So brilliant to see.......

So many young people enjoying themselves and being magic at whatever they choose to do, last night was my daughter Joy's first big night on the stage, and herself, her friends and her classmates put on a great night of entertainment, singing, dancing, acting and generally showing the enthusiasm that I often only experience on the sports field. Maggie was brilliant at this too, and Cathy plays the piano and is starting to write songs.

I'd be proud of them all, with so much moaning in the world, last night I did not hear a word from two hundred people except admiration and encouragement for the efforts of the brilliant next generation.

My daughters tell me I'm too old to use the word, but this was MINT!

So long

Typical of me when life gets really interesting and really busy, have not blogged for weeks and have let the 5th anniversary of this blog pass by without a mention, and still to busy to write anything decent, simple to say a friend of mine, told me about a piece another friend had done for the RTE news, so I watched it and thought..... bloody brilliant Eileen, I always knew you were a serious professional on the broadcast journalism end.... just never realised you were this bloody funny.

so here it is



Another brilliant cat... there are almost too many of them

It's my 5th birthday.......

Strangely Saturday will be my 5th blogging birthday, and I will mark the occasion in Paradise, that's Celtic Park to the uninitiated.

So here's a photo of Maggie and Charlie Nicholas from 1991, Ok I'd been traveling over for 10 years before that, but what type of a man ends up in Paradise on his honeymoon, Ok maybe most do, but not the real paradise!

C'mon the hoops.

Cold feet

It's strange how life evolves and changes, I used to love this programme on the telly as it seemed to give an interesting insight into how life could be, the ups and downs.

Today I went to Cavan to see Roscommon (the first chance I've had in ages) and in truth they were well beaten, it was just interesting to listen to peoples views afterwards and realise the people are either supportive or dismissive of something that is ongoing and important. It was strange how much i actually enjoyed being there, if all you get are the good moments, then you take them for granted and it means little really, sometimes you have to go through the bad times in order to appreciate the good times.

In Cardiff last week it was lovely to remember all the games I'd been to where we lost, even the half time cigarette with John O'Shea and Gerry Thornley at the New Zealand game last November, when they were giving out about this and that (Gerry some players and John the referee) because days like that made the final grand slam day special. I'm niot great at taking photographs, but this is where I watched the game from.... special....as Radiohead put it in "creep" so fuckin special.

Ok, can't get the photo, this new 17" macbook pro is beautiful, but like all new stuff it will take a bit of getting used too.

oh here we go.....

Typical me, I just don't like hotel's much, so when I decided it might be the biggest day in Rugby sporting history I looked around and found a lighthouse, it's only a small one, but it has a hot tub, where i can while away five minutes on the roof......

My other problem was the Welsh National Anthem, which is always sung in welsh, and to me it's a lovely but largely undecipherable language, so my research threw up an english version written by a Swansea poet years ago, it's largely taking the mick, but it sounds just the same and if you can sing it with a straight face they'll think it's in Welsh, so my bluffing party piece is ready for the weekend.

Here is a video and the words, try them out and see if they work for you.



My hen laid a haddock, one hand oiled a flea,
Glad farts and centurions threw dogs in the sea,
I could stew a hare here and brandish Dan's flan,
Don's ruddy bog's blocked up with sand.
Dad! Dad! Why don't you oil Auntie Glad?
Can whores appear in beer bottle pies,
O butter the hens as they fly!

Enjoy the weekend, I'm sure Maggie and I will.

Oh my, the penny is finally dropping!

Oh look, people may be finally getting the connection between Chelsea & Glasgow Rangers!

Nothing to do with myself and Maurice having to run like hell from our hotel 10 years ago because some of the Chelsea "firms" were in town for the Scottish cup final, and they did not sing too many Celtic songs, mostly stuff to do with Fenian Ssum and Irish bastards if i remember.

Oh how surprising that some Chelsea "fans" were in Manchester for the UEFA cup final, it's a good job it was before the Champions League final or Moscow would have had to handle busloads of Rangers "fans".

Those two clubs have a tighter connection that Celtic and Liverpool, we like to sing "you'll never walk alone" together, but Chelsea & Rangers fans prefer to sing "you'll never walk again".

Hail Hail

Oh my god...... unbelievable.......

I literally could not believe finding this tonight, it's truly amazing, on facebook a friend called Barry Guckian had posted a 9 minute video of footage shot by a leaving cert student in 1978, and although I was only a first year that time, and 13 years old, I can still remember most of the faces in this low quality video... totally amazing..although it's all senior's sport and I was in first year so I'm not in any of the sporting footage, but was still amazed to spot myself briefly at the same age my youngest daughter is now... you'll spot me from 5.00 to 5.03 I'm the guy in the Arsenal scarf who even then did not like the media and turns away from the camera... wow... but before that I spotted my father, my God... almost 30 years before he died, he's the big guy you'll spot from 4.52 to 4.56 and finally you may recognise the best teacher I've ever encountered in my whole life.. Her name was Frankie Watson, and she was my english teacher, and was so interesting she managed to give me a love of reading and writing that has stayed with me ever since.... you'll see Frankie from 5.37 to 5.40 (and of course I had a crush on her), but then she introduced me to McGahern, and I got thrown out of school for sneaking "The Barracks" into geography class and reading it while pretending to read geography....

God and why do I wonder why I'm really only interested in Interesting people...

I love it when people make the best of themselves!

Don't you just love it to see people doing different things and doing them with loads of energy and enthusiasm, these are 4 of the lad's I enjoy coaching in gaelic football, and we have more who do brilliantly at different things, like today some of our lads were unlucky to lose the Connacht schools final in rugby with Sligo Grammar School, I have such an interest in these lads doing their best than of course I was at the talent show and drove to Galway today to watch the rugby, it's not that important what code people excel at, but it is so important that they are open to new and bigger experiences.

SO of course I'd love to see BLTN going from strength to strength, we do have a bit of tradition as most of westlife played underage for clubs in Sligo including Cian Egan who played for our club St. Mary's and we now have his younger brother Colm as a super member of our squad.

I do have a problem with ageism, i encounter it myself because people think I'm too old to be going to nightclubs and playing competitive gaelic, soccer or basketball (cricket too in the summer) and some people also think these guys are too young to be great at football, singing or rugby. enough with the ageism, it's not about whether you're old enough or young enough, it's about whether you're good enough or courageous enough to give things a go.

Oh and if you do watch the video, have a listen to what Tabby Callaghan (another of X Factor fame) who was a judge on the night, says at the end, when talking about the recession and the economic situation he says "

"We could do with a bit of that energy in the country right now, there might not be many jobs, but there's plenty of talent"

Hat's off Tabby, and hats off to all the young people in our club who make us proud as hell to know them.

Slumdog Millionaire maybe!

Hugely enjoyable movie, but the lesson for me is how people are shaped by their circumstances and experiences and the impact of co-incidence or chance in the lives of human beings, you might be married and have a family with someone because they happened to be at the next desk at work or in the next seat during a lecture once, but for me it's not about IQ or physical beauty, it has more to do with how we are shaped rather than how we are created.

I often get into trouble for what people consider my strange political views, and I am simply letting people know how I became shaped by circumstances to form those views, even though I am somewhat disillusioned by politics these days because I find the party I always supported now stand for nothing, I thought they stood for civil rights and social equality but now they are against Lisbon and appear to stand for nothing at all except whinging and complaining about everything.

I was 6 years old when I saw a NEWSFLASH on BBC ran out to get my mum and dad, they came indoors and I will always remember my mother in tears as she watched people she lived close to (and knew some) carried away wrapped in sheets with blood pouring from their bodies.

I was 15 and laid up for 4 months with a fractured femur (football surprisingly enough) when Bobby Sands and his 9 comrades died at the intransigent hands of Margaret Thatcher.



I was 17 when I got my copy of U2's "war" album and heard a song about peace and how talk changes everything, but like Cork players, the British Govt and Paisley's DUP were simply interested in preserving the Status Quo (we have the power) and would talk to no one.. And the only way to get them to the table was through the means of bombs and guns... and it worked, ( if you don't believe me read the story of Nelson Mandela, or remember Gaza this Christmas) but it also explains why the Omagh and Antrim and Armagh occurances in the last few years are just WRONG, I have no idea what these blackguards and thugs are really trying to achieve, but I do know that when Hugh Orde invited the MI5 specialist surv unit of British soldiers back into this country, he legitimised the Real thugs and gave them an excuse to carry out acts that the majority of this country despise and thought were in our past, and yes it is in our past, and why Hugh Orde and the real thugs could not leave it there, and felt compelled to resurrect the troubles I have no idea, but hell it is frustrating, we all thought the nationalist community had achieved civil rights and social equality, but it's obvious that the Real IRA and the PSNI (via Hugh Orde) don't think that those 10 years of ceasefire and talks meant anything.

It's sad really, but hopefully the Martin McGuinness's and Peter Robinson's of this world will engage and help sort this out, it's only a small thing in history, but 3 lives are gone and many children will lack a fathers.......

Let's follow the words of Bono and the Edge..... listen up Real IRA and listen up Hugh Orde....... NO MORE!

Oh I like this a lot

oh I'm sorry for boring you with two many video's, but I like this one so much.

Goes to show you a lot about how religion work's, and although it's about the Church of England, I wish they did one for the Catholic Church too.

Were you ever just "blown away"?

I already told you about going to Scotland for football, but wow do I remember the first time I saw this movie, I was 20 years old and highly impressionable, and yes it did just "blow me away"

Set in Edinburgh which remains one of my favourite cities on the planet, it's brilliant about some ordinary guys with boring lives who chase a dream and become the Robin Hood bandits.

It just ticked all my boxes, you'll find it on DVD online, one of my top 5 movies ever and an amazing soundtrack by Big County.

This scene with the police chase is brilliant, but in fairness I did fancy the head off the guide on the tourist coaches, Teri Lally (I wonder where she is now?).

Nostalgia is becoming a big part of everyone's lives now that we appear to be economically returning to the 80's, but the Terri Lally's and Claire Grogan's of the world are still gorgeous in my head, dunno what Terri is up to now, but Claire is still a complete babe, she was the lovliest girl in the lovely girls episode where she played the (Sinead O"Connor piss take) Niamh Connolly, now you watch that here and try and tell me she's not still an actress and not still a walkin babe.

http://www.blinkx.com/video/father-ted-rock-a-hula-ted-aka-lovely-girls/jsfZeG4LOUuScaVDRKgOiQ

Back 400 years to 1609.

Sonnet 29 When in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes

When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries
And look upon myself and curse my fate,
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featured like him, like him with friends possess'd,
Desiring this man's art and that man's scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least;
Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,
Haply I think on thee, and then my state,
Like to the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate;
For thy sweet love remember'd such wealth brings
That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

I have heard of several suicides of the last number of weeks involving men who were "in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes"

it's so saddening that society has shaped itself to admire fortune and celebrity more than anything else, My hope is that thing's are going to change back to appreciation of what's really important, relationships, family, caring and service.

I'm just lucky that I have almost always "scorned to change my state with kings" and we know that society has new kings now, so "I scorn to change my state with" Renaldo, Gordon Ramsey or Will Smith either.

It would be wonderful if people returned to being their best selves, rather than trying to replicate flawed models.

Specially for Danielle

Ok those who know me will understand my daft love of brilliant advertising, I do have an auld degree in it, and I'm currently doing a project which will bring the best stuff over the years to the world.

First, possibly the best piece of work ever, the world sexiest woman (that's just my opinion) takes on the world's most powerful ass, and you'll hear the brilliant Joy Division playing "she's lost control"




Well into the my top ten, slight "my fair lady" reference to the sloane rangers, brilliant!



The cleverest punchline of all (apart from Ronseal maybe) mind you this ad does do "exactly what it says on the tin... ask frank to try it out and see?



and finally, what a superb piece of work, those of you who are old enough will easily spot the princess Diana reference, wow if only everything was as dependable as a golf.


ing

"This is it boys, boot, bollock and bite"

Massive sporting occasions are thin on the ground, but I have that amazing stomach feeling right now, after 25 years of going to internationals (not em all, I'm not an addict) Myself and Maggie are heading to croker in a wee while for the England game, I so hope we win, not because it's against the old Sassanach enemy, but because HISTORY may be set up today.

Ireland have taken a grand slam once in the long history of rugby, in 1948, after wins in paris and twickers the legendary team took in Wales in Ravenhill on March 13th 1948, captained by Karl Mullen who became famous for the "boot, bollock and bite" exhortation to his team before games, led by apparently the best Irish player of all time, the incredible Jackie Kyle, Ireland beat Wales 2 tries to 1 (that meant 6-3 in those days) and took the triple crown and the grand slam.

I have no connection with that team, except a brief little one, I did meet the amazing Corkonian Bertie O'Hanlon about 13 years ago in Strandhill where he was attending a retirement do for my brilliant boss Finbarr Hegarty, and I did speak with him and told him that the 1948 team would forever be legendary to Irish sportspeople.

It never occurred to me that this could be repeated until a night in Belfast before Christmas, I was in Belfast for the Ulster-Connacht league game, (I got home a lot quicker this time) and after the game I was introduced to a man called Declan whom I never spoke to before or since, and despite the fact that he was the Irish coach, and in modern sport with media influence such notables are usually hassled and keen to get away as quick as possible, this man stood chatting for 15 mins, despite the fact that I kept standing aside to let him pass, I discovered that whatever about his rugby knowledge or tactical genius (I'll leave that up to Gerry Thornley) that Ireland were being coached by a down to earth and very sound man who would connect with anyone, if he could connect with a tall, loud GAA man, then how could he not connect with the players.

So that evening it did cross my mind that Ireland could be awesome again, just like 61 years ago!

So I'm so looking forward to tonight's game, but a little nervous cos we have 3 huge hurdles to cross on the road to immortality and like all hurdles they need to be jumped one at a time.

I have such a gut feeling that I can't resist, so last night, knowing well that if we win a trip to cardiff will move out of the reach of the financially ordinary fan, I went online and booked my flights to Cardiff (and a beautiful lighthouse B&B in Newport with Maggie) so either way we'll be there for the match, no tickets yet, but i have not asked anyone and i am fortunate to have so many friends, todays tickets came because of a good friend Roisin Henry, She's getting confirmed today (have a great day Roisin) and that meant that her aunt Una who had 2 briefs had to go to Mayo rather than Croker.

Plus I've always been a lucky boy, let's hope Ireland are too.

Now............ shoulder to shoulder......... let's "boot, bollock and bite"

Do yourself a favour

.

If you share my strange interest in philosophy, human lives and the importance of faustian or chaos theory, then please take 3 hours to see this, it's not that you'll find it the best entertainment, or even that you will enjoy it hugely, it's simply that you may question some of your ingrained beliefs and may even gain some insight into who I am and how i work.

The literature of philosophy is strange to some people and the work of Aristotle, Socretes, Plato, Jung, Kant, Russell and even Alan de Button is obscure to many, now there is some access to the mainstream through a medium people are comfortable with.

I hope people watch this on the premise of seeing a good movie, but leave as i did today, with so much internal conversation that they are unable to comment on Brad Pitt (who is wonderful in this) for a while.

It may be the most important use of 3 hours you will ever spend, so please give it a shot!

And remember "nothing is impossible" people count "just as you are" and as I have experienced myself "you never know what's coming for you" so if you really are interested in 3 hours of investment in yourself...... please go see this!

Paul.

Liked this!

Saw this on Sean O'Dowd's site, liked it, maybe he's spot on about the massive benefits of globalisation.

Being Irish is all about driving to the pub in a foreign car, watching English football, then travelling home, grabbing an Indian or Chinese on the way, to sit on Swedish furniture and watch American TV shows on a Japanese TV.

And I thought it was all about the internet!

Have a wonderful day!

Too much in one day!

Can't seem to get the audio into this blog forum, it's only temporary as it may not be the best idea to put on my business blog, but if you click the business blog link on the left hand side you should get it.

Paul

oh God I'm so happy!

Tomorrow will see the culmination of something I've controversially lived for over most of the last 40 years, I don't think €10,000,000 could possibly make me any happier, it would not even touch this... and to see 4 Irish guys involved is not only brilliant, but if you want to see something really special, forward the video to 3mins 35 secs and watch the next 30 secs.

Well done Bono, for almost the first time in my life I can genuinely say, " you are a brave and bloody wonderful man"

Thank you.

oh wow, here comes a ceasefire!

Oh would you believe it, the Israeli's are now going to be happy with a ceasefire, largely on their terms and of course they will communicate to their cohorts in the media that Hamas are holding it up, and of course Hamas will be the first to break it in time too, let's make an enemy out of them cos guess what, Obama will be President next Tuesday, Jan 20th, and by that time the media will be waiting to nail him for trying to bring any human rights into the scene (cos of course Muslims are apparently not human, more sandniggers to the American establishment). They have already tried to nail him for having a smoke, so if you look at the last entry you will understand that the real purpose of the last 4 weeks of savagery was to tie Obama's hands, and now that this is achieved, at the cost of more than 1100 human lives, we'll suddenly transform into the good guys and the Arabs will be demonised further in the eyes of the World's public.

Yeah, the Zionist media moguls, the Wall St thieves and the right wing political establishment will have won.

Congratulations, but lets hope Article 242 of the United Nations which was adopted unanimously by the UN Security Council on November 22, 1967 will finally be centre stage with Obama, but somehow I doubt he will be able to handle it, I mean what can you handle when the death of 400 children has tied your hands, so the 42 years of ignoring it will most likely stretch to another 8, which will make the 50th anniversary, not bad for a state which was brought into being in 1947, to ignore the United Nations for 50 out of the 70 years is not a bad record, but not a world record.

Sure the Afrikaners, the KKK and the Ulster Loyalists managed it for longer than that.