luck for the next restructuring…”

    Pete Baker
    15 May 2012 | 9:33 am
    As the euro crisis rumbles on, confirmation, if any were needed, that Greece is, indeed, heading back to the polls.  You can follow further developments on the Guardian’s live-blog.  Meanwhile, having cajoled the vast majority of their private sector creditors into taking part in a bond swap deal in March, the Greek government [who? - Ed] outgoing prime minister technocrat-in-chief, Lucas Papademos, has opted to pay up, on a May 15 due bond, to those who held out at the time.  From the Irish Times hosted Reuters report In an about-face, Greece opted to pay holders of €430 million…
 
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    Pat Phelan: Bits, bytes and telecoms

  • I watched a funeral online this week

    Pat Phelan
    5 May 2012 | 4:19 am
    This week I watched a funeral online.It wasn’t my first and I suppose it wont be my last The corpse was paraded around a theme park which wasn’t surprising given the amount of clowns attending and it was pitiful to watch, relative’s and friends no matter how distant were flown in from foreign parts to give amazing eulogies and to wax lyrical about how good the great was. In the middle of the service it was announced that the great man’s brain had been frozen and that they had put him in a new body and would bring him back to life. All the faithful were joyous at this…

  • Viddy, gaming the system or the system is a game?

    Pat Phelan
    1 May 2012 | 2:30 am
    I wrote about Viddy and its extraordinary valuations recently In the last 48hrs I am being inundated about Viddy’s explosive growth, its incredible A-List backers and hell even Zuck’s on it now. I believe that video will eventually be huge on mobile and with Socialcam as a competitor hopefully the space can mature and grow but there’s something wrong with Viddy’s claims. As you can see from the image above 4283 of my contacts are not on Viddy, 19 are, surely with almost 5000 contacts with a large percentage coming from social media the number should be different to…

  • Cork City’s crazy new parking policy

    Pat Phelan
    28 Apr 2012 | 12:11 pm
    I parked illegally today in Cork for a few minutes. When we got back to the car it was gone, it had happened to me once before years ago so a taxi to Blackpool to the Cork City pound. Got there and its closed down I was getting seriously worried thinking the car was stolen and called the Garda, they gave me a number to call Cork City council parking,021-492-4555 it was unmanned of course. Off over to the Garda station and got told the most bizarre story of all times. If a car is causing an obstruction (it wasn’t) now Cork City Council tow it to the next available parking space which…

  • You know what’s cool, a billion dollar’s

    Pat Phelan
    27 Apr 2012 | 4:16 am
    Many of you probably don’t even remember the last internet bubble I know I barely can but on visits to San Francisco its whispered about in hushed tones. These are probably the best synopsis of it on Wikipedia and The Economist. Lately we are seeing similar circumstances with very high IPO value’s for companies who haven’t really figured out business models, I wont talk about the Instagram purchase for a combined value of stock and cash of $1 billion as I think history will tell us that that was an incredible deal by Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook. There are a couple of…

  • Kickstarter my new hangout

    Pat Phelan
    25 Apr 2012 | 2:58 pm
    I absolutely love Kickstarter “The filmmakers, musicians, artists, and designers you see on Kickstarter have complete control and responsibility over their own projects. They spend weeks building their own project pages, shooting their own videos, and brainstorming what to offer as rewards.Rewards are things like a copy of what’s being made, a limited edition, or a custom experience related to the project. This isn’t Best Buy – rewards aren’t shrink-wrapped and ready to ship. Once the project is funded, the journey to bring them to life begins” Over the last few months…
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    The Cedar Lounge Revolution

  • NO Poster outside Mandate HQ

    WorldbyStorm
    16 May 2012 | 10:56 am
    Many thanks to Eugene McCartan for the following: As he notes; This banner is draped down the front of the headquarters of MANDATE trade union in central Dublin. MANDATE which represents retail workers is calling for a NO vote in the referendum on the 31st May. MANDATE along with three other Irish trade unions are campaigning for a No vote.

  • Vote No Poster – Cllr. Cieran Perry

    WorldbyStorm
    16 May 2012 | 10:54 am

  • A feta moment… or… behold the glory of the European Union according to Michael Noonan…

    WorldbyStorm
    16 May 2012 | 10:52 am
    From the Irish Times… Asked about the effect of the departure of Greece from the euro, he said Greece was very far from Ireland and there were few economic links. For Irish people doing their weekly shopping, “apart from feta, what other Greek items do you put in the shopping basket?” Mr Noonan said. Hmmmm… some solidarity in evidence there. Meanwhile, how’s about this for a bit of political amnesia? He said perhaps it would have been a good idea if Greece had had a referendum on its restructuring programme as had been proposed some time ago. “Maybe they should have a…

  • What you want to say… Open Thread, 16th May

    WorldbyStorm
    16 May 2012 | 1:39 am
    As always, following on Dr. X’s suggestion, it’s all yours, “announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose”, feel free.

  • The third Home Rule crisis: centenary perspectives Friday, 25th May, National Library of Ireland.

    WorldbyStorm
    16 May 2012 | 1:38 am
    Thanks to BH for bringing notice of the following. For any of us interested in the decade of commemoration this is well worth a look in. On a slight tangent I’ve said it before, but I can’t help but feel that any efforts aimed at reshaping the history as regards reifying Home Rule are doomed to failure given the nature of that enterprise when examined closely. But that is no doubt a discussion for another day. The third Home Rule crisis: centenary perspectives Friday, 25th May (9.30am – 5.45pm) to Saturday 26th May (10am -1.15pm) The Third Home Rule Crisis: Centenary…
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    le craic

  • Dublin 1916 – Then and Now

    aj@lecraic
    8 May 2012 | 7:31 am
    Check out the Dublin 1916 – Then and Now page on Facebook. It’s a real treat for history lovers. Lots and lots of images from 1916 with corresponding photographs taken from same location today. I took the liberty of creating a composite of two of the images of Georges Quay/Tara street then and now as I’ve been doing similar with images from Wicklow that I’ve found. [Found via World Irish]

  • Our children will never know?

    aj@lecraic
    4 May 2012 | 5:21 am
    Bit at the bottom by me.

  • Bravo Mrs. McAleese?

    aj@lecraic
    3 May 2012 | 6:43 am
    The news that Mary McAleese has returned more than €500,000 in unused personal allowances is something rarely (if ever) heard of in Ireland. What bothers me about the story is There were no conditions imposed for the use of these funds and no obligation on Mrs McAleese to return any unused sums during or at the end of her 14 years in the post. I don’t understand why there is no obligation on McAleese or any other person in public office to return unused public money. I don’t understand why this money is reported as being “gifted” to the State. It was an allowance…

  • Facebook organ donor awareness initiative in Ireland

    aj@lecraic
    2 May 2012 | 9:24 am
    Facebook’s Organ Donor iniative announced yesterday is a great idea. I’ve seen a few comments along the lines of “How will putting a timeline event be any use to a doctor. They can’t see your timeline”. This misses the point that it’s all about spreading awareness. Facebook has only added the specific organ donor event to US and UK Facebook accounts. The Journal.ie reports today that the Irish Kidney Association is “considering approaching Facebook to discuss the possible introduction of the feature” There’s actually no need to wait for…

  • It’s shit like this, Ireland..

    aj@lecraic
    30 Apr 2012 | 8:20 am
    The Irish Examiner reported on Saturday that Medical cards for people who are dead, have left the country or are no longer entitled to them are costing the taxpayer as much as €210m a year. A major review of payments to GPs who treat medical card patients has found large numbers of “redundant cards” are still being paid for by the exchequer — despite there being no need for their existence. The report by consultancy firm Pricewaterhouse Coopers (wonder how much they charged?) says the “ghost” cards are costing between €65m and €210m every year. A HSE…
 
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    Sour Grapes

  • En primeur, wine investment & all that kerfuffle

    Lar
    11 May 2012 | 11:17 am
    I don’t think I’ve ever written about en primeur here on sourgrapes.ie, so as it’s starting to get into full swing over in Bordeaux, I thought it was high time. You may have seen the words en primeur, some Irish wine merchants are currently pushing it so let’s step back and see what it all means. En primeur is almost uniquely French, and Bordeaux in particular. It’s called “futures” in the US, and it essentially means buying wine from a merchant at a discount (hopefully) but you don’t get your hands for a while, often 2-3 years. Why? Because the…

  • By George, that’s rather good!

    Lar
    16 Apr 2012 | 4:48 pm
    It’s been a while since I tried a wine from Georgia. Quite a while, infact, and the wine in question was Teliani Valley. I had the chance to try producer Tbilvino’s “Mukuzani” red made from the Saperavi grape varietal. First a brief bit of history, Georgian wine production of some sort or another goes back to between 9000 and 7000 BC. There’s not a lot else I could find of the history apart from a sweet to semi sweet red being Stalin’s favourite wine, not really something you might want to market. Stalin was himself Georgian, something that the…

  • The Côtes de Provence comes to The Twelve, Bearna, Galway

    Lar
    9 Apr 2012 | 4:30 am
    François Matton returns to Ireland a year after I met him here first (see the interview here to find out more about the Château and the wines). Who is he? The proprietor of Château Minuty in Provence and on Thursday 26th April he’ll be presenting a wine dinner in West Restaurant at The Twelve. Beginning with a reception at 7.30 p.m. with canapés, there follows a five-course wine dinner designed by West’s chefs and sommeliers to celebrate and showcase the Château Minuty wines. François Matton will introduce his wines, including some of the reds, whites and famous rosé wines…

  • Rebel county hosts The Riesling Revolution

    Lar
    29 Mar 2012 | 5:41 am
    Riesling presents a conundrum. For some it produces the greatest white wines in the world, yet by others it is often misunderstood and ridiculed. A wine tasting in Cork’s Ballymaloe, aims to resolves these two disparate points of view. I agree with this, despite my best efforts from Germany, Alsace or indeed Australia, I’ve tried to bring over both my wife and mother-in-law over to the virtues of Riesling. Finally, I cracked it. I served the Tim Adams Clare Valley Riesling 2008 (available in Tesco) to them last weekend. “Limes!” called the MIL and for me, it may well…

  • Black Pig, Donnybrook

    Lar
    29 Mar 2012 | 5:04 am
    I get a fair few press releases (still) across my desk. I took notice of the most recent one for a couple of reasons. One, it’s about a shop that is on my list of places to visit. Two, the press release was really well written – it told a really good story. So here it is, unadulterated. Lazy of me? Perhaps, but I really liked the human element of it, so thought it worth preserving. Black Pig, Ireland’s first specialist Spanish wine and authentic Spanish food store has opened in Donnybrook, Dublin 4. The store – which was named after the iconic Iberian Black Pig – was the…
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    Head Rambles

  • Taking five

    Grandad
    16 May 2012 | 7:23 am
    I’m taking a break. The question is five what? I don’t know.  Five minutes?  Hours?  Days, weeks or years?  Who knows? In the meantime, chat amongst yourselves. And here is a wee something for your edification, amusement or education.  Take your pick.

  • Putting the fear of God

    Grandad
    15 May 2012 | 7:09 am
    Jayzus but I had to laugh yesterday. Our little pipsqueak of a finance Minister [Noonan – the one who always sounds as if he is issuing a summons] has told the Greeks to get their act together and form a government.  That’ll put the fear of God in them? Talk about an overblow sense of self importance! I can just imagine the scene; all those Greek parties squabbling over how they should form a government when word seeps through – Noonan has spoken.  Quaking in fear, they put all their differences to one side and the Greek political crisis is solved, and disaster is averted.

  • All our problems are solved

    Grandad
    14 May 2012 | 6:47 am
    I hereby propose Dublin City Council for the Genius of the Year 2012 Award. Why is that, you ask? [Or maybe you don’t] Because Dublin City Council has a problem and has used the most remarkable piece of logic to solve that problem. The problem is that the Council has placed litter bins throughout the city.  And people are putting their litter in them, and this apparently is infuriating the Council.  So it is removing the bins again.  You have to admit that the logic here is quite brilliant.  Remove the bins, and that removes the litter.  Sheer fucking genius! I used…

  • WTF

    Grandad
    13 May 2012 | 6:09 am
    I had a little What The Fuck moment a few days ago. You know those moments?  You are reading the paper when you find a wee article that causes you to pause and mutter “What The Fuck?” I know a little bit about business.  You invest some money in the company and with a bit of luck you make profits.  If you run your business properly, you will continue to make profits, of if you fuck up, you make a loss.  Sometimes, due to influences outside your control, you take a bit of a beating and that is the name of the game. But supposing you are a private company, that has a…

  • Montezuma’s Revenge

    Grandad
    12 May 2012 | 7:20 am
    Herself was watching the television last night. She has this strange thing of wanting to watch the Late Late show “in case anything interesting comes up”.  The fact that nothing interesting has come up in the last ten years doesn’t seem to sway her. Fortunately I had the spare remote at hand as I was able to quickly kill the sound when Jedward came on.  It’s just a pity I couldn’t kill Jedward at the same time. Apparently these two screech owls have been chosen “to represent Ireland” in the Eurovision Song Contest.  Again.  For those of you who are not…
 
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    Paddy in the Big Apple

  • Weekly Photo - San Juan, Puerto Rico

    15 May 2012 | 5:34 pm
    A work colleague is on a cruise right now and sent this pic from the ship...

  • Travel Hacking – 100,000+ FREE POINTS (easy)!

    14 May 2012 | 9:47 pm
    I’m a little hesitant to publicize this hack in case the rewards sponsor pulls the plug.  The invite I posted on my recent travel hacking article was inactivated by the sponsor within 24 hours but I think I’ve found a way whereby this hack should remain safe if you follow my rules. This new hack was brought to my attention by a reader (thanks Jim) a few weeks ago. I got a little lazy and greedy

  • Weekly Photo - George Washington Bridge

    10 May 2012 | 8:38 pm
    This is a commuters nightmare most of the time but makes for a great photo!

  • Travel Hacking - Tip #11 – Mattress Runs - Hotel Promotions

    7 May 2012 | 9:48 pm
    Many hotels offer bonuses for staying at their properties and most require registering for the bonus even if you are already a member of their loyalty program.  A mattress run describes the process of staying in a specific hotel just to qualify for a specific bonus. It can be very worth while. Most of the deals can be found here  e.g. One of the best mattress run promos I’ve benefited from is

  • Travel Hacking - Tip #10 – E-Rewards

    6 May 2012 | 11:46 am
    e-Rewards is a rewards program that gives money (sort of) for taking online surveys.  You sign up by invitation only thru a partner / sponsor.  If you have signed up for e-mails with your frequent flier account there is a good chance there is already an invitation in your inbox already.  Here is an invitation for e-rewards with a bonus 250 US Airways Dividend Miles if you complete just one survey
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    Brian's Blog

  • Dept of Finance and Nama

    Brian
    12 May 2012 | 4:48 am
    The Department of Finance's recent strategy statement indicates that it aims to increase employment, ensure sound finances, raise living standards, address the international debt and restructure the banks. In reality, it will do nothing of the sort as the document also indicates that the Department's role is simply to provide "independent, impartial and well informed advice" (and about time too). This mixing of altruistic goals and practical actions permeates the document. For example, on Nama it states that the Department will "insist on the highest standards of transparency in the operation…

  • Constitution and Fiscal Compact

    Brian
    10 May 2012 | 8:21 am
    The constitutional amendment for the Lisbon Treaty made numerous references to our membership of the EU. It also referred to the EU's authority to pass laws alongside other competent bodies under the Lisbon and related treaties.The proposed amendment for the Fiscal Compact makes no mention of EU or prior treaties and indicates that  unspecified "bodies competent" can pass laws or measures for Ireland. This begs questions as to whether the Fiscal Compact should be viewed as an EU or international  treaty and whether these bodies competent might be same ones that are driving the EU…

  • Message to TDs about European Stability Mechanism

    Brian
    5 May 2012 | 4:59 am
    I sent the following message about the ESM to all TDs on 4th May 2012: In case you missed it, I had a letter about possible outcomes to the referendum published in the Irish Times on 2nd May [see a copy in entry immediately below].I call on all TDs, irrespective of their party, to respect the wishes of the electorate in the event of a NO vote in the referendum by refusing to ratify the closely related ESM treaty. To do otherwise would be a flagrant breech of democratic principles and an insult to voters.If the referendum is rejected and Ireland has difficulty securing a second bailout, it…

  • Fiscal Compact and European Stability Mechanism

    Brian
    4 May 2012 | 4:38 am
    In the event of a Yes vote [in the forthcoming referendum on the Fiscal Compact], the Government would be entitled to proceed with ratification of the ESM treaty as this would reflect the democratic will of the majority of voters.However, in the event of a No result, Ireland would be cut off from ESM funding because of a condition within the Fiscal Compact. Whilst Ireland doesn't have a veto on the Fiscal Compact, the Government could easily defer ratification of the critical ESM treaty over which Ireland would have a blocking vote if supported by other States who together…

  • Mahon Tribunal

    Brian
    2 Apr 2012 | 4:36 am
    At the same time that the Mahon Tribunal was hearing evidence about corruption and wrong doing, about a 100 people - politicians, bankers, senior administrators and developers - were engaged, directly or indirectly, in stoking a crisis that has brought the country to the edge of bankruptcy. But, instead of being subjects of a major public enquiry and sanctions, these people have secured huge pensions, payoffs and bailouts. At the very same time that the Mahon Report was published, the Central Statistics Office reported that our national economy (i.e. GNP) has declined by 14.8 percent over the…
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    ALL THINGS IRELAND

  • RAY HOUGHTON SAYS EURO'S WILL LIFT IRISH NATION

    john toher
    27 Apr 2012 | 2:56 pm
    Former Ireland midfielder Ray Houghton believes that Ireland's participation at Euro 2012 will be a big boost for a country hard hit by a property crash, a deep recession and austerity budgets. "There is a feel-good factor about the national team in Ireland. They will get behind their team and it will alleviate the current situation," Houghton told Reuters in an interview. "The anticipation and the build-up in Ireland is much bigger than what it is in England, where I live now," said the former Liverpool and Aston Villa midfielder, who scored Ireland's first-ever goal at the European finals…

  • GALWAY HURLERS DRAW WITH DUBLIN: 26 POINTS TO 2-20

    john toher
    15 Apr 2012 | 3:40 pm
    Galway and Dublin played out a pulsating 0-26 to 2-20 draw in their Allianz Hurling League relegation play-off in O'Connor ParkBoth defences were in control in the first half and Paul Ryan’s frees left Dublin 0-9 to 0-7 in front at the break. A Conor McCormack goal after the restart put daylight between the sides but Galway leveled before again conceding to Ross O’Carroll.Joe Canning sent it to extra-time but despite Ryan O’Dwyer and Alan McCrabbe seeing red, Galway were unable to close out it out and a late Niall McMorrow ’65 forced a replay next Saturday.It had taken four minutes…

  • LEINSTER 34-3 CARDIFF BLUES

    john toher
    7 Apr 2012 | 4:45 pm
    Leinster are into the Heineken Cup semi-finals again after a comrehensive defeat of Welsh side Cardiff Blues 34 points to 3, scoring four tries in the process.Ironically, it was Cardiff who opened the scoring at Dublin's splendid Aviva stadium with a penalty by Leigh Half-Penny.It proved to be their only score of the entire game as Leinster sprang into life with a Jonathon Sexton penalty on 8 mins.Ica Nacewa then finished off a fine move by the Leinster backs to score in the corner, converted by Sexton.The Irish provincial side dominated upfront to lay the platform for good posession and…

  • MUNSTER 9- 18 LEINSTER

    john toher
    31 Mar 2012 | 10:24 pm
    Isa Nacewa proved to be be the vital difference between Leinster & Munster in this Rabo-direct Pro 12 League sell-out-game at Thomond Park on Saturday evening.In a hotly-contested game between Leinster & Munster in which penalty-kicks were the order of the day as both packs went for the jugular from the off, it was Leinster who took the lead through a Jonathan Sexton penalty on 10 mins.Ronan O' Gara soon levelled with a shot of his own to make it 3-3 as both sides engaged in a physical on the pitch without quite reaching the skill-level to find the killer score in the…

  • IRELAND WIN T20 QUALIFIYING TOURNAMENT IN DUBAI

    john toher
    25 Mar 2012 | 4:16 pm
    The Ireland squad returned to Dublin Airport this afternoon with the World Twenty20 Qualifying trophy and a place in the finals in Sri Lanka in September.They won the trophy last night in stunning fashion with a five wickets win over Afghanistan, thanks to the second fastest T20 half century ever, off just 17 balls by the player of the tournament, Paul Stirling.He was finally dismissed for 79 from 38 balls with nine fours and three sixes but Andrew Poynter with an unbeaten 23 from just 17 balls in only his second innings of the tournament showed the strength in depth of this squad and why…
 
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    Irish American Mom

  • Got Ireland – A Great Irish Website

    Irish American Mom
    15 May 2012 | 8:21 pm
    GotIreland.com is one of my favorite Irish websites online.  Created and written by a fellow Irishman, Liam, who also now calls the US home, it is a fantastic place to learn about all the great things Ireland has to offer. Image Credit His logo is stunningly beautiful with intricate Celtic knotwork highlighting the lettering.  I love how Liam describes his inspiration for creating his site: “Sitting at home one night, reading some more negative news about Ireland, I decided I wanted to do my part to put some good stuff about Ireland on the web. Ireland has been kind of down in the…

  • I Love My Mom Because ……

    Irish American Mom
    13 May 2012 | 12:41 pm
    First let me wish you all a very Happy Mother’s Day today.  To all the Irish mom’s who celebrated Mother’s Day in March, belated Mother’s Day greetings.  Do something special again today, just for you. Here is a little story to brighten your Mother’s Day and which definitely falls into my “out of the mouth of babes” category. Image Credit When my eldest son was in Kindergarten all the children in his class drew a picture and wrote a short answer to the all important statement:   I love my Mom because …….   A beautiful picture…

  • Lessons In Life From Wise Old Irish Hens

    Irish American Mom
    10 May 2012 | 7:58 pm
    Eggs, chickens, and hens played a vital economic role in Irish rural life over the centuries.  We Irish even claim to have invented bacon and eggs.  Many old Irish sayings are peppered with poultry references.  Today, let’s explore some clucking wise words of old. 1. How the Irish first paired eggs with bacon:   In the 18th and 19th centuries the Irish poor seldom ate their own hens’ eggs, but instead sold them to help pay the landlord’s rent on their small holdings. Cohabiting with hens was common.  By day the fowl foraged outside by themselves, but at night it was…

  • The Pursuit Of Happiness

    Irish American Mom
    7 May 2012 | 4:15 pm
    “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” are unalienable rights identified in the United States Declaration of Independence.  I love America, my new homeland, and how its founding documents embrace this God-given right of all to pursue happiness. Image Credit I marvel at the wisdom of our founding fathers.  They did not guarantee happiness, but clearly stated the “pursuit of happiness” is everyone’s equal right. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator  with certain unalienable…

  • Kentucky Hot Brown Sandwich

    Irish American Mom
    5 May 2012 | 8:01 am
    The Kentucky Hot Brown sandwich was created at the Brown Hotel in Louisville in the 1920′s.  It is a true Louisville original, an open-face turkey sandwich covered in creamy mornay sauce, and garnished with tomatoes and bacon. I first tasted a hot brown after my triplets were born.  Neighbors and parishioners from our church prepared dinner for our family two to three times per week.  One lady arrived with a hot brown casserole.  It was decadently delicious, the perfect food for a mother with three newborn babies. The recipe I am sharing today is inspired by the recipe from the…
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