Something Completely Different

(https://c.tenor.com/3c9Tg6xjntQAAAAC/shamrock-leprechaun.gif)
Be the hokay! If Shhon can have a China thread, why not one about me own fair country, loike? Faith and begorrah, tis fit an' well ye're lookin', soft day thank God etc.

Ask any questions about Ireland here (no, for the last time, there are NO more Leprechaun hunts: they live happily in concentration camps ghettos on reservations in specialised housing districts now) and I'll throw Irish-related news at you, and any snippets of interesting information that may occur from time to time.

Oh and yes, crude Irish jokes are fine too. We're well used to it.
(https://media.tenor.com/lEwXdb7q4M4AAAAM/stpattysday-st.gif)
The blessin's of God on ye. May the road rise afore ye and keep ye safe from joyriders, and may ye be in Heaven half an hour before the Divil checks his feed and updates your status!

I have a dear friend in a neighboring city who moved to the States from Ireland. He's a phenomenal painter, (he painted James Joyce and Miles Davis which I've shared previously), and he has a predilection for Irish landscapes.

At a public library sale this past weekend I grabbed a massive oversized hardcover photo book of Ireland which I'm going to gift him when I see him for Halloween. If he finds inspiration for even a single painting from the book, it will have been worth the price.

If you have any additional Irish photography resources to share, I'd welcome them.

(https://i.imgur.com/RiUC28Nl.jpg)

OY VEY, MARIA! IRELAND TAKES ON ISRAEL!

Okay not quite, but relations between the "Little Satan" and the "Land of Saints and Scholars" have been seriously deteriorating over the past few months, mostly, you'll not be surprised to hear, over our support for the Palestinian state, which Israel don't like at all, divil a man if they don't. I mean, our government (such as it is) have been very careful not to antagonise the Israelis, but apparently just admitting and affirming a people has a right to exist is being anti-semetic. Who knew? So that was the first burr we inadvertently (or perhaps not) put under Netanyahu's saddle. This was followed by our president (a figurehead if ever there was one) having the temerity to send a standard congratulation letter to the new leader of Iran, after the previous lost his argument with a mountain and a helicopter. The letter was, as I say, standard, but Israel, touchy fucks, took it as a direct insult, as if we should run all our policy decisions past them. Didn't we fight to become a republic so that we wouldn't have to kowtow to any country? Oh yeah, and then ratified the Maastricht treaty and gave all our sovereignty away. Oops! But more to the point, wasn't it a short seventy-odd years since the Jews were being told what to do by a beliggerent power? And they didn't like it. Well, who would? But now they're almost copying the Nazis by ordering everyone about and telling them how to think, and finding new and inventive ways to cry and wail about how put-upon they are and how Europe hates them.

Look, like any normal person, I have the greatest sympathy for the Jews. For the Second World War Jews, anyway. I've watched multiple programmes on how horrible it was for them, the murder perpetrated against them, and I've often been moved to tears at the stark reality of man's inhumanity to man, so I hope I can count myself as anything but an anti-semite. But the Jews today seem to me to be like abused children who have grown up to become abusers themselves, and I think it's not far from the truth to call what the State of Israel is doing now, in first Gaza and now Lebanon and Iran, as fascism, indeed, terrorism. It amazes me how subservient the US remains. Why do they fear Israel so much? They operate almost as a vassal state. Maybe someone can explain that to me?

Anyway, enough rambling. Our latest head-butt with Israel is the threat today from the IDF to move our UN peacekeeping forces out of Lebanon "for our own safety". They're clearly saying, "It's all right lads, the real men have arrived. We'll take it from here now. Off yiz go to the pub. Actually, go anywhere, we don't give a fuck. Just get out of our way. How dare you protect these Lebanese? What are you: anti-semites?" An UN-mandated peacekeeping programme, supported by 149 countries, should step aside because the Israelis want to kill innocent people (who of course will be said to have been sheltering or used by HAMAS or Hezbollah or whoever, take your pick), bomb hospitals, destroy schools and target residential blocks, kill mothers and children? As we say here, ye wide or wot? Trouble is, our PK forces aren't exactly armed to the teeth, so unless international pressure can be brought to bear (and we've seen how that's worked with Israel so far) I think some of our lads are going to get killed before this gets any better.

So, what's next? Can we expect Israeli warplanes overhead? Israeli tanks rumbling through Darndale? Well, if so, they can expect to return to Tel Aviv a few parts short - it's just like that here, and they only have themselves to blame. In reality, of course, Israel is not going to attack a NATO country, even one as piss-useless as us, because then they will really be in the shit. But the sniping goes on, the accusations fly, and I wouldn't be too surprised if some day in the near future the Israeli embassy closes down here.

Sure, wouldn't Hitler have been proud, and yelling, with spittle flying from his lips "I told you so!" Ah yeah, but there's one point, one important point to remember there, and it's this: Hitler was a cunt.

Links provided if you want to read them.
Irish ambassador reprimanded over recognition of Palestinian State (https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2024/0523/1450820-israel-katz/)
 President Higgins accuses Israel embassy of circulating letter to Iran (https://www.rte.ie/news/world/2024/0922/1471369-higgins-israel/)
 Irish Peacekeepers threatened in Lebanon (https://www.rte.ie/news/world/2024/1005/1473741-unifil-lebanon/)

Well, ISB, if you know Irish art (and I don't) you'll be aware of the beautiful and phenomenal work of our own Jim Fitzpatrick, some of which appears on the almost-unavailable-but-damn-worth-hunting-down album Erinsaga. It also can be found on Thin Lizzy's albums.
(https://www.irishexaminer.com/cms_media/module_img/4891/2445638_1_org_08.NUADA.A4_1_.jpg)

(https://i0.wp.com/jimfitzpatrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/2.04.the-magic-cup.cu1982.A21.jpg?fit=899%2C1200&ssl=1)
(https://www.realireland.ie/cdn/shop/products/singingswans_1080x.jpg?v=1600775749)
(https://i0.wp.com/jimfitzpatrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/THE-KISS.jpg?fit=723%2C1000&ssl=1)
His art is very distinctive, and of course he also made that famous photograph of Che into an iconic art image.
(https://jimfitzpatrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Che-Painted-Canvas-n-JF-sq.jpg)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Fitzpatrick_(artist)

Tá deartháir mór ag faire ort

or

(https://media.tenor.com/KKjUgWD4o00AAAAM/body-man.gif)

Ah, it's always fun to read a new scandal story about the people whose main claim to service seems to be that they'll put you down "somewhere close" to where you actually want to go, i.e., anywhere within a few hundred miles! Oh, and don't worry that the aircraft seems to be straining at the seams: these are the very latest Boeing 737s, winner of the Small Airliner of the Year Award. Yeah, for 1964, but sure, these dependable workhorses are as reliable now as they ever were - what? The sound of popping rivets? Ah here, now! Ye're causin' a scene, sir! I'll have to ask you to leave.

Yeah, it's the ever-popular, never boring, cheap as chips airline, the bane of Aer Lingus and self-respecting air travellers everywhere, the one, the only...
(https://i.pinimg.com/736x/36/3d/bf/363dbf0ffa49288be404eb9beffa7264.jpg)
(Is there something ominous about an airline carrying on its tail a representation of a musical instrument usually associated with clouds and angels? No? Just me then.)

The latest reason for "Ireland's Second Airline" (we don't have a third) to  hit the news is their insistence that your own ID is not enough to gain access to their mighty emporia in the sky, and they now demand that they carry out their own hilarious form of facial recognition before you can board. Oh yes. It seems intending passengers now have to prove they are who they are by, um, taking a photograph and then carrying out what the techies at Ryanair call "a liveness check" (is that even a word? Liveness?) which apparently involves making various gestures and movements to show that it is you. I know what kind of gesture they'd get from me! Actually though, to be serious for a moment, I don't even understand how this works! You give them your passport, then take a photo to confirm it matches the one in the passport, but if it doesn't, how does dancing around like someone who has inadvertently ingested some MDMA help prove you are who you are? Oh, and just to add insult to injury, you have to PAY for this public humiliation! Yes, it's only 59 cents but it's the principle of the thing. Would you not be outraged if someone, I don't know, tweaked your nose in public and then held out their hand for a few coins? Fifty-nine fucking cents? The least the bastards could do is eat that!
(https://media.tenor.com/95iBP808v6sAAAAM/wall-of-shame-smile.gif)
Anyway, they're under investigation now by the Data Protection Commission (DPC) to see if these frankly ludicrous and unnecessary measures contravene passenger's personal data rights under GDPR. Oh and now I see their game! It's only passengers who book through "third-party travel agents" who get subjected to this degrading pony show! So what Ryanair are saying, reading between the lines on the small print, is that if you don't want your family and friends and strangers laughing at you as you perform your best impression of Rowan Atkinson before they let you on the plane, book through OUR agent! Canny fuckers. Let's hope the DPC serves a notice on them. Unbelievable.

DPC to investigate Ryanair "verification" methods (https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2024/1004/1473577-dpc-inquiry-into-ryanair/)

(https://img.atlasobscura.com/rZ__BVXs5OcM9lXnxoUxRMvNw-_LqgZsA5sZHl934PM/rs:fill:1280:720:1/g:ce/c:1500:843:nowe:0:179/q:81/sm:1/scp:1/ar:1/aHR0cHM6Ly9hdGxh/cy1kZXYuczMuYW1h/em9uYXdzLmNvbS91/cGxvYWRzL2Fzc2V0/cy84YmYzOTU2OTFm/ODJjNzc0ZjRfTGF0/dG9uIENvLiBNb25h/Z2hhbiAxOTQxIENs/YXNzcm9vbS5qcGc.jpg)

Ah, Jaysus! Would yiz go back to school, there's a good bunch o' lads!

Got to love the government! Well, you don't really, especially when they're being intentionally thick as the proverbial two planks of whatever length you prefer yourself. With a 14 Billion (that's Billion, with a B, like the TV programme) windfall from Sir Isaac Newton's favourite falling fruit, in recognition of the fact that the late Mr. Jobs' company had been avoiding its tax bill like Trump avoiding explaining his policies, and the wagging finger warning that we won't be seeing any of it in the new budget (which we did not), what did the badly-underfunded and desperately crying out for cash education system need most, do you think? More teachers, better paid? Better facilities? A computer or tablet for every student? A HD TV in every teachers' lounge? More up-to-date textbooks? Better infrastructure?

Nah, nah, nah mate: ye've got it all wrong, so ye have. Sure, any man with half a brain in 'is noggin knows that the one thing every school needs, before anything else, is....
(https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/DXK5OUKWNJE7VATPW7SPEEDL4I.jpg?auth=e402b791945f8b18b7b4ebc3dacb25c36d3a87e31e9560bdadf48490aa7492cf&smart=true&width=1024&height=768)
pouches for the kids' mobile phones.

No, I am being serious! Every school will now have the option of having pouches installed where the kids can leave their phones in the morning and collect them in the evening. So they don't get distracted in class, y'know? And the price of this bold new initiative? Well, at 20 Euro per phone and multiplying that out over 700 schools we get the round figure of .... 9 million Euro!

Nine. Fucking. Million. Euro.

How many teachers could have a raise from that? How many books could be bought? How many heating systems repaired? How much equipment could be bought? But no, the kids can now happily (hardly) deposit their phones at the school limits, like gunslingers in the Old West surrendering their shootin' irons to the sheriff when they enter town - don't worry boys: ye'll get them back when you ride on out.
(https://image.invaluable.com/housePhotos/sflorida/94/701594/H21032-L254923322.jpg)
I mean, these are not just cases, but some sort of self-sealing pouch that prevents access to the phone by the kids until it's presumably opened by the teacher or on some sort of a time lock. Can anyone see the point in this? Is it not going to be a case of most/all of the kids just not dropping their phones in the pouches and hiding them in class, using them when teacher isn't looking?
(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/ea/52/e0/ea52e08a92513b28d8f6e3daaf07f787.gif)
Is there to be, in addition to the pouches, some sort of hi-tech scanning system, as kids become skeletons walking across a screen till the tell-tale shape of a mobile phone is picked out and alarm bells go off, armed guards appearing from nowhere screaming "DROP THE PHONE! DROP IT IN THE POUCH NOW! SLOWLY! THIS IS YOUR FIRST AND FINAL WARNING!"
(https://y.yarn.co/22c10956-fa28-41f8-b3cc-5829aa04a873_text.gif)
And what about those kids who, after a long day spent learning probably little anyway, leg it out of school (who ever wanted to hang around, really?) and forget their precious phone? Are they going to be able to get it back? What if phones get mixed up? What's the legal liability if someone's phone gets broken, and who's taking responsibility for their care while not in the possession of their owners?

More to the point, how exactly is this massive windfall to be spent? Eh? I bet we won't hear much about that!
(https://y.yarn.co/b69bd186-75a9-485a-b76a-745fe2f46992_text.gif)

Answers on a postcard please, and if you don't know what that means, then maybe you should have paid more attention in class, instead of checking your Instagram!

Apple funds cannot be used for day-to-day spending (https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2024/0910/1469297-apple-tax-decision-ireland/)
Pouches for Phones in Schools "unfathomable" decision (https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2024/1004/1473598-phone-pouch-schools/)

(https://y.yarn.co/80fc33c0-8468-4263-a854-2b431537b1e0_text.gif)

Air Marshals on Buses? Only in Ireland!

Yeah, seems the level of "anti-social behaviour" (read, thuggery and intimidation plus drunkeness and just general shitheadness) has risen to such a worrying level that we are now, I think, the first country to employ dedicated security guards on our buses! They're not armed, they have no powers, but still, I kind of applaud the move (while still deploring the necessity for it) as it will hopefully make these arseholes think twice before kicking off. It should provide protection for drivers and passengers, and that can only be a good thing.

Until...

The word gets around that these guys are basically powerless and are not stationed on every bus, but rather, jumping from one to another like some sort of demented platform game characters, and either some guy or group of guys decides to show their hardness by taking them on ("Yeah? Whatcha gonna do?" etc) or just waits till they've moved on to another bus to start trouble. Still, I reckon it's something, but it certainly shows, not only the world we're living in, but how dangerous a simple event like taking the bus has become in Ireland.

 Security Guards begin operating on Dublin bus services (https://www.rte.ie/news/dublin/2024/1007/1473888-dublin-bus-security/)

(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/6b/dd/3b/6bdd3ba2ffc37b68db5fe75afce8e61c.gif)
Suffer the Children... :rage: :rage:  :'(

I can't even. There's a special place in Hell for these people. Read at your own risk. Recommend you have hanky at the ready.

 Man jailed for abuse and death of young child  (https://www.rte.ie/news/courts/2024/1011/1474980-court-abuse/)

I've watched The Banshees of Inisherin so I'm well educated on Irish culture.

Come on, man! You know where to get the real story about us Irish!
(https://media.tenor.com/cV7lHTUATv8AAAAM/st-patricks-day-simpsons.gif)

A Irish historian I follow online all over social media is now living in NYC and he posted this the other day.

Th IRA were ambushed in NYC?
(https://i.postimg.cc/LRYFdqrZ/Screenshot-20241016-204857.png)

https://x.com/sinnfeinireland/status/1846891390673809700

he explained it this morning

QuoteOct 22, 2024
On Monday, the Dublin City task force announced its proposals to clean up the city centre of our capital. But how bad is anti-social behaviour in Dublin and right across the country? Katie Hannon discusses the issue with her studio audience.

WARNING! TRIGGER ALERT: CONTAINS DETAILS OF SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Faceless Evil: The Man who Destroyed more children's lives than can be counted is an Irishman

A man who targeted teenage girls with a despicable "catfishing" scheme to blackmail them, and whose persecution led to one of them taking her own life, has been jailed for a minimum of 20 years.
20 years minimum prison sentence for McCartney (https://www.rte.ie/news/2024/1025/1477360-alexander-mccartney-court/)

Harrowing tale of one of the victim's experiences (https://www.rte.ie/news/crime/2024/1025/1477469-alexander-mccartney/)

I recently looked at an old family bible, I didn't realise it was my great-grandparents that moved to the UK. I had always assumed it was a bit further back than that.

I'm going to start saying I am Irish-Scottish 🙂.

Quote from: FETCHER. on Oct 28, 2024, 02:40 AMI recently looked at an old family bible, I didn't realise it was my great-grandparents that moved to the UK. I had always assumed it was a bit further back than that.

I'm going to start saying I am Irish-Scottish 🙂.

They reckon about 10% of Brits have recent Irish ancestry, that's a grandparent or parent. I've got two grandparents.

If we go back further it's probably about half of us. Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and obviously the West of Scotland have a large Irish diaspora.

It is why I find it a bit strange when people think that 1) we hate each other and 2) we're different, as neither are true in reality.

Oh absolutely, a lot of my friends are the same and there is a ton of Irish surnames bouncing around up here.

If I ever fancy a change I'd love to move to Ireland 😊.

I've noted in my History of Ireland journal that in a very real way, the whole sectarian problem that lies at the heart of the division between English and Irish is down to one man wanting to get his end away. If Harry VIII hadn't wanted to get in the pantaloons of Mrs. Boleyn's favourite daughter - or, to be more precise, if she'd been happy to be a mistress and not the queen (which would have saved her own head into the bargain) - the Pope would not have got involved, Henry would never have gone Protestant, and there would be no real basis for the hatred between Irish and English, because essentially, when it comes right down to it, historically, the difference is that one is Catholic and one is Protestant, and each hates the other because they believe them to be heretics. See also under "Reasons to Blame God for the Troubles" and "Another 1000 Reasons Why Religion Sucks."

Quote from: Trollheart on Nov 01, 2024, 01:32 AMI've noted in my History of Ireland journal that in a very real way, the whole sectarian problem that lies at the heart of the division between English and Irish is down to one man wanting to get his end away. If Harry VIII hadn't wanted to get in the pantaloons of Mrs. Boleyn's favourite daughter - or, to be more precise, if she'd been happy to be a mistress and not the queen (which would have saved her own head into the bargain) - the Pope would not have got involved, Henry would never have gone Protestant, and there would be no real basis for the hatred between Irish and English, because essentially, when it comes right down to it, historically, the difference is that one is Catholic and one is Protestant, and each hates the other because they believe them to be heretics. See also under "Reasons to Blame God for the Troubles" and "Another 1000 Reasons Why Religion Sucks."

That is really interesting. I'll learn more about Harry VIII

I have been emailing that content creator who did those videos, he has a bunch of great ones.

Yup.

From Four Green Fields:

Intermission: Catholic England? The Trouser Serpent Enters Eden
(https://scd.community/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fonthetudortrail.com%2FBlog%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F08%2FHenry.jpg&hash=22b9b52abe40eeb057985a8d9fc6a93928f7c5c2)
Here I'd like to diverge slightly away from the timeline, and look back to see how things could have been different, for Ireland and for England. What I'll propose here will of course be simplistic and I'm sure there are plenty of valid reasons for the hatreds between our two countries, but it can't be denied that the biggest bone of contention - even when England left a remnant of its eight-hundred-year occupation behind it to stagger through almost into the twenty-first century - between us has been religion.

So, the question becomes: what if England had remained Catholic?

It's not as crazy a question, I think, as it seems. England had been, after all, staunchly Catholic for thousands of years, if only because up to then there was only Catholicism in Christianity. It was the early fifteenth century that saw the rise of Martin  Luther and what would become known as Protestantism, which slowly spread across Europe, but England resisted it, even to the point of its then king, Henry VIII, writing in vigorous defence of Catholicism and denouncing Luther, earning him the title Fidei Defensor, or Defender of the Faith, bestowed upon him by a grateful Pope Leo X. Remember, at this point England was a world power, and the pope would have been concerned had its king turned against him. Of course, later that's exactly what he did (though not specifically against the Pope himself, but against his allies) but that's history and here we're considering an alternate timeline.

Henry's problem with Catholicism - or more properly, the Pope - was that the Bishop of Rome refused to annul or make invalid his marriage to Catherine of Aragon in order to allow him marry Anne Boleyn. There were of course many reasons for this, not least among them being that Catherine was the aunt of Charles V of Spain, the Holy Roman Emperor and an important ally of the then pope, Clement VII, the sanctity of marriage (the moreso between a king and his wife) within the Catholic Church, and the possibility of disinheriting and effectively bastardising Catherine's daughter Mary, who would be next in line to the throne.

So Henry decided, after trying to cajole, force or trick the pope into annulling the marriage, he didn't need him. He would do it himself, and so, like a child annoyed at the rules of the game and making his own game, taking his ball and going home, Henry VIII of England set himself up as head of his own religion, his own breakaway faction from the Church, following (mostly, or as far as it benefited him to do so) the precepts of the fledgling Protestant movement being taught and disseminated by Martin Luther, thereby creating the Church of England and making England a Protestant country.

But consider: what if the pope had allowed the annulment? Yes, the historical ramifications would have been huge - Queen Mary, known to history as "Bloody Mary" for her persecution of Protestants when she came to power - would never have ruled, and her sister, Elizabeth, would have ascended the throne unopposed, rather than, as she was, seen throughout her reign by Catholics - the pope especially - as a bastard and a Protestant usurper. Plots to dethrone or assassinate her would not have been hatched, and in all likelihood, England might have been stronger against its enemies, being a cohesive, truly united kingdom.

Apart from the Scots, of course. Damn Scots! They ruined Scotland!

Meanwhile, Ireland might not have been such a prize, or, if it was, might have acceded more readily to a king who followed the same religion as them. Much of the opposition to England's invasion and occupation and rule of Ireland was that it was performed under the banner of Protestantism, the Anglican Protestantism taught by and compulsorily required by the Church of England. Irish Catholics feared the erosion, even destruction of their faith, and so fought with everything they had against this foreign oppressor. But had Henry got what he wanted from the pope, it's highly unlikely England would have changed religions. Up until the time of the "king's great matter" as they referred to his pending demand for divorce or annulment of his marriage to Catherine, Protestants and Lutherans in England were seen as heretics, and imprisoned, tortured and burned with the full approval and knowledge of the king. It was only when Henry began to see - or be shown, by men like Thomas Cromwell and Thomas Cranmer, who had much to gain by swaying His Majesty's allegiances their way, including of course not to have to do a good impersonation of a candle - that allowing, even embracing and finally insisting on Luther's new anti-Rome religion could help him to get what he needed that he broke with Rome.

Though there were plenty of Protestants in England at the time, and many at Henry's court, before the "great matter" (or before the king met Anne Boleyn) none of them would have admitted it, for to be branded a follower of Luther was to repudiate the Catholic Church, seen at the time as the only Church, and Luther's ideas as heretical and nothing more than the ramblings of a sect or cult leader, and that was punishable by death, usually very painful death. Henry's about-turn in accepting Protestantism was motivated purely by his own lust and his desire to get his own way, and set in motion by the refusal of the pope to grant this.

So had Henry either been able to keep it in his pants, or convince the pope that kicking Catherine to the kerb was the best policy, England might now still be a Catholic country, and everything from the Famine to the Rising and right up to the Troubles need never have happened.

The first and only time I have heard of in history where a man set up an entire religion and his people were later persecuted, imprisoned, burned and hanged because the king wanted to get his end away. Well, technically he could do that anyway, but since Durex would not be invented for about another four hundred years, he wanted to make sure any sprogs his new bit of totty dropped were legitimate heirs, especially if he hit the jackpot and got a son.

Quote from: Trollheart on Nov 01, 2024, 04:01 AMYup.

From Four Green Fields:

Intermission: Catholic England? The Trouser Serpent Enters Eden
(https://scd.community/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fonthetudortrail.com%2FBlog%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F08%2FHenry.jpg&hash=22b9b52abe40eeb057985a8d9fc6a93928f7c5c2)
Here I'd like to diverge slightly away from the timeline, and look back to see how things could have been different, for Ireland and for England. What I'll propose here will of course be simplistic and I'm sure there are plenty of valid reasons for the hatreds between our two countries, but it can't be denied that the biggest bone of contention - even when England left a remnant of its eight-hundred-year occupation behind it to stagger through almost into the twenty-first century - between us has been religion.

So, the question becomes: what if England had remained Catholic?

It's not as crazy a question, I think, as it seems. England had been, after all, staunchly Catholic for thousands of years, if only because up to then there was only Catholicism in Christianity. It was the early fifteenth century that saw the rise of Martin  Luther and what would become known as Protestantism, which slowly spread across Europe, but England resisted it, even to the point of its then king, Henry VIII, writing in vigorous defence of Catholicism and denouncing Luther, earning him the title Fidei Defensor, or Defender of the Faith, bestowed upon him by a grateful Pope Leo X. Remember, at this point England was a world power, and the pope would have been concerned had its king turned against him. Of course, later that's exactly what he did (though not specifically against the Pope himself, but against his allies) but that's history and here we're considering an alternate timeline.

Henry's problem with Catholicism - or more properly, the Pope - was that the Bishop of Rome refused to annul or make invalid his marriage to Catherine of Aragon in order to allow him marry Anne Boleyn. There were of course many reasons for this, not least among them being that Catherine was the aunt of Charles V of Spain, the Holy Roman Emperor and an important ally of the then pope, Clement VII, the sanctity of marriage (the moreso between a king and his wife) within the Catholic Church, and the possibility of disinheriting and effectively bastardising Catherine's daughter Mary, who would be next in line to the throne.

So Henry decided, after trying to cajole, force or trick the pope into annulling the marriage, he didn't need him. He would do it himself, and so, like a child annoyed at the rules of the game and making his own game, taking his ball and going home, Henry VIII of England set himself up as head of his own religion, his own breakaway faction from the Church, following (mostly, or as far as it benefited him to do so) the precepts of the fledgling Protestant movement being taught and disseminated by Martin Luther, thereby creating the Church of England and making England a Protestant country.

But consider: what if the pope had allowed the annulment? Yes, the historical ramifications would have been huge - Queen Mary, known to history as "Bloody Mary" for her persecution of Protestants when she came to power - would never have ruled, and her sister, Elizabeth, would have ascended the throne unopposed, rather than, as she was, seen throughout her reign by Catholics - the pope especially - as a bastard and a Protestant usurper. Plots to dethrone or assassinate her would not have been hatched, and in all likelihood, England might have been stronger against its enemies, being a cohesive, truly united kingdom.

Apart from the Scots, of course. Damn Scots! They ruined Scotland!

Meanwhile, Ireland might not have been such a prize, or, if it was, might have acceded more readily to a king who followed the same religion as them. Much of the opposition to England's invasion and occupation and rule of Ireland was that it was performed under the banner of Protestantism, the Anglican Protestantism taught by and compulsorily required by the Church of England. Irish Catholics feared the erosion, even destruction of their faith, and so fought with everything they had against this foreign oppressor. But had Henry got what he wanted from the pope, it's highly unlikely England would have changed religions. Up until the time of the "king's great matter" as they referred to his pending demand for divorce or annulment of his marriage to Catherine, Protestants and Lutherans in England were seen as heretics, and imprisoned, tortured and burned with the full approval and knowledge of the king. It was only when Henry began to see - or be shown, by men like Thomas Cromwell and Thomas Cranmer, who had much to gain by swaying His Majesty's allegiances their way, including of course not to have to do a good impersonation of a candle - that allowing, even embracing and finally insisting on Luther's new anti-Rome religion could help him to get what he needed that he broke with Rome.

Though there were plenty of Protestants in England at the time, and many at Henry's court, before the "great matter" (or before the king met Anne Boleyn) none of them would have admitted it, for to be branded a follower of Luther was to repudiate the Catholic Church, seen at the time as the only Church, and Luther's ideas as heretical and nothing more than the ramblings of a sect or cult leader, and that was punishable by death, usually very painful death. Henry's about-turn in accepting Protestantism was motivated purely by his own lust and his desire to get his own way, and set in motion by the refusal of the pope to grant this.

So had Henry either been able to keep it in his pants, or convince the pope that kicking Catherine to the kerb was the best policy, England might now still be a Catholic country, and everything from the Famine to the Rising and right up to the Troubles need never have happened.

The first and only time I have heard of in history where a man set up an entire religion and his people were later persecuted, imprisoned, burned and hanged because the king wanted to get his end away. Well, technically he could do that anyway, but since Durex would not be invented for about another four hundred years, he wanted to make sure any sprogs his new bit of totty dropped were legitimate heirs, especially if he hit the jackpot and got a son.

Thank you for that post! That was a great read, and very informational. I lol'ed at the "taking my ball and going home" & "keep it in his pants". It really is interesting though that you say how all of that could have been avoided possibly. I don't know much about kings in England or Ireland or anywhere really but I do want to learn more. You're very knowledge Trollheart, I'll go back and read the MB threads or if they are posted here too.

Dublin Halloween parade hoax dupes thousands into packing Ireland capital's streets for nothing (https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dublin-halloween-parade-hoax-ireland-prank-ai-fake-news/)

😂😂😂😂😂

Fuck it leaving these here.


Classic.


"Shit she's not alroyt!"

"Got a nice bump on ye head der"

😂

Ah tis well I remember yer man slipping on the ice! Fucking hilarious. Like they say, "it's all great fun till someone loses an eye. Then it's hysterical!"

That fake parade story just shows how fucking thick we are. Did nobody think to check to see if it was real? And since when did we EVER have a Halloween parade in Ireland? Or anywhere? The funniest thing is that the takeaway from this by our non-elected government is that "judging by the amount of people who turned up, there's a real appetite for a parade" and not "judging by the amount of people who turned up, there's a real case for handing out free frontal lobotomies!" Gobshites.  ::)  :laughing:

Quote from: Trollheart on Nov 01, 2024, 08:03 PMAh tis well I remember yer man slipping on the ice! Fucking hilarious. Like they say, "it's all great fun till someone loses an eye. Then it's hysterical!"

That fake parade story just shows how fucking thick we are. Did nobody think to check to see if it was real? And since when did we EVER have a Halloween parade in Ireland? Or anywhere? The funniest thing is that the takeaway from this by our non-elected government is that "judging by the amount of people who turned up, there's a real appetite for a parade" and not "judging by the amount of people who turned up, there's a real case for handing out free frontal lobotomies!" Gobshites.  ::)  :laughing:

😂😂😂

Could there be a serial killer stalking Ireland?

 Second woman threatened with knife attack in two days (https://www.rte.ie/news/2024/1103/1478862-derry-knife-assault/)

Serious as this is, undoubtedly, I love the fact that both women fought the cunt off. He obviously is a total fucking coward, masking his face and unable to deal with two frightened women, one of whom beat him off with a dog lead! Stupid cunt. Hope they catch him soon, assuming it's one guy, and if not, hope they catch them soon. About time Irish women stood up to these bastards, and it's true: bullies are cowards. Show a bit of fight and the fucker takes to his heels.

Yeah but what does it matter? You vote, they decide who's going to run the country. Last time I voted for Sinn Fein, they got the most seats, and none of the "big" parties woudl work with them, so they ignored the people's mandate and shared the govt between them. Cunts.

Quote from: Trollheart on Nov 09, 2024, 02:09 AMYeah but what does it matter? You vote, they decide who's going to run the country. Last time I voted for Sinn Fein, they got the most seats, and none of the "big" parties woudl work with them, so they ignored the people's mandate and shared the govt between them. Cunts.

I follow a lot of Sinn Fein on social media and I remember this also. I didn't vote of course though.

I do want to get dual citizenship but I guess it's 5 years in the country or 2 years if married to someone there

Quote from: QuantumSync on Nov 10, 2024, 05:18 AMI follow a lot of Sinn Fein on social media and I remember this also. I didn't vote of course though.

I do want to get dual citizenship but I guess it's 5 years in the country or 2 years if married to someone there

That doesn't apply if your parent is Irish. I recall you saying your dad is? You should have citizenship automatically. Both my parents have it automatically because my granddads (their dad's) were born there. I just have to register if I want it.

http://ci-prod-web-lb-910939973.eu-west-1.elb.amazonaws.com/en/moving-country/irish-citizenship/irish-citizenship-through-birth-or-descent/#8ecd5f

Quote from: jimmy jazz on Nov 10, 2024, 06:51 AMThat doesn't apply if your parent is Irish. I recall you saying your dad is? You should have citizenship automatically. Both my parents have it automatically because my granddads (their dad's) were born there. I just have to register if I want it.

http://ci-prod-web-lb-910939973.eu-west-1.elb.amazonaws.com/en/moving-country/irish-citizenship/irish-citizenship-through-birth-or-descent/#8ecd5f

Oh wow, I'll check into that

I have family there but don't really communicate, just see each others social media posts.

FUCK IRELAND! CUNTS!

Now I've got your attention @Trollheart I'd like to link you to the workout thread, in case you missed the 10 or so tags we've posted for you.

https://scd.community/index.php?topic=128.0

Thoughts on joining us for 2025?

new show on TV^

i dont have tv but someone i know posted an instagram story about it and the trailer looks interesting.

seems to be obviously be about the book "Say Nothing"

(https://img.rasset.ie/00216469-2560.jpg)
Possibly a landmark case as Irish MMA fighter loses case taken against him by a woman who said he and his friend raped her.

https://www.rte.ie/news/2024/1122/1482355-conor-mcgregor-nikita-hand/

(https://i.postimg.cc/RhVsNPnh/PXL-20241123-121902180-3.jpg)
Swag package arrival today  8)

About send these postcards out next week

https://x.com/WatchdogTh96012/status/1860072948385873945

Seeing so much of this sort of thing now.

By that I mean, Irish far-right or whatever you want to call it.

Noticed this for a long time, like for a good twenty or twenty five years, but we didn't want to say anything, because we respect the parents who settled in these islands. But if their children start being a bit cheeky then we will have to respond accordingly.

I fully admit that international kids like myself who studied in different countries might give the impression that we are snobs. But we spot UK infiltrators when we see 'em. This bloke Umar-Alqadri looks like a right fucking prick. What does he share with the Irish people? What did he express in his opening tweet to the Irish people?....Nothing. No charm...No Westernness....Just agression and a fake indian in a suit. I'm not charmed nor impressed.

@Saulaac is it OK to ask for a bit of your background because I get confused. I had you down as French, then I think you said you grew up in England, are you originally from Ireland?

Not that it matters, but would help with the context of your posts with things like this.

You can tell me to stop being a nosy cunt and I will understand, BTW.

Yes, no probs.
I was born in Manc in 1977 and lived in Macclesfield until the mid-eighties whereby my parents moved to Holland and sent me to boarding school in Yorkshire.. So I feel incredibly British and the only passport I carry is British!
My Mum is Irish from Galway but I've grown up British. I currently live in France so I'm not so up to speed with the latest political movements in Ireland. But if other people are challenging the Irish way of life then I will question who the fuck are those cunts trying to destabilise things in the Irish govt.?

Quote from: Saulaac on Nov 24, 2024, 03:10 AMYes, no probs.
I was born in Manc in 1977 and lived in Macclesfield until the mid-eighties whereby my parents moved to Holland and sent me to boarding school in Yorkshire.. So I feel incredibly British and the only passport I carry is British!
My Mum is Irish from Galway but I've grown up British. I currently live in France so I'm not so up to speed with the latest political movements in Ireland. But if other people are challenging the Irish way of life then I will question who the fuck are those cunts trying to destabilise things in the Irish govt.?

That's very interesting. I went to a state school and then got kicked out and went to a PRU. I have wondered what the boarding schools, public schools and the like would have been like. Wouldn't have wanted to be away from my parents though. But they seem very nice, old fashioned, better education, safer etc. Obviously I assume everyone there is upper-middle class, very posh. Could just be my perception.

OK cool, I understand more now. Cheers for posting  :checkmark:

Cheers for that, JJ. You're not wrong in your assumption. The boarding school system was a bit more Harry Potter. But not overly so. Most people were middle or upper class. Occasionally you got a few toffs that you just had to get along with. But nobody was mean.

Quote from: jimmy jazz on Nov 24, 2024, 03:18 AMThat's very interesting. I went to a state school and then got kicked out and went to a PRU. I have wondered what the boarding schools, public schools and the like would have been like. Wouldn't have wanted to be away from my parents though. But they seem very nice, old fashioned, better education, safer etc. Obviously I assume everyone there is upper-middle class, very posh. Could just be my perception.

OK cool, I understand more now. Cheers for posting  :checkmark:

PRU, is that a pupil referral unit? Well you seem to have done very well with yourself and it sounds like you were at a good school. One day I'd like to get to know everyone on here better, and we could like go around the country visiting each others' old schools, a bit like Coogan and Brydon driving around the place.  :checkmark:

Quote from: Saulaac on Nov 24, 2024, 11:29 AMPRU, is that a pupil referral unit? Well you seem to have done very well with yourself and it sounds like you were at a good school. One day I'd like to get to know everyone on here better, and we could like go around the country visiting each others' old schools, a bit like Coogan and Brydon driving around the place.  :checkmark:

Yes mate.

Not everyone there got kicked out of school, they can be there for multiple reasons but they all have some difficulty in some way. They're not bad necessarily. We did half days and classrooms had about 6 or 7 students in them. No uniforms. Very basic lessons.

I was shitting myself when I first went and during my first lesson a kid from my old school walked in, noticed me and said 'woah, nobody touch this guy' and I knew then I was going to be alright  8)

https://x.com/The_Forty_Four/status/1860770991007285510

Roy Keane 😂🇮🇪

Must admit I don't know this guy in your post JJ but the whole idea of "New Irish" jars me, as I kind of think of the Ascendancy in Ulster. Besides, you're either Irish or you're not. I don't think of myself as "Old Irish" (more like Old Fart) even though I was born here and so were all my ancestors - we were in fact kings of Wicklow, so bow and scrape when you address me, you English dogs!  :laughing:

But to bring the "New Irish" thing in is just going to invite widening an already-hard-to-cross divide between immigrants who have settled here (I always laugh to hear a black guy with a thick Dublin accent - think Phil Lynott, sort of - howya ya son, ye all righ'?) - Dublin people tend to view the "t" as optional in a lot of words - and those who have been here since the time of the Druids or whatever. Singling yourself, or a group of people like you, out like that just throws your ignorance and insecurity into sharp relief, as, if you're comfortable with your position here, why bother coining a term like that?

All that said, I know nothing about the guy, but I would prefer not to hear someone coin a phrase like that when he may only have been in Ireland for, as we say here, a wet day (less than 700 years residency and you're considered a blow-in).

For those who want to know, my own education consisted of Primary School till probably 12 or 13 years old, then Secondary School till 17 (didn't finish) and then off to the rat race. I hated maths, wasn't great at science, loved English (duh) and history (double duh), ok on geography, laughed at religious education and was so-so with French and Spanish. Oh and I hated PT, or PE as you probably know it. Being a skinny, lazy fucker, I really can't think why. As for Irish, well, I still wake up screaming in the middle of the night going "As gaeilge! As gaeilge!" (In Irish! In Irish!)

I haven't seen that specific account before either, I was just saying, I'm noticing a lot of that sort of thing, anti-immigrant stuff. Irish accounts saying Ireland is for the Irish, stuff like that. Call it far-right or whatever. There was some protest I saw the other day, might have been in Dublin, a load of women blocking a coach full of migrants. Don't know if you saw that?

Suppose I could have posted it in your NIMBY thread but as this was nearer the top I went for this.

No you're right. Stupid signs like "Ireland is full" and as you say "Ireland is for the Irish". So much for being the "land of ten thousand welcomes"! I can see some justification for it, in that the homeless situation here has spiralled totally out of control, where people are paying (if they're lucky) upwards of 2 grand a month in rent and house prices are off the charts, while we have "ghost estates" - that's housing developments that ran out of money before they were finished and so are more or less empty, not housing estates haunted by the spirits of the dead - all over the country, so in a way, yes: if you can't house the Irish people where are you going to house the immigrants, especially when all the places you mark for their accommodation keep burning down mysteriously?

I think it's just an offshoot of the rise of the far right not only in America but across Europe, and usually - though not always - these so-called "protests" are clandestinely arranged by far-right agitator groups who go to cause trouble and then disappear when it all starts to kick off. But unfortunately, Ireland has a terrible history of racism, and it's not fair to blame that all on the Brits. Sure, we were occupied for 700 years, but it's not just the English we're prejudiced against, so that doesn't stack up.

The hard truth is that everywhere, even poor old happy little Ireland, is getting less tolerant towards immigrants, and while that's been driven behind the scenes by certain groups, we're just as capable of being bigoted as the next guy. We'll shake our heads at the news at the sight of bombed-out families in Gaza, but don't send them our way!  ::)

(https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:1170/1*Eitp8n93HwFXL-ytgxpDHw.jpeg)

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GaASeC_WcAAPxUz.jpg:large)

Further to my news about Conor McGregor, he's a pariah now, and serve the arrogant violent cunt right ...
(https://img.rasset.ie/0021499b-500.jpg)
https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2024/1126/1483087-musgrave-no-longer-stocking-products-linked-to-mcgregor/

In other news, may she burn in hell, the disgusting wagon. This is exactly the kind of thing I envisioned could happen with Karen. Never did: all our carers were grand, but you just never know, when you let someone into your home and put your trust in them.

(https://img.rasset.ie/00216975-500.jpg)
 Ex-carer jailed for eight years for aggravated burglaries (https://www.rte.ie/news/courts/2024/1126/1483120-carer-jailed-for-eight-years-for-role-in-burglaries/)

I mean, stealing a fucking funeral fund? How low can you get? Watch this stir up anti-immigrant hatred here, as if we needed any more of that.  ::)

And the hits just keep coming!  ::)

Warning: trigger alert - child abuse details. Read link at your own risk.


 Former HSE executive jailed for involvement in child abuse pornography ring (https://www.rte.ie/news/courts/2024/1125/1482881-peter-omalley-court/)

Quote from: Trollheart on Nov 26, 2024, 07:04 PMIn other news, may she burn in hell, the disgusting wagon. This is exactly the kind of thing I envisioned could happen with Karen. Never did: all our carers were grand, but you just never know, when you let someone into your home and put your trust in them.

(https://img.rasset.ie/00216975-500.jpg)
 Ex-carer jailed for eight years for aggravated burglaries (https://www.rte.ie/news/courts/2024/1126/1483120-carer-jailed-for-eight-years-for-role-in-burglaries/)

I mean, stealing a fucking funeral fund? How low can you get? Watch this stir up anti-immigrant hatred here, as if we needed any more of that.  ::)

I know someone who's nan was abused in a care home. The family set up cameras in the room after getting suspicious and recorded evidence of the physical abuse.

I felt sick seeing it.

Also Zimbabwean names are funny as fuck.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zimbabwe_national_football_team

Teenage, Godknows, Divine and Admiral. You will also notice our old pal, Marvelous  8)

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ngezi_Platinum_F.C.

Polite is one of the centre backs for this team. Same surname as the offender in your article. A relative perhaps?

Yes, we had two girls (think they were from Nigeria though), one of whose first name was Happy, and the other's surname was Lucky. Hilarious. Two very nice women also. Yes, Karen used to worry about upsetting some of the ones she didn't get on with, and that something like this would happen. Of course, I was always there, just upstairs or out in the kitchen or garden, so nobody would try anything and she was always safe, but you feel for people who don't have that kind of protection. Eight years isn't long enough, and really (racist hat on I guess) they should both be deported for such heinous crimes.

Quote from: Trollheart on Nov 26, 2024, 08:45 PMYes, we had two girls (think they were from Nigeria though), one of whose first name was Happy, and the other's surname was Lucky. Hilarious. Two very nice women also. Yes, Karen used to worry about upsetting some of the ones she didn't get on with, and that something like this would happen. Of course, I was always there, just upstairs or out in the kitchen or garden, so nobody would try anything and she was always safe, but you feel for people who don't have that kind of protection. Eight years isn't long enough, and really (racist hat on I guess) they should both be deported for such heinous crimes.

I fully agree.

I wouldn't deport for going over the speed limit or for parking fines, but anyone who wasn't born here who is found guilty of a violent crime should be instantly deported back to where they came from.

It should be seen as a privilege to be given the right to live in a country you weren't born in. The least you can do is behave when you're there.

Quote from: Trollheart on Nov 26, 2024, 07:00 PMFurther to my news about Conor McGregor, he's a pariah now, and serve the arrogant violent cunt right ...
(https://img.rasset.ie/0021499b-500.jpg)
https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2024/1126/1483087-musgrave-no-longer-stocking-products-linked-to-mcgregor/

about a year ago wasn't this dude going to get into politics?  :laughing:

https://x.com/ClareDalyIRL/status/1861343828092785028
KNEECAP out here saving the world

Kneecap are such a gimmick.



 

I think they some cool lads  8)

Well without them your legs fall off, so I wouldn't call them a gimmick really.

I'm a Jackeen, and damn proud of it. Are there any Culchies participating in this thread? :laughing:

Sure an' ye'll not get many o' de Irish lads here, so you won't, 'clare to God. I'm from the Big Smoke too. Northsider, as it goes.
(https://media.tenor.com/FEtxW-5ydqYAAAAM/st-patricks-day-fighting-words.gif)

Quote from: Trollheart on Nov 27, 2024, 07:43 PMSure an' ye'll not get many o' de Irish lads here, so you won't, 'clare to God. I'm from the Big Smoke too. Northsider, as it goes.
(https://media.tenor.com/FEtxW-5ydqYAAAAM/st-patricks-day-fighting-words.gif)

Originally from Santry, then Glasnevin, then Blackrock.

Looks like the election on Friday isn't generating much interest.

https://www.politico.eu/article/irelands-election-fail-fine-gael-sinn-fein-fianna-fail/ (https://www.politico.eu/article/irelands-election-fail-fine-gael-sinn-fein-fianna-fail/)

Quote from: Buck_Mulligan on Nov 27, 2024, 06:52 PMI'm a Jackeen, and damn proud of it. Are there any Culchies participating in this thread? :laughing:

Me mam is from Galway so she is, and I think her grandfather was part of the Claddagh community in Galway. So they were surely townsfolk :D. They were fishermen until the mid 20th century. I am currently researching more info about our great grandparents so I am.

So we were simple people but by the grace of the Lord we were able to make ends meet. I hope to visit Galway again soon and will try to meet up with the local Claddagh tribe.

'Tik Tok taoiseach' in the spotlight as Ireland heads to the polls (https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/28/europe/ireland-election-taoiseach-simon-harris-intl/index.html)

Quote from: Saulaac on Nov 28, 2024, 02:32 AMMe mam is from Galway so she is, and I think her grandfather was part of the Claddagh community in Galway. So they were surely townsfolk :D. They were fishermen until the mid 20th century. I am currently researching more info about our great grandparents so I am.

So we were simple people but by the grace of the Lord we were able to make ends meet. I hope to visit Galway again soon and will try to meet up with the local Claddagh tribe.

So you might be a Culchie, or semi-Culchie. I had a favorite uncle from Galway, unfortunately I don't know from where exactly, but his last name "Coyne" is associated with Galway.

The Catholic Church strikes again!
(https://img.rasset.ie/00216391-500.jpg)

The face of evil.

Christian Brother sentenced for abuse against former pupils (https://www.rte.ie/news/courts/2024/1128/1483572-christian-brother-northern-ireland/)
 Christian Brother made victims feel worthless (https://www.rte.ie/news/ulster/2024/1128/1482353-dunleavy-reax/)

Other ways to ruin lives: NEVER drink and drive (and if you do, at least fucking admit you were in the driving seat and don't blame the crash on your dead best friend!)
(https://img.rasset.ie/00216eb3-614.jpg?ratio=0.84)

Woman sentenced to four years for drink driving offence that led to the death of her friend (https://www.rte.ie/news/courts/2024/1128/1483495-jennifer-thomas-limerick/)

Quote from: Buck_Mulligan on Nov 27, 2024, 10:12 PMOriginally from Santry, then Glasnevin, then Blackrock.

Just down the Oscar Traynor from there, in Darndale.

Quote from: Buck_Mulligan on Nov 27, 2024, 11:20 PMLooks like the election on Friday isn't generating much interest.

https://www.politico.eu/article/irelands-election-fail-fine-gael-sinn-fein-fianna-fail/ (https://www.politico.eu/article/irelands-election-fail-fine-gael-sinn-fein-fianna-fail/)

Yeah I suppose I'll vote but if those two fuckers refuse to work with Sinn Fein again, you  got to wonder what's the point? They're just sharing out power between themselves, and to hell with what we think.

Quote from: Trollheart on Nov 28, 2024, 09:09 PMJust down the Oscar Traynor from there, in Darndale.

Yeah I suppose I'll vote but if those two fuckers refuse to work with Sinn Fein again, you  got to wonder what's the point? They're just sharing out power between themselves, and to hell with what we think.

Lived on Lorcan Grove, often walked to Northside SC. I thought both had already said they would not work with SF. I just looked at the make-up of the last Dail. There are 10 parties/groups in it. That's too many. Better if they cut it to five. SF would have a better chance of leading a left block.

That's just totally mad. A friend of mine I used to work with lived either on Lorcan Grove or Avenue. Small world, contrary to what physicists would have us think.

Yeah I know they both said they wouldn't work with the Shinners. Fucking amazing arrogance from Martin as he grinned at the debate and said "I'm amazed you're asking that question." Cunt. And his schoolboy cousin too. Fuck them both. If there was a cat on the ballot I'd vote for that. What a fucking country!

Hope you voted, when you don't you forfeit your right to critisize, and you never want to do that.

Yeah course I did. Dragged meself out in the rain and used a pencil to exercise my right to make absolutely no difference to how this country is run.

I've started working my way through your Four Green Fields Journal. That's an impressive body of work you've created here.

Hey thanks, nice of you to say. I'm doing the English one as well, just so I can't be said to be biased.

That's a lie: I just enjoy writing histories and that of England is so interesting.

Let me know what you think of it, and hopefully you'll enjoy it.

Quote from: Buck_Mulligan on Nov 28, 2024, 08:17 PMSo you might be a Culchie, or semi-Culchie. I had a favorite uncle from Galway, unfortunately I don't know from where exactly, but his last name "Coyne" is associated with Galway.

I'm not familiar with the name Coyne, myself. They were Costello on my grandad's side and Duffy on my grandma's side. But I don't know any further back than that.

And yes, Trollheart's historic ramblings are very interesting for anyone with a large screen  :clap: . I recall learning about an anglo-french invasion (they teamed up for once) in the 12th Century and I'm sure I caught that off one of TH's posts.

Large screen?  ???
And this is news to me: so far as I know the French and the English have always been at each other's throats, or just waiting to be. I don't remember reading about, much less writing about any time they collaborated. Could be wrong I guess, but it don't ring no bells.

Quote from: Trollheart on Nov 30, 2024, 01:29 AMLarge screen?  ???
And this is news to me: so far as I know the French and the English have always been at each other's throats, or just waiting to be. I don't remember reading about, much less writing about any time they collaborated. Could be wrong I guess, but it don't ring no bells.

I've tried reading one of your history lessons on a small screen once but it wasn't easy. A4 print outs are good though.  :checkmark:  :D


While I was looking at Irish surnames I stumbled on an anglo-norman invasion of Ireland around 1169-1171. "Richard fitz Godbert de Roche" had something to do with it, as well as Henry II? (And while we're at it, perhaps Ben Doon and Phil McCracken were involved too).

Ok let's sort this out.
Norman isn't, or wasn't back then anyway, the same as French. Normandy was a separate kingdom, ruled by the Duke (the most famous of course being the man who ended the Wessex line, William the Conqueror, who battled Harold Godwinson just after 11am, or 1066). The invasion of Ireland was launched from England, yes, but after the Norman Conquest, when England was, to paraphrase myself, under the French heel. Most English (Anglo-Saxons) would not have been involved in any decision there; it would have been made by the English king, who was a Norman, and his nobles and council. Some Anglo-Saxons swore fealty to the Norman throne, but many did not, and were therefore dispossessed of their lands and titles. So technically, yes, you could say it was a rare, even unique case of the French and English teaming up, but really, no. The French king was back in France doing whatever French kings do (warring on other states probably, most likely including Normandy - while the cat's away etc) and leaving the Normans to it. It's extremely doubtful that the king of France would have supported any such invasion of Ireland, as, first and foremost, we were and always have been a Catholic country, but also, he would not have wanted the Norman English king, probably still holding lands in Normandy, to get too powerful for him and to challenge him.

Also bear in mind, the invasion was facilitated by, as it has been so often in our history, a disgrunted Irishman, Diarmuid Mac Something, who was miffed at not being made High King, or possibly because his cooked cabbage was the wrong colour maybe. The invasion was also sanctioned by the Pope, so they say, so technically you could almost call it a mini-crusade to bring the "heathen Irish" into line.

But yes, in the broadest possible sense, it does seem to have been the one and only time that, if you will, people from France joined up with English forces, however at that time the English forces didn't have much of a choice: they were living under their own occupation, as you will see from any of the better Robin Hood movies or series. England was as much occupied by the Normans as we ended up being, though we got the more raw of the deals.

Following the results in the General Election as they come in...
(https://media0.giphy.com/media/aNc6sqCr6jC3OTUIw9/200w.gif?cid=6c09b952ntv950jul4f664hy1536sx1ggmpqrr9lppy77huf&ep=v1_gifs_search&rid=200w.gif&ct=g)

Looks like people voted for more of the same, please. Idiots.
Election 24 at a glance (https://www.rte.ie/news/election-24/2024/1201/1484057-at-a-glance/)
Fianna Fail with the most seats, then Fine Gael and Sinn Fein. Shock! Another five years of the circus.
(https://media3.giphy.com/media/3orieSA39oCiAlBU40/200w.gif?cid=6c09b95203o629pr4loh7su800fjm90og37b27saqiazqetx&ep=v1_gifs_search&rid=200w.gif&ct=g)

(https://img.rasset.ie/00217634-2560.jpg)

Hardly a surprise, since the Irish PR STV (ranked choice) electoral system rewards centrist parties over more left or right.

We don't have any real right-wing parties though. I mean, the Irish Freedom Party? Gimme a break. Irish politicans regularly have to remove the splinters from their arses from too much sitting on the fence. We're an irrelevance. If Putin wanted to take us over and use us as a base, we'd have to run crying to NATO.

(https://img.rasset.ie/00218097-500.jpg)
I know that traditionally roofing companies tend to sail close to the wind, but come on! Working on a roof, with no harness, IN THE DARK?? And the fine they get is laughable. Sure they'll just keep doing it if that's all that's at stake. Someone's gonna die.

 Irish director sentenced for putting employees at risk (https://www.rte.ie/news/uk/2024/1206/1485118-health-safety-uk-court/)

That reminds me of the Paddy and Murphy joke.

Paddy and Murphy are working on a building site and Paddy says, "I bet I can convince the boss I'm mad and have the day off work."

"No you can't" says Murphy.

"Everyone look at me, I'm a light bulb I'm a light bulb", Paddy says, jumping around and waving his arms.

Sure enough the boss sees this and says "go home Paddy, you've gone mad".

Paddy gets his things and goes. Murphy follows him and his boss stops him.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Home" says Murphy. "I can't work in the dark!"

 ;D

Love it!

Speaking of Murphys, here's another.

Texan goes to Ireland, goes to the Magillycuddy Reeks (some of our highest mountains), shouts and listens to the echo, shrugs, scowls.

"Why, back home in Texas," he drawls, "Ah could staind on the top of a mountain an' shout "MURPH-YYY!" and the echo'd come back "MURPH-YYY! MURPH-YYY! MURPH-YYY!"

Irishman scoffs at him.

"Sure, that's nothin' sir. Right here and now, I could stand on top of this here mountain and shout "MURPH-YYY" and the echo would come back "WHICH MURPHY DO YE WANT?"

:laughing:

I found out that it is hard to get dual citizenship in the United States, I didn't think it was.

Like for someone from Ireland moving to America recently, they said it's impossible almost

I always thought that was the case. You need a green card or something and some people wait years? I think it can be hard here too.

Trolls, if it ever got really bad here, and I got an Irish passport, would I be housed and shit over there? Would I be welcomed with open arms and legs?

I've still got a few years on my British one, when it comes to renewing I have considered becoming one of your lot. I'll taste your Taytos, romance your Roses of Tralee and even partake in a few pints of Guinness (0% abv).

Honestly, I don't know. Certainly, as an Englishman who is (presumably) prepared to work and not scrounge off the State, you'd be more welcome than someone seeking asylum from an East European country. Citizenship is hard to get, takes years but just as an Englishman working and living in Ireland, I couldn't see it being a problem. Mind you, housing/rents are through the roof here, so unless you're pretty rich I would think trying to get a council house would be the way to go.

You could have one of my spare rooms, but I don't know where I'd put the three teenage girls I've been keeping captive for the last four years. And as for those fuckin' babies... Eh, we'd work it out.

Quote from: QuantumSync on Dec 07, 2024, 04:18 AMI found out that it is hard to get dual citizenship in the United States, I didn't think it was.

Like for someone from Ireland moving to America recently, they said it's impossible almost

I've had dual Irish/US for 30+ years. To get US you must be a green card holder for 5 years. The US no longer recognizes my Irish, but Ireland does. A green card allows you to live and work permanently, but not vote, in the US. About 1M green cards and 1M citizenships are granted each year. Most of the citizenships go to green card holders already living and working in the US.

A quick Google (make sure nobody's watching!) brings up this: As a British Citizen, If you can prove your residence history after 5years in Ireland, regardless of whether you were schooling, working, dancing, sleeping or whatever during the period, you should be eligible to naturalize as Irish

and this

UK nationals do not need a visa or residency permit to live, work or study in Ireland. Within the Common Travel Area ( CTA ), British and Irish citizens can live and work freely in each other's countries and travel freely between them.

Oh yeah I know mate, but I wouldn't need to do that, both my parents are Irish citizens. As were my granddads. I have to register as a foreign birth and then just get my passport. Would take a month or so, costs 300ish from what I remember.

QuoteYou could have one of my spare rooms, but I don't know where I'd put the three teenage girls I've been keeping captive for the last four years.

That reminds me, I wonder how The Hawk is doing 😥

Quote from: Buck_Mulligan on Dec 07, 2024, 07:32 PMI've had dual Irish/US for 30+ years. To get US you must be a green card holder for 5 years. The US no longer recognizes my Irish, but Ireland does. A green card allows you to live and work permanently, but not vote, in the US. About 1M green cards and 1M citizenships are granted each year. Most of the citizenships go to green card holders already living and working in the US.

Oh wow that is really cool about the 30+ years of Irish/US citizenship. Thank you for the knowledge of how green cards work. I don't know anything about that but will learn more

 :laughing:

Israel has announced it's closing it's embassy in Dublin, because Ireland has recognized the Palestinian state, and petitioned to intervene in South Africa's case against Israel at the human rights court, and because the Irish PM said Bibi would be detained if he set foot in Ireland.

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2024/1215/1486609-israel-embassy/ (https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2024/1215/1486609-israel-embassy/)

Yeah, they're just trying to scare us it would seem. Every single action taken by anyone around the world now that doesn't meet with Israeli approval is apparently anti-Israel and anti-Semetic. But bombing helpless kids in schools, targeting civilians and breaking international law with impunity is all right. Shower of cunts. I hope we rent out the embassy to refugees, particularly Lebanese or Palestinian ones. Fuck them.

It was only a matter of fucking time.

 Israel call Irish taoiseach Anti-semetic  (https://www.rte.ie/news/2024/1216/1486678-israeli-embassy/)

And Michael D has said it is a deep slander...
The Irish Times has a round-up of Israeli press reaction, it's mixed.

https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2024/12/17/attention-grabbing-gimmick-israeli-media-reacts-to-embassy-closure-in-dublin/ (https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2024/12/17/attention-grabbing-gimmick-israeli-media-reacts-to-embassy-closure-in-dublin/)

The Palestinian museum has inquired about renting the Embassy space.

Currently the lead story on The Free Press, a new and Jewish owned outlet.

https://www.thefp.com/p/the-deep-roots-of-irish-antisemitism (https://www.thefp.com/p/the-deep-roots-of-irish-antisemitism)

How can they be so blind? Refusing to see, had this been say Syrians attacking Gaza (for some reason) we'd be all up about it and condemning the Arabs? It's not that we hate Israelis: we hate murdering bastard states who think they can do anything they want, including killing children and bombing schools and hospitals, and then shrug and say you can't say anything against us because we're fucking Jewish! That fact does not give them the right to practice genocide. Fuck them. There's going to be trouble on the streets.

Not sure how to feel about this. Had he not given himself up - after 10 YEARS! - there would have been no justice and the fire would have been ruled an accident. Props for courage? Or just a "tell-tale heart" sense of guilt he could no longer cope with? Fucking horrible either way.

 Man jailed for death of father and daughter in house fire (https://www.rte.ie/news/2024/1219/1487425-philip-griffin-court/)

Now this is a sad story. The power of the mind...

 Woman wants to die after forced feeding order considered  (https://www.rte.ie/news/2025/0103/1488996-judge-anorexia-feeding-order/)

(https://img.rasset.ie/0021a4c4-500.jpg)
Ireland prepares to batten down the hatches, turn up the heating and root out those snowshoes as we get ready for a "multi-weather hazard event".

https://www.rte.ie/news/weather/2025/0104/1489045-weather/

Quote from: Trollheart on Jan 04, 2025, 06:36 PM(https://img.rasset.ie/0021a4c4-500.jpg)
Ireland prepares to batten down the hatches, turn up the heating and root out those snowshoes as we get ready for a "multi-weather hazard event".

https://www.rte.ie/news/weather/2025/0104/1489045-weather/

We've got snow now. What about you?

Not where I am, not yet anyway. It is pissing rain though and quite cold. I sort of expect one day soon to go open the door to the back garden only to find I'm trapped, as snow has piled up against it! In reality, we'll probably get less snow than most of the country though; Dublin usually tends to avoid the worst of the bad weather.

More on our "Multi-weather hazard event"...
(https://img.rasset.ie/0021a59b-600.jpg)
https://www.rte.ie/news/2025/0105/1489127-weather/

Something good to report for once. Community spirit trumps the weather!
(https://img.rasset.ie/0021a77e-800.jpg)
 Community rallies to assure funeral can take place in snowy conditions (https://www.rte.ie/news/weather/2025/0106/1489343-funeral-snow-tipperary/)

It's a winter wonderland across Ireland! (And it's bloody cold too!)
(https://img.rasset.ie/0021a7e9-800.jpg)
(https://img.rasset.ie/0021a7a0-642.jpg)
(https://img.rasset.ie/0021a7df-642.jpg)
(https://img.rasset.ie/0021a5b3-642.jpg)
(https://img.rasset.ie/002161cb-642.jpg)
(https://img.rasset.ie/0021a7f2-642.jpg)

More from snowy Ireland...
(https://img.rasset.ie/0021a7e3-642.jpg)
(https://img.rasset.ie/0021a7de-642.jpg)
(https://img.rasset.ie/0021a7ff-642.jpg)

An extract from a blog about a book.....

It is said that one of the reasons many in N.I.don't want to join a UI is for fear of losing NHS access.

QuoteThe NHS in Northern Ireland is the worst in the UK.  During the quarter April/June 2021, over 349,000 people were waiting for a first appointment, 53 percent for over a year, an increase of 39,000 for the same period in 2020.  Adjusted for population size, waiting lists in Northern Ireland are 100 times greater than those in England, a country 50 times its size.

That is from the truly excellent Perils and Prospects of a United Ireland, by Padraig O'Malley.

Uh, I don't get it. They're saying the NI NHS is the worst ever, and they're afraid of losing it if there was a United Ireland?  ??? There never will be, anyway. Only hardcore Republicans want a united Ireland. Even Sinn Fein don't want it. It's a completely idealistic goal now, not a realistic one. It would more than likely be a disaster for the Republic, even lead to a second Irish Civil War (if you could get us out of the pubs, that is).

Quote from: Trollheart on Jan 09, 2025, 01:31 AMUh, I don't get it. They're saying the NI NHS is the worst ever, and they're afraid of losing it if there was a United Ireland?  ??? There never will be, anyway. Only hardcore Republicans want a united Ireland. Even Sinn Fein don't want it. It's a completely idealistic goal now, not a realistic one. It would more than likely be a disaster for the Republic, even lead to a second Irish Civil War (if you could get us out of the pubs, that is).

It's the book that says NI NHS is the worst, but it still goes to show the level of misinformation among the public. I suppose they see headlines about trolleys in the South and that colors their views. 
I'm with you on UI. Worst thing that could happen.

I see a former president of Estonia took a swipe at Micheal D. He's starting to look and sound like a leprechaun. When is the next Prez election? I suppose he thinks he should run again...

(https://img.resized.co/newstalk/eyJkYXRhIjoie1widXJsXCI6XCJodHRwczpcXFwvXFxcL21lZGlhLnJhZGlvY21zLm5ldFxcXC91cGxvYWRzXFxcLzIwMjBcXFwvMTFcXFwvMDYwOTEzMTRcXFwvMDAwMDIzNjcuanBnXCIsXCJ3aWR0aFwiOjEyMDAsXCJoZWlnaHRcIjo5MDAsXCJkZWZhdWx0XCI6XCJodHRwczpcXFwvXFxcL3d3dy5uZXdzdGFsay5jb21cXFwvaW1hZ2VzXFxcL2RlZmF1bHRfbm9faW1hZ2UucG5nP3Y9M1wiLFwib3B0aW9uc1wiOltdfSIsImhhc2giOiI4MDkzMDI5YTkzOWExYTI1N2EzODM4NWUyNTg0M2E3ZjFjNmY0ZTJlIn0=/00002367.jpg)

Dustin for president!

(https://img.rasset.ie/00199896-2560.jpg)

Another big storm on the way! Batten down the hatches, or something...

 Storm Eowyn to hit Ireland on Friday with "life-threatening" gusts (https://www.rte.ie/news/weather/2025/0122/1492311-weather-storm-eowyn/)

Did I miss something, or have few million peeps recently left the country? 715,000 customers is not 1/3 of the population.

QuoteIrish storm: Storm Eowyn caused record-breaking 114 m.p.h. winds in Ireland, leaving 715,000 people — around 1/3 of the country — without power. The storm also disrupted travel across Ireland, Scotland, and northern England, grounding flights and halting trains. Source: NY Times

.

if I moved to Ireland would you hang out with me

^^^
Unless you intended that remark for TH, you don't have to move to Ireland to hang out with me.

Quote from: Buck_Mulligan on Jan 24, 2025, 07:26 PMDid I miss something, or have few million peeps recently left the country? 715,000 customers is not 1/3 of the population.
.

What's the source? RTE? Whoever writes their copy is an idiot. Or are idiots. Yeah, I mean, that would make us a country of about 2 million people. Maybe they're not counting Cork: it IS an independent state, you know.  :laughing:

Quote from: tristan_geoff on Jan 24, 2025, 07:30 PMif I moved to Ireland would you hang out with me

You wouldn't want to hang out with me. I'm just a figment of your imagination, as you'll see when the medication wears off...

Here we go!

Storm Eowyn in pictures..
(https://img.rasset.ie/0021c5e5-614.jpg?ratio=1.78)

https://www.rte.ie/news/2025/0124/1492705-gallery-in-pictures-storm-eowyn/

heard about the storm

hope you're safe Trollheart

Quote from: Buck_Mulligan on Jan 24, 2025, 07:38 PM^^^
Unless you intended that remark for TH, you don't have to move to Ireland to hang out with me.

lmao i did.  i don't believe we've crossed paths too often yet?

Quote from: QuantumSync on Jan 25, 2025, 04:42 AMheard about the storm

hope you're safe Trollheart

Meh, the storm hasn't been created that could get through my house of wattle and muc - oh no! The Big Bad Wolf!  :laughing:

X-Rated behaviour by a radiographer deemed unprofessional conduct

https://www.rte.ie/news/2025/0131/1494110-radiographer-guilty-teen-x-ray/

Mariread Farrell politican in  Ireland has been posting about how today is the 9th day of no electricity


damn that seems like a long time

Not for me, luckily. One hour my power was out, and since then it's been okay. You're probably talking about hard-to-reach rural places where trees are down and the electricity repair men are having trouble reaching them.

Man arrested after 'serious incident' in north Dublin (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9d527zg38xo)


Were any adult beverages involved in the melee?

Question for Big T:

What do you make of Louis Walsh? I ask because I saw the Boyzone documentary recently and I've decided he's a fucking weasel. Horrible, two-faced little shit. What's the consensus over at Trollheart Towers?

Also saw a gypsy site today. About a 5 minute walk from my house. Must have been 50 caravans there, several tiny little dogs running around barking and also they had a horse chained up, and it stunk of shit. Reminded me of you. Not the stinking of shit, the gypsies.

@Trollheart

Most Irish people would agree: Walsh is a weasel (perhaps that's unfair to weasels though) who used the hopes and dreams of impressionable youth to line his own pockets. He's pretty much been dining out on both Boyzone and Westlife forever and I don't see him having had any success since. I'm not very au fait with the boyband world, but I did find out, during my extended sojourn in their land for my special investigation Stranger in a Strange Land, years ago back on MB, that most of the managers (or many of them) screwed over their clients.

I hate the way the man plays up his Irishness, as if he's Phil Lynott or something, but only does so when it suits him. Karen used to call him "the melting candle", which I think is appropriate. I hate Simon Cowell, and I think Walsh is the Irish version. I think unless people are fans of the bands (and even perhaps if they are) there are very few who have a good word to say about him. I'm also reminded of his gaff on X Factor when a blind guy was auditioning, and Cowell put him down. Walsh grinned "Come on, Simon! The guy's blind!" This is the last thing any disabled person wants to hear, that they're going to be treated differently due to their disability. Fucking idiot. He's no Irish ambassador, that's for sure.

Sinn Fein stand up to Trump, will not take part in Paddy's Day visit to Washington. About time someone did.

https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2025/0221/1498036-sinn-fein-us/

In other news, hands down where I live!

 Human hand found in north Dublin school  (https://www.rte.ie/news/2025/0221/1498132-hand-found-school/)

Quote from: Trollheart on Feb 21, 2025, 07:15 PMIn other news, hands down where I live!

 Human hand found in north Dublin school  (https://www.rte.ie/news/2025/0221/1498132-hand-found-school/)

"...The hand could have been carried by seabirds from the coast and detectives will also check the missing persons register..."

Well that will teach the ship's captain to shout "All hands on deck!" with all those greedy birds about.

Quote from: Trollheart on Feb 21, 2025, 07:06 PMSinn Fein stand up to Trump, will not take part in Paddy's Day visit to Washington. About time someone did.

https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2025/0221/1498036-sinn-fein-us/

I don't think they are really "standing up" to Trump. They're taking an opportunity to score political points in Ireland, and that's OK.

Quote from: Trollheart on Feb 21, 2025, 07:06 PMSinn Fein stand up to Trump, will not take part in Paddy's Day visit to Washington. About time someone did.

https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2025/0221/1498036-sinn-fein-us/

(https://i.ibb.co/k2fwr4sm/Screenshot-20250218-060435-2.jpg)
posted this one on my meme account a couple days ago

Shouldn't let the day go by without noting that the Irish rugby team beat Wales 28-18 and won the Triple Crown. Wins against Italy and France over the next month would give them the "Grand Slam".

(https://i.ibb.co/Gf6gmNBZ/Screenshot-20250222-190546-2.png)

There was a time when they wouldn't even want coarse Irish blood in their veins! Oh, we remember the signs...
(https://i.guim.co.uk/img/static/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2015/10/21/1445446357535/Sign-in-London-reading-No-009.jpg?width=700&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=7ecc64ab35f7595c9e12989dda321b88)

Quote from: Trollheart on Feb 23, 2025, 01:15 AMThere was a time when they wouldn't even want coarse Irish blood in their veins! Oh, we remember the signs...
(https://i.guim.co.uk/img/static/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2015/10/21/1445446357535/Sign-in-London-reading-No-009.jpg?width=700&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=7ecc64ab35f7595c9e12989dda321b88)

In forums such as this,I've seen people dispute that those signs ever existed. That said, I don't think they were widespread, and had mostly disappeared by the 70's. While truck driving in the 80's I drove the length of the UK every other week, if not more, and never encountered any issues.

Quote from: Buck_Mulligan on Feb 23, 2025, 01:49 AMIn forums such as this,I've seen people dispute that those signs ever existed. That said, I don't think they were widespread, and had mostly disappeared by the 70's. While truck driving in the 80's I drove the length of the UK every other week, if not more, and never encountered any issues.

Heard the same mate. Meant to be a bit of a myth, though my granddad said it did happen. He came here in the 40s from Belfast. He could have been talking shit though. He talked a lot of shit tbf.

It's the "no dogs" part I have a problem with. I mean, who's not going to rent a room to a well-behaved golden labrador, come on? :laughing:

Hate attacks increase over here. Whatever happened to "Ireland of the thousand welcomes"?
(https://img.rasset.ie/0021ff68-800.jpg)
https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2025/0228/1499517-brendan-courtney/

Man pleads guilty to murdering his wife after video found on his phone.

Well, it's not like he could deny it any longer, now is it?

Kilbarrack: that's just down the road from me.

https://www.rte.ie/news/courts/2025/0303/1499939-court-murder-dublin/

Trolls you ever played road bowling?

Never heard of it. I suck at bowling.

Quote from: Trollheart on Mar 03, 2025, 07:43 PMNever heard of it. I suck at bowling.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_road_bowling

Only in Ireland eh? And Holland, apparently.  ::) Try that around where I live you're liable to be run over by buses and big trucks!  :laughing:

the best thing ever to come out of Ireland is the hilarious show Father Ted.   its easily findable on you tube. 

Uh, wrong. I'm the best thing to come out of Ireland.  :laughing:

Also Rory Gallagher, U2, Thin Lizzy, same-sex marriage (first in the world dudes), Jedward... um. Ah. Well.
:shycouch:

Oh, and all our immigrants that built your country for you!  :laughing:
(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/0f/77/d4/0f77d4192cd60fd36ba7899ae06f6766.gif)

Yeah, Sinn Fein want him to go on about Gaza and Ukraine, but we all know he won't. In fairness, with a loose cannon like Trump it's probably best just to kiss the ring and thank fuck you manage to get out of there alive. We don't need him as an enemy, though the idea of inviting the fat fascist fucker to our fair, um, can't think of another word beginning with f, is repugnant. Hopefully he'll say "Where the fuck is Ireland?" and leave it at that. May he choke on a golf ball.