2020 has been a year unlike any in living memory. It began with a General Election which almost certainly changed the course of Irish politics for the next several decades. The two-party domination of the Dáil, which had endured for over ninety years, was swept away by voters in the midst of a housing and […]
Handel’s Messiah was the soundtrack to Christmas Day in our house. It was a bit, or more likely totally, above our heads but it gradually, over many years, soaked up the strangeness and wonder, the mysterious otherworldliness of Christmas. The smells and tastes, the treats, the novelties that the kindly Santa left for us on […]
A bit of twitter bait here from the Brazilian Foreign Minister: The pandemic must not lead to totalitarian social control or the abrogation of fundamental freedoms. Freedom is foundational to the UN and essential to human dignity. Brazil🇧🇷 stands for freedom. No to the “Great Reset” My speech at UN session on Covid:https://t.co/mrxDVKXCSa pic.twitter.com/nxrEagxeEq — […]
As Niamh pointed out here several weeks ago, those cancelling the Christmas are in good company. Cromwell would not be the sort of chap you would normally name check when issuing decrees. Nor would the Bolsheviks, Nazis and the current Chinese regime who have also attempted to out rightly suppress the most important celebration in […]
The HSE and the Government provide details of the daily number of confirmed Covid patients in hospitals as well as the number admitted and discharged in the previous 24 hours. The daily data for these measures are available to view at their website[1] since mid-March to early April. I speculated that the admissions and discharge […]
The colossal hypocrisy of the green movement has been called out in a letter from an industry expert who supplies the materials that woke corporations use to make their products. Is it naive – or just deceitful – to think that you can “leave fossil fuels in the ground” and also live a modern life. […]
Right, it’s Christmas Eve, which means it’s time to stop worrying about Brexit, and Coronvirus, and the news in General, and focus on the things that are really important. In that spirit, here’s a ranking of the top ten Christmas Carols, from the bang average, to the really superb. We’re going to call on some […]
Forty-five years ago, the English rock band Supertramp released the album Crisis? What Crisis? It was almost universally panned by critics as an assault upon the ears of anyone unfortunate enough to hear it. But I reckon that despite these musical misgivings, it remains the album of choice for the various Christmas parties held by […]
Two weeks ago we had the revelation from a retired senior Israeli general that Alien life exists in the universe and has been in regular contact with humanity. At the time, we were dubious about that. But now? It’s time to start preparing for the inevitable invasion, isn’t it? Take note of the parts in […]
There’s “shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted”, and then, of course, there’s Irish Government advice, which could best be described as “locking Shergar’s stable door tomorrow, in case he’s stolen”. Like, this is quite incredible: THE HSE HAS issued updated advice for anyone who has arrived in Ireland from Britain since 8 […]
There’s an old rather twee song entitled If you’re Irish come into the Parlour written in 1920 by Dublin pantomime performer Shaun Glenville and Frank Miller. “If your name is Timothy or Pat, as long as you’re from Ireland, There’s a welcome on the mat.” Well, that was the theory. Now, if you happen to […]
The podium is ready. Journalists are breathlessly chronicling every delay, and every rumour, coming out of cabinet. At some time after 1pm, the Taoiseach will graciously descend the staircase in Government buildings, and walk to the microphone, and the podium. Both major broadcasters will carry it live: Cabinet is ongoing and delayed as discussions and […]