There was a short gap there. A gap of maybe an hour. The day timed it perfectly. And I took the chance to get out for a walk down the Shelbourne Road and beyond. Stopping into Roly’s to get the brown bread for the morning-ostensibly to be generous but really because I knew I couldn’t be arsed to make it and figured that it wasn’t fair to expect Ciara to do the same.
I kept going. The silence on Elgin Road’s tree lined street with its lovely protestant church was interrupted by a family of boxers being taken for a walk by their very proud (maybe a little precious) owner. Judging by its straight tail and unrelenting barking, the dalmatian up the road is not a fan. Silence was soon restored and the road belonged to me and an invigorated but sunny wind.
A wood pigeon cut in with that soothing rhythmic coo-my favourite sound and even the magpie’s gurgling cackle didn’t sound too bad. Easy to see, even today, how Patrick Kavanagh found the streets around here so romantic with their regal houses and leafy boulevards. Even the usual bustling Baggot Street seemed quite calm today and the folks outside Smyth’s of Haddington Road were taking advantage of the dry spell.
It looks like it’s going to rain now. The day timed it perfectly.
I saw this some time back. But got myself reacquinted with it. This guy, from what I can gather, is some Israeli guy who takes/poaches/steals/gives exposure to various different (as you will see) talented people and mixes it all together creating a cohesive song. And altogether it’s wonderful.
I don’t know whether or not the Lockerbie bomber is innocent or not. But I do know that he was convicted and whether rightly or wrongly he has been sent home to Libya without his sentence being overturned. And I’m sure that for him that sticks in his craw a little; if of course he is innocent.
Officially then, a guilty man has been sent home on compassionate grounds. But he now faces, according to Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill, “a sentence imposed by a higher power”.
Why should God be burdened with this affair?
Does Mr.MacAskill feel that God is less compassionate than the Scottish Justice system?
I can’t shake off the feeling that Mr MacAskill’s words are like those of a snooty class captain in a school telling a naughty little boy that he is really annoyed with him but that when the principal comes along he is really in for it.
I wonder is it not a bit patronising to the rest of us to put himself and God on the same level. Is he in touch with this “higher power”? How does he know that this higher power is even bothered with what we do on earth? What if any of the people that died on that plane were atheist? Would they find comfort in such a statement?
Should it not be up to us humans through the proper systems to judge. By saying that the decision has now been taken by God, actually demeans Western democracy and the systems of justice that are in place. It is in fact positively medieval to even mention God in the same breath as human justice.
Why does a higher power have to come into it at all? The man was found guilty and convicted by us. He has been let go by us. Using God and the ’sentence of cancer’ to justify these actions is a cop out. But what is worse is that it is wrapped up as compassion. What package is under the wrapping paper?
At three hours long and several climbs of over 100 metres this jaunt from the Glendalough carpark up through the Spinc forest and around the back of the Upper lake is not exactly a stroll.
Bring plenty of water, a rain jacket, chocolate and some sambos and get ready for a little bit of hurt, that is if you are not used to it. It’s worth it though. After about an hour and a half you will come across the wild deer that nose and nibble their way over the heather covered mountains. The views from behind and above the miner’s village are wonderful and as you make your way down you will see billy goats munching grass beside the waterfall. It was a Saturday when we went but although it was busy, there was plenty of room for everyone.
I was interested to see that a Swedish politician has spoken out against the recent introduction (or is it reintroduction or indeed amendment) of our blasphemy laws. I think it may be worth while considering tranfers for politicians. Just like in football. Perhaps we could have an Italian as Minister of Defence, a Dutchman or woman as Minister for flooding, a Dane or a Swede as Minister of Common sense etc. Who would be the Ronaldo of a transfer market like that I wonder?
Anyway, Mr. Karl Sigfrid brings up some very valid points according to this report. There is a problem with the report though. Is it being reported because no Irish politician has said the same or because he is foreign and we are more inclined to listen to foreigners, in the ‘jaysus Maire look at dat, sure we’re that brilliant they’re talking about us in Sweden’ sense?
Or do we just not really care about this kind of thing here and they really do in Sweden? Read on Mac Duff.
It may not look like much on the way to it and be sure to keep your car windows up while you speed past the stench from the waste treatment plant. But just beyond the pigeon house is surely the city’s number one walk: The South Wall.
Built in the 18th century over a period of roughly 80 years its function was to alleviate problems with sandbars and swells for ships arriving into Dublin port. Today you can watch the boats cruise safely past you on their way towards the Liffey as you walk out into the middle of Dublin Bay.
It’s a 45-50 minute jaunt up to the red lighthouse and back. The summer heather on Howth head is just lovely and on your right the Dublin mountains unfurl themselves down towards the dollhouse like sails twinkling off Dun Laoghaire. If you’re lucky a member of the half-moon swimming club might accidentally flash you a full moon.
Jonathan deBurca Butler is a writer/journalist who regularly writes for The Dubliner, Totally Dublin, Temple Bar magazine and Self Made magazine among other publications. He has also worked on ‘Culture Shock’, Newstalk’s Arts and Culture show.
Having previously lived and worked in Rome as a tour guide and London as a member of ... Continue reading »
