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Recently Updated Material



[updated 30 March 2010]
The Medlar's Gotcha
Dr. M�ire Kennedy very kindly agreed to my giving a lecture on P J Medlar, City Councillor and Undertaker, at the family history day in the Dublin City Library and Archive on 27 March 2009. I have put up a backup page on this site from which much of the material that underpinned the presentation, and the presentation itself, can be accessed. I didn't actually have a full text script which was just as well as the presentation was being radically pruned right up to the night before.

[updated 20 October 2009]
WTF have I being doing in 2009?
There is an idea abroad that the pace of life slows dramatically when you retire. Rubbish. I have been so rushed since I retired that I have not had the time or inclination to update the updates since January last. I wouldn't even have known that except I just looked. My personal and cyber life has accelerated beyond the wildest dreams of the CERN collider. So, as a social service, I will attempt to list below some of the developments on this site in the course of 2009.

On the family history side, I have had significant breakthroughs in the search for Jane Dwyer (father's sister) and Thomas Mortimer (great-great-grandfather).

In the biographical category, I have added pieces on Newry and Wexford.

To the signs of the times section I have added an appeal

Niall O'Donoghue relaunched his Martello Tower in May 2009 - a serious southside social occasion.

Rang 63 Col�iste Mhuire had another reunion and I started to push the lads to write bloody something for the textually challenged newsletter. Se�n � Faol�in and Se�n � Maol�in responded. Proinsias � Ruis�ail's class stories have been held over until it is clear their publication does not prejudice the wider advance of his career on RT� raidi�.

Changed the layout of my home page to include daily rotation of photos (of Dublin) with options to see larger versions and/or the whole monthly sequence.

[updated 18 January 2009]
Lecture on Ballybrack 1500-1900
Dr. M�ire Kennedy very kindly invited me to give a lecture on Ballybrack for the local history day in the Dublin City Library and Archive in September 2008. This involved upgrading a slide show and display panels to Powerpoint and seriously compressing the presentation into 45 minutes. I have put up a backup page on this site from which much of the material that underpinned the presentation, and the presentation itself, can be accessed. I didn't actually have a textual script which was just as well as the presentation was being radically pruned right up to the night before.

 [updated 20 December 2008]
Millmount Tower
This was my second Tower inauguration this year. The 200th anniversary of the Tower at Millmount in Drogheda was commemorated by the inauguration of the two new 9 pounder cannons on 13 December 2008.

 [updated 19 August 2008]
My Desert Island Disks
Updated for Dannie O'Donnell and N�ra N� Dhomhnaill

 [updated 6 August 2008]
St. Stephen's Church
Imogen Stuart, who did the beautiful plaques on the toilets on Station Road, Killiney, was artist in residence in the construction of St. Stephen's church in Killiney village.

 [updated 25 July 2008]
National Memorial Gardens
Results of a private visit and a subsequent Dublin City Council walk to the Irish National Memorial Gardens at Islandbridge which commemorate the Irish who lost their lives in WWI

Niall's Tower
For only the second time in over 200 years, No.7 Martello Tower, in Killiney, Co. Dublin, Ireland, was inaugurated on Saturday, 12th July 2008. This was (almost) the culmination of a project aimed at restoring the Tower to its original state, and, some would say, use.

Niall O'Donoghue has undertaken the restoration at great expense, both financially and in terms of effort, and the result is stunning. Check it out.

 [updated 14 June 2008]
Cnag Cnag!
Just a reminder that we are approaching the Irish language blog competition deadline. I have managed in the 4 months to do 21 posts and will probably get a few more in hefore the end of the month deadline.

Nora has done a great job redesigning the template and I have managed to tweak all the code to show only Irish on the pages.

Have a look, if you get a chance, and do leave a comment.

Click on "tuairim�" at the bottom of the post to get to the comments area; click on "seol tuairim" to get the comments form; and just follow the instructions. For an identity you can click on "anonymous" which leaves no name and you don't have to sign up for anything. Or, you can insert a name at the "name/url button": call yourself anything you like and just make sure the url field is blank when launching the comment.

So, t�g amach do pheann agus scr� c�pla focal, m�s moltach n� maslach, ceannsa n� cancarach, is cuma. Beidh f�ilte rompu uile.

Click here for the Blog

[updated 30 May 2008]
Signs of the Times addition
Bus(t)

 [updated 24 May 2008]
Some additions to my Flickr collection

[updated 24 May 2008]
Some Signs of the Times additions
Pooper order
Dublin �ber Alles
Strike
Stair to where?

[updated 4 May 2008]
Cnag Cnag!
This is my new Irish language blog which I started with the intention of confining my Irish language blog posts to a separate blog and entering the blog in the new Oireachtas competition for a blog in Irish.

There is already a lot of good stuff in Irish out there, so if any of the regulars enter the competition will be stiff indeed. Judging will be on the basis of posts done between the beginning of March and the end of June 2008. Posts will be judged on content, use of links and ability to attract viewers and comments.

So, t�g amach do pheann agus scr� c�pla focal, m�s moltach n� maslach, ceannsa n� cancarach, is cuma. Beidh f�ilte rompu uile.

[updated 4 May 2008]
Managing your Principles
New advances in bureaucrapology

[updated 30 April 2008]
Mermaid alert!
Easy and slow in Y Felinheli

[updated 30 April 2008]
Llanfairisgaer
Reflections on a Welsh graveyard.

[updated 23 April 2008]
Dr. Paddy
Happened on Paddy Hillery's funeral on my way through town the other day. Took photos and put up a page.
I also did a short piece on my blag Gaeilge.

[updated 23 April 2008]
Utrecht
Just back from a trip visiting Eoghan in Utrecht. Nice town. Put up a page.

[updated 28 March 2008]
An Cnagaire
T� blag nua Gaeilge bunaithe agam. As seo amach beidh m� ag post�il ansin as Gaeilge amh�in. T� m� chun an bhlag seo a chur isteach ar chom�rtas nua in Oireachtas 2008.

[updated 28 March 2008]
Wired
Not so subtle wiring in Raheny, Dublin.

[updated 28 March 2008]
Product placement
Subtle street sculpture at the Dublin Woolen Mills.

[updated 28 March 2008]
1969 Civil Rights Protest
Item added to biographical stuff on the Dublin Civil Rights protest march on 11 January 1969.

[updated 28 March 2008]
Old Shieling Hotel
Progress on the construction of appartments at the Old Sheiling Hotel in Raheny updated.

[updated 28 March 2008]
Galway
Following a further trip to Galway I have added some foggy night shots to this section.

[updated 20 February 2008]
Old Shieling Hotel
Further update.

[updated 27 January 2008]
Old Shieling Hotel
Following the granting of planning permission and the failure of a subsequent appeal by residents of the nearby Bettyglen estate, work has now begun on an appartment development in the grounds of the former hotel. The structure of the main building is to be retained and converted into accommodation and three appartment blocks built in the grounds. There will also be an underground carpark. Work has now been in progress for a while and you can follow it here. Earlier material on the planning application is here .

[updated 12 January 2008]
Killiney Defences
In my article on the defence of Killiney Bay, I did out a map showing the weaknesses pointed out by Major La Chauss�e in 1797. When the martello towers an batteries were subsequently constructed their positioning had regard to this analysis. I have now done a Google map illustrating the positioning of these structures and their relation to the Loughlinstown Camp.

[updated 9 December 2007]
In the Can
Welsh shop signage examined.

[updated 3 December 2007]
Long Grass
Avonmore with a nice subtle touch.

[updated 30 October 2007]
Flickr
Some further additions to my Flickr photostream.

[updated 26 October 2007]
Limits of Faith
Another entry under Signs of the Times

[updated 25 October 2007]
Coke Head
Forsaken Conker
EUtrophy
A few new entries under Signs of the Times

[updated 2 October 2007]
Mary Mediatrix
This shop in O'Connell St., took me back in time.

[updated 23 September 2007]
Go to jail
Photo context
Principal page amended slightly, with addition of photo context.

David Lloyd George
A Caernarfon celebration

Oversight
Surveillance in Caernarfon

The Gullible Dragon
Sober thoughts atop the War Memorial in Caernarfon

Nuff's enough
Zero tolerance in Caernarfon

Redundant Bilingualism
Overdoing the translation

Welsh soap
Signwriting in Welsh

[updated 16 September 2007]
Visus Interruptus
A whimsical presentation as we draw near the 40th anniversary of Humanae Vitae.

[updated 10 September 2007]
Rome Rule
Perhaps the rantings of our Northern Brethern were not so far fetched?

[updated 28 August 2007]
Galway
The fruits of some trips to Galway over the past year.

[updated 8 August 2007]
Dublin Welsh Choir
I was a member of the Dublin Welsh Male Voice Choir in the 1970s. It rehearsed in the Central Bar in Aungier St. (among other places) and it was while there that this article, written for the Guinness inhouse magazine, the Harp, appeared. I think it was Bernard Share who wrote it but am not sure.

[updated 8 August 2007]
Aistear
My cousin Carmel recently asked me to translate Nuala N� Dhomhnaill's poem Aistear, about St. Patrick. I had not read it before and found it a very powerful and positive poem. If you can, you will enjoy the Irish version more, if you can't, the English version will give you a flavour of what you are missing.

[updated 5 August 2007]
Cad as duit ?
I have added a slightly more structured commentary
on some of the issues involved in naming streets in Irish.

[updated 5 August 2007]
Bruges in Irish Times
This is an article on Bruges, published in the Irish Times in 1970
(and wrongly attributed to their Tourism editor at the time - for which they subsequently apologised).
[updated 6 June 2007]
Vandals at Work


[updated end May 2007]
Flickr
I have put a selection of my recent photos up on Flickr.
[Forgot to include this in the last update!]

[updated 2 June 2007]
Ainmni� Shr�ideanna BAC
Material on Dartmouth Road

[updated 9 May 2007]

Some interesting posters from the 2007 election campaign.


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