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Tag Archives: Ireland
Ireland's rogue's gallery
A brief list of those who have committed crimes against the Irish: (Anyone who can guess all and their significance wins Thanksgiving dinner at Alan's)
England backs the Irish cause!
Even the Brits are standing up for purity and righteousness. The London Times writes that Thierry Henry's hand ball "was pure, calculated cheating."
Ireland's outrage … continued
Folks in Ireland are calling for a rematch from FIFA in light of this blatant hand ball. “If the game’s going to survive, it’s got to be an equal playing field,” (Ireland's Liam) Brady (who obviously has something to do … Continue reading
This is blatant thievery and pilfery and robbery …
How does it happen that Ireland gets jobbed in a World Cup playoff and thus does not qualify for South Africa? I'm calling for an international investigation. Too, if the Irish are going to get jobbed, isn't it the British … Continue reading
Yet one more (perfect) Irish statement
Well I’m back (like Poltergeist). Writing, working, watching (bad teams) and crogging. In the interests of continuity, we’ll continue with an Ireland update or two each day, starting now … So I’m outside on Achill Island taking these photos behind … Continue reading
A final thought from Ireland …
The flight is tomorrow … it's late in Ireland … there's more to blog … especially on Galway … but the time for bed has drawn near. Time to read Yeats, ponder Joyce, give a second reading to Ulysses and … Continue reading
How to entertain two 13-year-olds in Ireland
Step 1: Have the cousin of a friend open her home to you with the typical Irish hospitality. Nora, my friend's cousin, could not have been kinder or more generous. She deserves a Nobel Prize. Step 2: Have said cousin … Continue reading
A tip about Ireland: Go to Kenmare
You hear about a lot of places in Ireland, but when one catches you off guard in a pleasant way it's worth mentioning. So it is with Kenmare, down in County Kerry near the Ring of Kerry. This Ring is … Continue reading
A declining art
Thatched roofs like this one are becoming a thing of the past in Ireland. We all know the idealized-John-Wayne-from-The-Quiet-Man thing, the cottage with the thatched roof. Now they are going away — replaced by slate. I'm told by a reputable … Continue reading
The pic of the sign in Doolin I meant to post
Sorry Terje …. here's what the silly sign in Doolin said:
To GPS or not to GPS
GPS is an amazing invention. This little gadget actually can tell what direction the car is facing when you pull into a parking lot. What in the world is that all about? When you're in a country like this one, … Continue reading
Doolin up the river
All the guide books said Doolin was a place to visit. Tiny little town southwest of Galway that is tucked inside the Atlantic. It's the home, the guidebooks say, of traditional Irish music. You may or may not like traditional Irish … Continue reading
LeBron James need to know this
I took an informal poll in Ireland about what they knew about U.S. sports. Nobody knew of Carl Pavano. Or Eric Mangini. Or Dennis Northcutt. So I went for the big gun: I asked two people, both relatives, if they … Continue reading
Ireland's omnipresent sheep
The sheep in Ireland are pretty much everywhere. They stop traffic, lie on rocks and (if you watch carefully) do little jigs as your car drives by. The sheep pretty much rule Ireland — and at times they show a … Continue reading
You're not in Ireland anymore Toto
Somehow Ireland got to be a country for rich folks. Growing up all I ever heard was that it was a poor country with poor people who lived on poor land subdivided by the British and ate poor food prompted … Continue reading
Finding the ancestors in County Mayo
Achill Sound is where my grandfather on my father's side was from. You'll find a lot of folks from Cleveland who trace their roots back to Achill in County Mayo. It's not a wealthy place, except in its natural beauty. … Continue reading
Real estate from 3,000 B.C.
Folks say the scenery in Ireland is something to behold. Folks are right. The problem is catching it with a camera and doing it justice. It's near impossible — even when you come across a scene like this. This view … Continue reading
Construction in the 700s
How does a round tower from the eighth century still stand while I-77 is constantly under construction? Did the monks from the ancient times, back when they drew the Book of Kells and did such incredible manuscript work, leave any … Continue reading
An oddity in Ireland
It's no secret that Ireland is a Catholic nation. Thus, it was interesting to see this on the television (not that there's anything wrong with it) …
The stinking plugs overseas
Travel tip to those who leave for these parts: When you buy your plug adapter, the thingee (technical term) that allows one to use U.S. stuff in Irish plugs, be sure to check the U.S. end and make sure it … Continue reading
Yield to trucks
When folks say beware the driving and stay left and watch the brambles that overhang the road … they're not kidding. If you don't stay left, you'll quickly find yourself crushed by a truck that's not moving for anything, and … Continue reading
How the Irish extend an invitation
It's been 30 years since I last visited the home of my ancestors on Achill Island. Thirty long years, fraught with hard work, peril and walking back and forth to school in snowstorms and hail — uphill both ways. It's … Continue reading
A night in a castle produces Ha Ha (Wall)s
Some lessons are learned the difficult way. So it is in the remote areas of Ireland. When you have a chance for internet, jump at it. Otherwise blog posts will appear sporadically enough to make a person appear ill-equipped to … Continue reading
Surviving a flight across the Atlantic … if that can be done
Well … internet access is not the simplest in the remotest parts of Ireland — which is where much of this trip goes since that's where the ancestors are from. So updating hasn't been as easy as expected. These vacations … Continue reading