A Promising Future

GAY PRIDE PARADE DUBLIN 2017

Something in the air perhaps, certainly there has been a flow of positivity in the airwaves today, a refreshing surge of inspiration has been delivered to us by three men. Three men of independent thought and belief, each encouraging us to stand up and help to make necessary changes to our world for the right reasons.

The Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at the Dublin Pride Parade today, said 

“ I pledge as Taoiseach to use my office, for as long as I hold it, to advance the cause of LGBT rights, to press for marriage equality across Ireland, to speak up for LGBT rights around the world where they are under attack, and to push for the implementation of the sexual health strategy here at home at a time when it is more important than ever.”

He continued, "So, I don’t really ask anyone to celebrate the fact that we have a Taoiseach who is a gay man. But rather we should celebrate the fact that we live in a free country, in a democracy where we have a Taoiseach who happens to be gay.”

- We are able to support or criticise him, based on our own beliefs and principles which, to me, is true freedom.

www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/taoiseach-promises-to-speak-up-for-lgbt-rights-around-the-world-at-dublin-pride-parade-794967.html

President of Sinn Féin Gerry Adams

Gerry Adams in Belfast, at a Sinn Féin conference, predicted a successful vote to end partition could come within a "few short years".

"We need a new approach, one which unlocks unionist opposition to a new Ireland by reminding them of their historic place here and of the positive contribution they have made to society on this island. 

Instead of concentrating on the negative aspects of our four centuries of shared history I suggest that we embrace the areas of agreement and of co-operation; of good neighbourliness and the common good. A truly united Ireland will emerge from the reconciliation of the people of this island based on equality."

www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/gerry-adams-we-need-new-approach-to-convince-unionists-about-united-ireland-794972.html

In England Jeremy Corbyn on The Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury Music Festival gave his audience wise words.

After all of the recent gloom and despair that has rocked the people of theses islands it is good to end the week with hope.

TURNCOATS - Strange goings on

"A person without principles is devoid of character: if he had character, he would feel he needs principles.
Nicolas de Chamfort April 06, 1741 - April 13, 1794”

Taoiseach Enda Kenny had rowed in behind the DUP and UUP calls for the Assembly to be adjourned. The Taoiseach met with the SDLP on Thursday morning to urged them to also support the proposal. The SDLP denied him his request.

At a meeting with Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan sought to persuade Gerry Adams and Mary Lou McDonald that Sinn Féin should agree to adjourn the Assembly or to abstain from a vote on that issue. Sinn Féin denied him his request.

                    

Taoiseach Enda Kenny

Minister for Foreign Affairs 

Charlie Flanagan

      

Then on their return to The Republic they have an about turn !

Irish news reports:

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has intervened in a last-ditch effort to prevent the Northern Executive and Assembly collapsing.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan said the collapse of the power sharing institutions would serve no useful purpose.

****

Both of these gentlemen played into the hands of those who wanted the Northern Institutions to fail. One can but wonder who are they serving  and that perhaps they need to understand the following quotation

"If you can forsake your fundamental principles for any reason then you are not the kind of person who can take the country forward.”

 Farooque Sheikh 1948 -2013

The Taoiseach is obliged to uphold the Good Friday Agreement and other agreements, and to defend the political institutions.

The Trip to Scotland

Our journey to Scotland started at 7a.m. We avoided motorways as far as possible making our journey northwards to Belfast swift and uneventful and so fast that we were able to catch an earlier ferry to Stranraer than the one we had booked to travel on. The Stena Voyager is a catamaran in design with four powerful pumps that push it through the water at a superb pace. The interior to my mind is plush to say the least and we always find ourselves some seating in the quiet area away from the noise of piped entertainment. Up for'ard you get good visibility of the sea, plus a small coffee bar with sticky buns and sandwiches as there is nothing like a snack to pass the time away. Except this time because I wasn't driving, only being the navigator, I took myself to the bar on the mezzanine for a couple of pints of Bass ale and they slid down like nectar.

The Stena Voyager

Disembarking was smooth and we were soon on the A75 heading towards the village, a short journey which took 1 hour 10 minutes and into the welcoming arms of our hostess.

The next day we hit the shops in Castle Gregory, The Gatehouse of Fleet and Kirkcudbright all of us picking up some great bargains; mine were a leather coat and trousers plus a denim cap. Refreshments were needed after shopping & a hotel provided me with a pint of McEwans Export ale revitalizing my tired parts.

The Grey Mare's Tail

The following day saw us heading into the Craigdews of the Galloway Hills, to a place special for our hostess. Our first stop was at "The Grey Mares Tail", a waterfall where three of our members were visited by a familiar in the shape of an Tawny Owl. From there we made our way to a place of high energy where we celebrated Bealtaine in a forest glade close to a fast flowing river and we arrived back to our holiday home with sufficient time to visit The Cream O Galloway; My first visit was two years ago and the taste of their wonderful ice cream cannot be beaten and I have sampled lots of different brands over the years. We are now planning a return visit sometime next year.

www.creamogalloway.co.uk/ice-cream

During the rest of of our stay we visited beaches and bays along the shoreline, explored, relaxed and sampled the haggis.

St Andrew's Kirk at Kirk

The pebbled porch floor of the kirk

An island off the beach entices the mind to create dreams !

Silver wavelets come ashore at Brighouse Bay.

(Brig refers to the goddess Brigit, she is everywhere)

Ross Bay

(In the far distance the hills of northern England are visible as smoky smudges)

A Heron with Attitude

(I could not resist taking this pic !)

Stena's MV Caledonian

Our ferry to Belfast on the MV Caledonian the journey was 3 hours long this time as opposed to 2 hours on the outward voyage. We returned to our home in the Irish midlands both tired exhilarated.