LIAR, LIAR !

A SONG about Tory leader Theresa May has reached the Top 10 in the download chart but the official chart shows on radio stations Capital FM and Heart have refused to play Liar, Liar GE2017, supporters have complained.

Click here: http://www.thepeoplesassembly.org.uk/she_s_a_liar_liar to download for £1 or less to help give Theresa May an election day present she really doesn’t want.

All money spent on downloads of the track up to 8 June will be split between food banks and the People’s Assembly Against Austerity.

Performed and produced by the band Captain Ska and promoted by campaign organisation the People’s Assembly Against Austerity, the song features various speeches and news interviews from Prime Minister Theresa May followed by a chorus of: “She’s a liar, liar . . . You can’t trust her . . . no, no, no, no.”

The song attacks the Conservative Party’s record in office over the NHS crisis, education and levels of poverty. “When there’s nurses going hungry and schools in decline I don’t recognise this broken country of mine,” goes one of the lyrics.

The song has been available for download from last Friday (26 May) and has been rising up in the iTunes charts, reaching Number 10 at the weekend.

The Chart Show this week did announce that the track had reached Number 10 but instead of playing it went straight onto playing Number 9. Now it has gone to Number 7 and could even be a chart topper by polling day.

Jake from Captain Ska said:

“This can only be seen as an attempt by the media owners to undermine public opinion. Thousands of people have downloaded this track and we demand that it is aired as any other song would be.

“We've written Liar, Liar GE2017 for this general election because we want to do all we can to expose the horrific effects Tory policy has had on ordinary people.

“Theresa May lies her way through interview after interview without addressing the real issues. We’re sick of her and her party of millionaires privatising and cutting our public services while the rest of the country faces deteriorating living standards and poverty. The money is there to improve the lives of the majority but it’s in the hands of the wrong people.”

http://www.culturematters.org.uk/index.php/itemlist/user/738-jake

The above article is by JOHN HEDGES

AN PHOBLACHT EDITOR

http://www.anphoblacht.com/contents/26905

SAFE HAVENS

Following our visit to Woodfield’s Cottage Market we took ourselves off on an adventure.

Driving along the roads of Tipperary, which border the banks of Lough Derg, we visited a couple of the harbours which provided safe havens for the pleasure craft that sail its’ waters.

A crowded signpost with misleading signs

because the road sign did actually

read COOLBAUN.

Brockagh Harbour

the name translates to na brocaí and may mean a dirty (muddy ?) place. 

It certainly has nothing to do with badgers for it is very low lying 

and floods in the winter.

Map of an interesting walk for those whose legs are up to it !

Dromineer Harbour

The name Dromineer in Irish is "Drom Inbhir", 

meaning the back or the ford of the river. 

Well, this one could certainly carry a lot of baggage!

Here is an old lady named Miranda that is made of iron - I bet she could tell some tales!

On the skyline are the hills of County Clare in the Province of Munster.

County Tipperary in the Province of Leinster is a long county that shares it boundaries with two provinces in seven other counties: Waterford,Cork and Clare in Munster, Limerick, Kilkenny, Offaly and Laois in Leinster and Galway in Connaught. Five of these are land borders apart from Clare and Galway, which are watery borders. These two counties are divided by Lough Derg, Loch Deirgeirt, meaning "loch of the red eye”’

Ireland’s longest river, The Shannon, which takes its’ name from the goddess Sionnan, flows through the Lough to emerge on her way to the sea on the far side of Limerick City.

Those of you looking for a place to live in Ireland with a grand view 

of Lough Derg might consider this?

Dromineer Bay

An Almost Village

On a green field with a stand of trees where hens once pecked, a tented market blossomed, a street of stalls, an almost village; with a Baker, a Willow Weaver, a Candle Maker, a Poetic Rhymer, a Potter, a Framer, a Soap Maker and a Pizza Purveyor all mixed in between arts and crafts persons, knitters, garment makers and a Wildfood Mistress.

Then came the comers and goers, customers, chatterers, the Happy Sunday People and nosey-parker photographers clicking away quietly.
Yes, it was a resounding success - Woodfield’s of Birr first Cottage Market which will be held on the second Sunday of every summer month at eleven o’clock.

links:

https://www.facebook.com/birrmarket/?hc_ref=NEWSFEED

https://www.facebook.com/clonmacnoisepottery

https://www.facebook.com/poemsbyzoe

https://wildfoodmary.wordpress.com

heartworks.ie

FIRESIDE TALES

My blog FIRESIDE TALES contains the stories I wrote several years ago for my grandson.
They tell of an old druid and a young lad discovering the magic of nature and the nature of magic.

I doubt that I shall continue writing this series but if you enjoy reading them then perhaps the adventures will continue in your own imagination......

You can find FIRESIDE TALES on the link HERE

The Hill of Truth !

Our intention this time was to visit several places that Mrs. H has had her beady eye on for the past few weeks so at the weekend we set off on a round trip of two hundred and thirty-three miles. The weather was perfect, the coffee in the flask was strong and the road was ours.

Apart from visiting the places that were on our schedule, my navigation brought us to a small home that I had long heard about but had never seen. Finding it was a surprise and a treat for sore eyes.

Eamon De Valera’s home-place at Bruree in Co. Limerick. 

http://www.ireland-information.com/articles/eamondevalera.htm

&

http://homepage.eircom.net/~seanjmurphy/irhismys/devalera.html

The Galtee Mountains

photo taken from Lattin in Co. Tipperary

The highest peak in the Galtee range is Galtymore which rises to 917 m (3,009 ft). Although not the highest mountain in Ireland it is very impressive and can be seen as a great backdrop on the skyline. Some of the best views can be found when approaching Cashel, Co.Tipperary from the north and onwards towards Tipperary Town. 

The Galtees are classified as having a High Fall risk for ramblers, with steep and dangerous areas as well as being very wet underfoot so great care must be taken when walking there.  

http://outsider.ie/Features/May/A-taste-of-more-in-the-Galtees 

My favourite view of The Galtees

By mentioning The Galtee Mountains and Eamon De Valera it has brought to mind a song about a comrade-in-arms of his which I share with you here:

The song of the Galtee Mountain Boy

We continued along our route, travelling further south until we finally saw the outline of Cnoc Fírinne, Co. Limerick. Known as the Hill of Truth or of truthful prediction, because it serves as a weather glass to the people of the surrounding plains who can predict whether the day will be wet or dry by the appearance of the summit in the morning. It is here by tradition that the Irish God, Donn, has another home. 

The Hill of Truth

Cnoc Fírinne

I find it humorous that the male gods are more than likely to be found in the high places and associated with weather, death and truth, whilst their female counterparts are generally found lower in the landscape, in caves, valleys and rivers. 

On the drive home we both felt a bit weary and yet satiated from all that we had seen, the happy memories of which will remain with us. Thank you for visiting this blog and I hope you have enjoyed reading it as much as I have enjoyed sharing it.

TRANQUILITY RULES OK

DAWN SUNRISE

County Laois in April

A brackish lake in county Clare

Healing

Coastal Waters of Clare

The Offering

The Shannon in May

Curios of Counties Galway & Roscommon

Sunday 2nd April saw us once again on the road. This time our destination was to Drum in the south-west corner of County Roscommon and a good few kilometres from home. Fortunately the day held promise for the weather, when we left, was sunny and bright. Thankfully it stayed that way for the whole day.

Our route took us through the large town of Athlone  [Baile Átha Luain, meaning "town of Luan's ford]which sits astride the river Shannon like a mother duck. A good place for shopping with numerous stores that cater for everyone - ladies please note. We did not stop but pressed onwards through Monksland [Fearann na Manach] to Drum [Droim’ meaning ridge or hillock]. We followed the brown signposts towards the our destination - a megalith named Meehambee Dolmen, meaning yellow meadow from the Irish word Míothán buídhe. 

When the British Crown ruled Ireland they changed Irish names into what they thought were easily pronounceable place names. The consequence of this action was that the geographical meanings of  place names were obscured or lost and the Irish language was outlawed. Today we have English gobble de gook on some sign boards, though in places the original Irish is also displayed.

The Ice House

As we drove along a very narrow road that undulated and twisted left and right for several kilometres towards Míothánbuídhe, I noticed a rectangular hole in an embankment wall amid some stone heaps.  This suggested that we were passing a ruined building so we stopped and took photos. At home later my research told me that the hole was what is known as an Ice House where meats were preserved - rather like a fridge. The building is believed to be the former home place of the Ó Lionáin family, other names being O'Lennan, O'Lonain and both translate as Lennon.

A few minutes from the Ice House and we reached a small parking place. 

Here was the start of an old bridleway bordered by dry stone walls on either side, which looked to be very inviting. It proved to be a very pleasant stroll to the megalith, the majority of the plant life being fresh Ransom (Allium Ursinum), wild garlic in leaf, the scent of which faintly perfumed the air. On the way was a large hill fort known as Rath of the Wren which sadly it was fenced off, although I suppose doing so prevents it from being damaged.

Reduced headroom under a natural arch

of Whitethorn and Ivy

A blue fairy has just come out of the dolmen to take photo's !

Yours truly.

At the end of the bridlepath the Abhainn na Crannain

flows gently along

After our visit to the megalith we decided to make our way to Tuam in Co Galway for there is a particular Well there that Mrs H wanted to visit. Whenever time allows we always use the by-roads those whose designated number is preceded by an R or an L, rather than the large fast roads with a N or M. It is the scenery which interests us, that and the convenience of stopping for coffee and sandwiches which we always carry on tours such as these.

The bridge over the river Shevin at Ballinamore, Co. Galway.

Suddenly, I saw what appeared to be a castle wall in the distance complete with crenellations and yet there was no mention of this on the map. As we got closer I saw that it was a river bridge with a fortified high wall on one side only. Later research informed me that it was built in the mid 1800’s and I am guessing that it may well have been part of a famine relief scheme. Similar works were undertaken across the country, the idea being that money for food must be earned rather than given freely to those in need. 

We eventually arrived in Tuam, Tuim a burial mound, and although we knew the area where St Jarlaith’s well was situated we failed to locate it. So another journey must be undertaken armed with more detailed information. 

We turned for home with our route taking us through Athenry, Baile Áth na Ríogh, meaning "Town of the Ford of the Kings” and famed for the well-known song ‘The Fields of Athenry’.

The Dubliners-The Fields Of Athenry- HQ

TheDublinersHQ

• 6 years ago
• 1,229,282 views

The Dubliners--The Fields Of Athenry Lyrics By a lonely prison wall I heard a young girl calling Michael they are taking you 

The Cockerel, Mouse and Fly.

On Mother's Day we took ourselves off on an adventure to southern Laoise [pronounced as Leesh] and in particular to the picturesque village of Timahoe.

Timahoe, derives its’ name from Saint Tigh Mochua, 

there the houses are built around a large, central piece of common land known as the Goosegreen.  

St. Mochua established a monastery at Timahoe in the seventh century which burnt down in 1142, later it was re-established by the O’Moores.  

A 12th century round tower standing 96ft high is located close by Mochua’s Abbey and there was a monastic community here as late as 1650. It was then that the Franciscan friars were murdered at a spot known locally as "Boher a wurther" or the murdering road, by Colonel Hewson and Cromwell’s army. 

Along the road to Timahoe.

The locals call it 'Goosegreen'

Looking East the River Bauteogue

Looking West along the River Bauteogue

The round tower stands in a lovely setting accessed by a footbridge that crosses the River Bauteogue, Báiteóg, meaning ‘a swamp’. Originally access to the tower and Abbey was via a ford.

Drawing from Laois County Council archive

Detail of the towers entrance.

The Round Tower 

St Mochua had a reputation as a healer, and is said to have cured two other abbots – St Colman Elo of a sudden loss of memory and St Fintan Munnu of ‘leprosy’.

Mochua died in the year 657.

St. Mochua's companions

St. Mochua lived as a hermit without worldly goods except for three pets – a rooster, a mouse and a fly. The rooster wakened him for the hours of Matins; if he didn’t wake up or dozed off during the day weak from his vigils and prayers, the mouse would nibble at his ear not letting him sleep more than three hours a day or night. The fly would walk along each line of his Psalter as he read and when he became tired, the fly would stop at the point where the saint had broken off until he could return again to resume reading the Psalms.

The Little Pets of St. Mochua

When St. Mochua knelt to pray

Each morning at the break of day

There always was about the house

A rooster, fly and little mouse

Three willing slaves to serve him well

And share his solitary cell

The rooster every morn would crow

And waken him for matins, though

When he slept too sound to hear

The mouse came forth and nipped his ear

And though he never had a clock

The mouse would call him or the cock

And if he had to leave a book

From out some dusty hidden nook

A fly, with patience and with grace

Would sit for hours and mark the place.

 © John Irvine

I very much hope that your appetites have been whetted sufficiently enough to make a visit to this breath taking place. Where a on a sunny warm day you can lose yourself in peaceful surroundings and enjoy some wonder filled dreams.