A little bit of history – Part 2
Posted on November 12, 2015
MB recently recounted the story of the shooting of the Mayor of Limerick from almost one hundred years back, as witnessed and told by his wife. The mayor hailed from the same village as MB back home, a village called Grange. This week MB wants to tell you some more of Grange. Read More
Weekly Photo Challenge – Ornate
Posted on November 6, 2015
Made in an intricate shape or decorated with complex patterns. elaborate, decorated, embellished, adorned, ornamented, fancy, fussy, ostentatious.
MB is back in his favourite Grange Stone Circle in HX again. It’s Summer solstice morning, 21st June 2015, circa 5am, and the sun is not yet risen. MB is wandering around the circle taking shots of anything interesting that catches his eye in the pre-dawn light. Some visitors have left fruit on some of the stones during the night, as offering to the rising sun. One person has left an ornate (slightly) mini-sun.
MB gives you the mini-sun:
F.A.Q. About the Saudi Women Driving Ban
Posted on November 6, 2015
MB is often asked about this subject when he is home. This Saudiwomen’s Blog provides most of the answers.
MB
Today, November 6th, is the 25th anniversary of the first protest against the women driving ban in Saudi Arabia. On this occasion, it’s apt to answer all those questions Saudis usually get when the ban comes up:
Why is there a ban on women driving?
Any answer is pure speculation. The government arrests and/or punishes not only women who drive but also anyone who attempts to raise this issue. Simultaneously, all official statements concerning the ban relate it to be a societal issue that the government does not want to interfere with. The Minister of Foreign Affairs insisted that it is a societal ban and not governmental when asked by British journalists in 2007.
It has no basis in religion. Even the most extremist interpretations of Islam such as ISIS’s do not ban women from driving. Even if an Islamic reason is forced, that does not lead to a government…
View original post 615 more words
All Hallows Eve
Posted on October 31, 2015
Did you know that the traditions and feast of All Hallows Eve originated in HX? Seriously. MB would not tell you all a lie. MB, as ever, speaks only the truth. But maybe you need to see some more proof before you are convinced. Seeing is believing, is it not, Mr Thomas? Read More
Weekly Photo Challenge – Treat
Posted on October 30, 2015
The challenge this week is ‘Treat’. Like having a treat – to eat (MB seems to be a poet, and he didn’t even know it!)
Anyway, MB was back in the homeland in June and was in the Grange stone circle on the morning of the Summer solstice sunrise. Where else would he be on that morning?! Heard this lady play an Irish air on her violin while standing in the middle of the circle. Was truly stunning. A real treat. MB did not know her personally, she was not local. Seems she was/is a member of the Irish National Chamber Orchestra and had traveled from afar to play.
The Irish air she played was/is called ‘The Chulainn’, which MB is almost 100% sure is written about a warrior from Irish mythology called Cu Chulainn. Must investigate that some more at another time.
The Chulainn air: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mwxga8udIio
Rock me mama!
Posted on October 30, 2015
Back home in HX, the two favourite types of music of the natives are: country and western. Read More
Weekly Photo Challenge – Careful
Posted on October 23, 2015
Michelle’s photo challenge this week:
This week, show us something careful — a photo taken with care, a person being careful, or a task or detail requiring care.
‘The Sideline Cut’
MB returns to the Irish sport of hurling for this week’s challenge, and specifically to an aspect of the game called ‘the sideline cut’.
When the ball is knocked out over the sideline during the course of a game by either team, the referee awards a ‘sideline cut’ to the opposite team. It’s a bit like a golf shot but much more difficult to execute, given the nature of the implement with its broad edge (a hurley). Even in top games the amount of fluffed shots is very high. To get it exactly right requires great care and skill.
Execute the strike poorly and the ball will dribble embarrassingly along the ground for just a few yards. Hit it correctly, at the precise point required underneath the ball and at exactly the correct angle with the hurley stick, and watch the ball soar majestically into the air and into the far distance. At approximately the same angle as a well-struck 8-iron in golf.
MB caught this player taking a sideline cut at a recent game when he was home in September, just as the hurley is about to make contact with the ball. Can not remember how it turned out.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
I know them
Posted on October 23, 2015
Like many, MB has watched the refugees streaming into Europe on his TV screen over recent months. He didn’t realise until today that he actually knows some of them personally.
Read More
Weekly Photo Challenge – (Extra)ordinary
Posted on October 16, 2015
Cherri is asking for unexpected ‘interestingness’ in this week’s PC. MB has selected a shot from trip to Goa, India, in April of this year.
Went for short walk one night and encountered this scene on the street, that all but MB seemed oblivious to. Interestingness with a capital ‘I’ for MB – but not for the locals. The two guys standing next to the cow just sum up how little notice the locals actually take of a cow sitting on their street at night.
A little bit of history – Part 1
Posted on October 15, 2015
MB once read an article on Ireland by an English travel writer. The writer described Ireland as the country with the greatest abundance of history per square mile on the entire planet. In the opinion of MB, the description is probably true.
Weekly Photo Challenge – Happy Place
Posted on October 9, 2015
Regardless of life or work or travels, MB is always back home in HX for the Summer Solstice Festival. The home locality is always a happy place in the opinion of MB with its stunning green landscapes around ever corner, but during the festival weekend it is particularly so.
One of the festival events introduced in recent years is ‘The longest walk for the longest day‘. It entails a 2 to 3 hour guided walk around some section of the local lake or adjacent localities, on 21 June, the day of the Summer Solstice, the longest (daylight) day of the year. Regardless of weather, and it was a rainy wet evening on 21 June just past, there is a great sense of happiness & feel good during the event. The below photo was taken by MB when the walkers reached the summit of Knockfennel, the highest hill adjacent to the lake, and the happy smiley faces are a give-away.
For those who may be interested in gaining everlasting youth (everlasting youth – really MB?), the hill in the background of the photo (on the other side of the lake) is called Knackadoon. Knockadoon hides one of the four entrances to the fabled Irish Land of Everlasting Youth (a really happy place), called Tir Na N’Og in the Irish Gaelic language. Each of the four provinces of Ireland has one entrance, and the province of Munster has it’s entrance at the hill of Knockadoon at HX.
The tale of Tir Na N’Og is well known to every Irish schoolchild who reads of it during school years. Many believe that the story is just some old Irish mythology blarney. But HX locals know better. And if you ever caught sight of MB and his youthful looks, you would certainly agree that there must be some truth to the tale. MB is one of course one of a few village elders (even though MB is far from an elder) entrusted with the exact location. And only those most deserving, after a lifetime of good deeds and faithful HX service, are taken at dead of night and totally blindfolded to the entrance cave to arrest the ravages of declining years. But as ever in HX land, MB and the elders are sworn to secrecy. So very sorry dear followers that MB must cut this story short and move on.
The walkers on the Longest Walk For The Longest Day – 21 June 2015, at the top of Knockfennel:
60 Minutes
Posted on October 9, 2015
MB’s recent post At The Match was mere days old when pirhana-like US TV Show ’60 Minutes’ latched on and without so much as a ‘Thank you MB, let’s share the treasure‘ released news of their upcoming programme on the Irish sport of Hurling. Read More
Weekly Photo Challenge – Boundaries
Posted on October 2, 2015
Weekly Photo Challenge – Change
Posted on September 25, 2015
This week’s challenge is Change.
If you have ever traveled to Ireland you will know there is just no predicting the daily weather. Any of those 365 days per year can throw up any type of weather suddenly and without the slightest warning. And change dramatically again moments later.
Took this shot of the HX skyline last week when the opportunity appeared for a few moments. Moments later it was gone.
There were many occasions of sunshine & showers in the first days of MB’s trip. And when the sun appeared the rainbows painted their spectacular colours all over the damp grey skies.
This one is worth double-clicking on for a closer look!
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Eid Al Adha
Posted on September 24, 2015
Eid mubarak to all lads.
It’s the 2015 Islamic Eid holiday. The Feast of the Sacrifice. MB went to Doha animal market (Qatar) earlier today. Read More
HX Report 