Ireland "A Different Perspective"

"The Slog of the Bog"

2010-05-27T03:45:00.000-07:00

“The Slog of The Bog”

As a “Townie”, “City Slicker” Jackeen who moved to the country three years ago, there are many changes that I needed to get used to.

The first is everyone knows who you are as soon as you arrive and you know nobody. Now that’s an unfair advantage if I ever saw one.

The world seems so much quieter. You can hear the birds singing everyday not just in springtime. People wave to you as they pass you by on the road. There is a tremendous sense of community, whether you like it or not. I tend to embrace that closeness now

Last year during our terrible summer I was initiated in the joys of drawing turf from a midlands bog. Every time we went it rained or had been raining and it proved to be a highly exhausting experience. The ground was wet, the turf was soaking and the body was cold, but as they say down my way, “It has to be done”

Last weekend, the hottest of the year I returned to the same bog with family and friends to gather and stack our heating for the coming year, or as they say down my way “we went to make some “Stucks” whatever that means.
The sun was shining the birds were singing, the car radio was blaring and the Mi Wadi was flowing. It was great fun. The wider family, brothers, sisters, wives girlfriends and children all together in the age-old pursuit of keeping warm.

The sun was splitting the stones and there we were worrying about the coming winter.

The conversation flowed as we made our way up the rows of cut turf. The slagging of the “Dub” seemed to be the number one topic, but I stood firm and took it like the soft-handed city boy that I am.

Gloves or no gloves were another topic of conversation.

The older lads in the group tended to go commando and I am sure they are still trying to get the pieces of sod from out under their nails, but they seemed not to care. I on the other hand wore the gardening gloves and took the glares of distain as they were issued

The sense of family and teamwork was a sight to behold. Everyone doing his or her bit for the common good. After three solid hours of work I was knackered, ready to quit on the spot, but I was not about to admit it, then I heard what could be considered in the circumstances the most beautiful word in the English language – “Pub”

The work was complete and we were off for a late afternoon pint.
On the way there was deep discussion on whether we should pop home and change before we went. This is where I came into my own.

I am going for a pint now. The blackened knees and arms were my “Badge of Honour” and I was not about to give up the opportunity that some of the locals might see me and think. “Jasus look at yer man, he can’t be too bad if he helps in the Bog”.

There were no detours we did not go to jail; we did not collect 200.00 pounds. We went straight to the pub.
I took up residence outside in the bright afternoon sunshine and watched as the ice in my glass cracked as I poured in my pint bottle of fermented apple juice.

I sat and waited a second and then raised it to my lips, took a large gulp and in that split second, the previous three hours of torture had become a distant memory

This country can on occasions like this be a truly special place to live.

The Trials and Tribulations Of Toilet Training

2010-05-13T07:13:00.000-07:00

Our only son turned three years old this week and great celebrations took place in our house, but we are also coming to the end of the most worrying period of his short life.

You can forget the teething, the night terrors and the difficulties we have in getting him to eat his dinner. Because what I’m talking about is much more serious. I’m talking about “Potty Training” as it was in my day, but now called “toilet training”

My wife spent time building herself up to the day when we would endeavour to get a toddler to stop peeing in his pants. We agreed that a potty was not the answer. We were going to be brave and forward thinking and go straight for the toilet.

Over a three-week period I lost count of the pairs of pants and trousers that appeared on our washing line. I am sure the neighbours thought that we must have at least three children.
It seemed that every time I turned around a river of wee was running down my young lads leg. I found it difficult to remain calm and having walked in the puddle a couple of times in my bare feet thought it best to wear waterproof shoes around the house.
There were times when I was taking my son out in the car where I thought “I’ll just stick a nappy on him for safety’s sake”, but my wife convinced me that we really needed to persevere and “go through the pain” it would be better in the long run love, she said.

At times like these I wished I had invested in leather seats in the car, but I think my lad got a certain kick watching me sponge wash the upholstery in the back of the car while up front he sat and beeped the horn, again and again and again.

Then out of nowhere two days before his birthday the “Eureka” moment occurred. I happened to be at work when my son walked up to my wife and uttered those faithful words “ Mammy I need to go toilet”
As she proudly placed my son atop the throne in the bathroom she called me to share the sheer joy she felt and also to confirm that she had been right. We needed to endure the pain of wet trousers, wet pants and wet floors.

I am not saying that we have totally cracked it yet. We still have the odd mistake, but as parents we are now confident that our son can overcome any challenge that is put in front of him. Well done son.
Now bring on the Leaving Cert.

"The Meek Shall Inherit The Earth"

2010-05-12T04:47:00.000-07:00

Ah yes that’s what the bible tells us. Well in that case the total population of Ireland will find a place on the other side of “The Pearly Gates”

Our country is on its knees, broken by people who still control and govern us.

Hundreds of thousands of people are unemployed; thousands now live with negative equity, reduced pensions, and reduced salaries.

Yes we call Joe Duffy on a daily basis, we scream and shout about it to our friends and family, but what we don’t do in large enough numbers is confront the leaders of our nation with the issues that affect our daily lives

What we do is sit on our hands, and wait for someone else to make a stand. We are the sheep of Europe, the followers, never the leaders, never and the ones to break fresh ground

Throughout the world, history has shown us the tremendous contribution that Irish people have made to the every corner of the world. We spread our confident hard working message when we went to far-flung places and made it work

Yet at home we just sit on our hands.

Last night a march and rally was organised to give the people of this nation an opportunity to air their grievances about the political and economic mire that we find ourselves in and less than 1000 people turned up

There are currently over 400,000 people unemployed in Ireland and less than 1,000 people turned up. Do the unemployed just not care enough to care?
Have they been that brow beaten?

They say that you always get the leaders and governments that you deserve, and much as I hate to say it, but we have exactly the government that we deserve.

I am sure the politicians in Leinster House last evening worried little for the small group outside. What difference can a few hundred hardy souls make? The answer is very little I’m afraid, very little.

We placed these people in positions of power, yet there seems to be no national will to remove them and replace them with forward thinking individuals who will put the well being of the citizens of our nation before anything else

I would like to ask all politicians in Ireland to ask themselves one question and one question only before they vote in future in the Dail chamber

Is the decision I am about to make the correct one for the people of Ireland?

Not the people of my village or town or county, but for the people of our nation as a whole.

We must leave the parochial politics of the past at the door and bring to power individuals with vision, drive and above all answers to the problems that the current incumbents seem unwilling or unable to answer.

The world may see us as a nation that punches above it’s weight, I see a nation that has been floored by one to many punches and is wondering whether it should bother even rising from the canvas.

"Rising After Redundancy"

2010-05-10T08:14:00.000-07:00

The Programme "Rising After Redundancy" starts on RTE 1 at 9.30pm on Sunday 16th May

I am one of the contributors to this groundbreaking documentary

Check it out and I would really welcome all comments on the show

That "Where Were You Moment"?

2010-05-06T05:38:00.000-07:00

That “Where Were You Moment”?

For those of us a little older, then JF Kennedy may have been the first. Then for some it was Princess Diana and now it’s Gerry Ryan. That “where were you moment?” where were you when you heard they were dead?

There have been many more who have died and have been remembered. The first person outside of family that I can remember dying was Elvis Presley I was 6 years old it was August 1977 I was playing football on a Dublin estate and one of the lads told me Elvis was dead. I ran home through the front door and asked my ma if it was true, because to a 6 year old your ma was your oracle, your window on the world, your worldwide web. My mother was my www.
I remember Elvis and where I was. Elvis was followed by Indira Ghandi, Princess Diana and now Gerry Ryan. I know Indira Ghandi is a strange one, but so was breakfast Television in the 1980’s

I know where I was because they had an impact on me. They actually stopped me in my tracks and gave me cause to contemplate their lives.

We all die, but outside or our nearest and dearest, the death of few have a real effect on us.
My latest is Mr Gerry Ryan. It’s not that I really listened every day or for that matter every year, it’s just that he always seemed to be there, doling out advice but also spending much time in listening to the nation. Yes he seemed to be the nations barometer. He took our temperature on a daily basis. I like to see him as the “calpol” of the nation. He kept us from over boiling by giving us an outlet for our fears and anxieties.

At this time in our nations history, we need a Gerry Ryan. We will always require a Gerry Ryan, someone who allows us to use them as a conduit for our own thoughts and fears.

There will be more to follow, more deaths to stop us in our tracks. Yet that in itself is life. We stop and remember and then we just pick up the slack and go again

Let's Rock the Boat

2010-04-22T05:35:00.000-07:00

It hasn’t rained for nearly two weeks now, there is warmth in the sun and the National League is coming to an end.
This must mean that summer is here, and that means Championship football
It’s the time where all counties dream of success, for some it would be to win a Championship game for others it would be to make a Provincial final for others nothing but winning a Provincial Final would do
And then there’s the “big boys” where nothing short of All Ireland success would deem there seasons a failure.

I should be exited, and I suppose I am in a weird sort of way, but I am also apprehensive. It seems that the internal wrangling between counties shows no signs of abating

This week Westmeath lost their manager Brendan Hackett and a Championship ball had not been kicked in Anger, Limerick hurlers are at their lowest ebb having been relegated by Dublin to Division 2 of the National League and beaten by a cricket score into the bargain
Over the last few years it seems that most counties have had their managerial problems
“Player Power” has reared its ugly head and I am sure that the powers that be in Croke Park wish that players would just turn up and play and stop “rocking the boat”

I on the other hand hope that they continue to turn up to play but continue to “rock the boat”.
I want them to rock the boat until it capsizes. I want the Lifeboats to be launched and lifejackets issued and inflated; because the issue of so called “player power” needs to be addressed

The management and head honcho’s in Croke Park are wondering what all the fuss is about. Why can’t the players just train and play and leave the running of the association to us

Well the news the players have for the hierarchy is “without the players we don’t have a GAA and all you so called leaders would be without a job, and in many cases without an income, so think on.

We all know that some players want to be paid, and others don’t, but what they all want is to be treated fairly – treated as equals not just as a means to an end for ambitious club or county administrators

A county player will give up at least 10 months of their year to their respective county, training up to four times a week, playing once or twice a week, competing with their clubs.
These players are roll models for the youth of their community. They also have work and family commitments that take second place behind their sports for most of the year, and yet some feel that they receive very little back in return

Now I hear you say that “Nobody has forced them to play” and this is correct, but they are playing and giving their best and they feel that to achieve the best results possible they need to have a say in how their counties are managed.

Is this too much to ask?

Now I feel that the “Player Power” issue could be settled once and for all and consigned to the history books with one stroke of a pen. Now wait for it some of you are going to find what I am about to say very distressing indeed, others may need to sit down, take the weight off and pour yourself a stiff drink

Are you ready?

“PAY THE PLAYERS”

Intercounty hurlers and footballers should be paid hard cash for the efforts that they put in. The money in turn will increase their personal well-being and reduce the need for players to demand extra from their county boards and management

Do we ever hear of rugby players unhappy with their lot, or “League of Ireland” footballers? No we don’t. If they have issues with the way things are done they keep things in house, whereas GAA players feel that the only way that they can exact change is to bring things to a head on a local and national level, and I can only surmise that this in turn makes the GAA look at the least slow to react and the worst backward thinking

It is the summer of 2010 and I really want to look forward to a great championship season. I want the good weather and the cheering crowds and the adulation to go to the people who bring me to Cusack Park, or Park Tailteann or Croke Park, and that is the players.

These supreme athletes lay it all on the line week in week out for the love of the jersey. They should also be laying it on the line for a couple of hundred euros a match.

"The Conversation"

2010-01-22T04:55:00.000-08:00

The following conversation, or one very like it will be held the length and breadth of the country this weekend. People will as usual discuss the “State of The Nation” and as always will come to very similar conclusions.

Political conversations are not banned from pubs because they may cause arguments. They are banned because they leave the participants depressed and unable to finish their drinks.

Mick and Tommy are down the pub on Friday night. There they sit at the bar with a couple of pints in front of them. The conversation goes as follows

Tommy: So Mick what do you think of this inquiry into the failure of the banking system?

Mick: Well Tommy let me tell you this, you can guarantee that lots of taxpayer’s money will be spent and at the end of it nobody will be held accountable. Nobody will lose their jobs, or have their pensions touched. It will be a whitewash.

Tommy: You know what Mick; I think I have to agree with you there.

Mick: The government have said that they are going to follow the style of the “Murphy Report” because that was a huge success in getting to the bottom of the clerical abuse problem, and it will cost less money

Tommy: That’s right. They are going to meet behind closed doors and the report will be issued before anyone has the right to reply. I wonder will they just take a sample count of the perpetrators just like the Murphy report did?

Mick: As I said at the start Tommy nobody will be held accountable, we as a nation will be out of pocket and nothing will change within the banking sector.

Tommy: Do you think the report will be made public before the next General Election?

Mick: Tommy, are you being serious, there is more chance of getting a yes or no answer from a politician than there is of this report being published before the election.

Tommy: Will you have another pint Mick?

Mick: I will Tommy, sure “a bird never flew on one wing” now did he.

Tommy: So how’s the family Mick?

You see this is the general public talking. The very same people who placed the T.D’s in power.

I hope they can make it down to their very own local’s this weekend. They will be helping the economy by spending money that they can claim back on un vouched expenses and also listening to common sense spoken by their electorate.

Maybe we should make it compulsory that once a month the local T.D has to go down to their local hostelry and actually listen to the very people who put them into power.

We live in hope.

2010 - Happy New Year

2010-01-04T09:02:00.000-08:00

Athlone has been hit badly by the recent floods and now its freezing cold but believe it or not I’m exited
I’m looking forward to the New Year

My New Year resolution is to have a positive attitude for the coming year.

I will not allow myself to be negative in 2010
The government can throw whatever they want at me and I will still keep a smile on my face.
The travails of 2009 have thought me a great lesson. You have to look after yourself and your family and this is what I will be doing. I will build a little bubble around ourselves and we will succeed.
As a nation we have a great opportunity now to stick together. We all know that times are tough, but the simple things in life can get us through

The joy and wonder on a child’s face as they open their Christmas presents.
The support of family and friends.
The sunrise in the morning.
A smile here and a laugh there.

We live in a great country that just needs a little help to get it back up from its knees

There is no harm in looking back to find a way forward. We have been through recessions before and we can come out the other end a little wiser.

I just want to let you know that I am ready, confident and keen to make this the best year ever.
We are all lucky in different ways; sometimes you just need to have it spelled out for you.

So the year had begun. What are you going to make of it? Will you grab it by the scruff of the neck and give it a shake? Or will you sit idly by and allow things to happen around you?
As I said I’m exited. I’m going to smile more at people. I’m going to make an effort to get to know new people; I’m going to learn new skills. I’m going to progress.

It’s all out there for us we just have to go and get it. I know barriers are sometimes placed in our way, but nothing that can’t be overcome.

If anyone sees me being miserable in 2010 you have my permission to issue me with a rebuke.

The New Year is here whether we like it or not, now we just have to go and make the most of it.

Good Luck

"Fairytale Of Athlone"

2009-12-09T04:08:00.000-08:00

“Fairytale of Athlone”

Once upon a time there was a 38-year-old married man with one child. He spent 6 months of 2009 unemployed. He spent every day searching for jobs, while doing the best for his family.
“Job seekers allowance” paid him and his family 365.00 euros per week. That money was badly needed.

When he had the chance to get back into the workforce he jumped at it. Working again, a reason to rise in the morning and a belief that he could make a difference.

The job paid minimum wage, which meant that he would be 25.00 euros worse off per week. Not a great start but at least he was working, back in the swing of things, back communicating with people, making decisions and making a difference.

He applied for Family Income Support on the 15th October 2009 and was told that there would be a delay of 4-5 weeks before payment would be made as there was a huge increase in the volume of applications for F.I.S

He waited until the 23rd November and rang the social welfare to see how his application was progressing.
He was then told the astonishing news that there would be a further delay of between 5 – 6 weeks before any payments are made.
The employee at the social welfare office did say that the payment would be backdated when it was paid, so that makes it all ok then.

So it will be 2010 before any payment is made. What about Christmas? He screamed, how would he get through Christmas, how will his family get through Christmas.

His son wants Santa to bring him a toy tractor; a bloody toy tractor is all he wants.
What will he get his wife? What will his wife get him? Nothing I’m afraid.

There can be no presents for his nieces and nephews, no presents for his parents or his wife’s parents; it’s just not possible. Friends will just have to be patient.

This is a real person with real human concerns. He is angry, angry at everything, but will refuse to give up. He will continue to fight to re-establish himself. He refuses to go back on social welfare. He prefers to work and give something back to his community

And yes his son will receive his tractor for Christmas. He will make damn sure of that, and he will make sure that it comes with a trailer and is the best tractor that he can afford.

To his friends at the social welfare office he can only ask that every time a claim comes across their desk that they think of the human aspects of each claim. They are not just pieces of paper, there are lives affected by your actions every day of the week.
Try and process one more claim each day, take five minutes less for your lunch break and process one more claim, come in five minutes early and process one more claim. Don’t go on strike and you can process lots more claims.

This recession will not beat this man and not beat his family. 2010 will be a better year full of the ups and downs that every year brings. Here’s hoping for more ups than downs.

The Human Spirit

2009-11-30T04:14:00.000-08:00

The Human Spirit

The floods that have destroyed areas of Athlone this week have been devastating for those concerned. To have your home violated by a flood is a truly distressing issue.

I have spoken at length with people who have lost their properties or businesses and the tales are truly harrowing, yet one thing that everyone is in agreement with is the superb effort from the general public of the town and the country as a whole.

I am involved in the flood relief support group and it seems that every community and voluntary group in the area is throwing their full support behind this venture.

People have been amazing offering their time, money and possessions to help those less fortunate than themselves. The feeling with the volunteers is “there but for the grace of god go I” We are the lucky ones.

Floods are a natural disaster, but they discriminate against those who live closest to the water, and once the water rises there is nothing you can do.

The community spirit is superb. I just hope that we can learn from this disaster and keep community support at a high level going forward.

I must commend the local representatives who have given up their time to fill sand bags and assist the families most affected. I am sure people will remember these gestures.

On the other hand the point must be made that last Tuesday when council workers refused to strike in other flood affected areas around the country, Athlone was not so lucky and the council workers stayed at home. This in itself was a major public relations gaff, and left the affected people feeling isolated.

I feel that sometimes we need a disaster of sorts to awaken those altruistic feeling within us. A flood relief centre has been opened in the Athlone Town Centre and volunteers are desperately needed to man the area from 9.00am – 9.00pm, so if you have a few spare hours get down to the town centre and show your support.

When the dust has settled on the floods in this area, I know that blame will have to be apportioned and difficult decisions will need to be taken.

Athlone is built on the beautiful river Shannon and it breathes life into the town on a daily basis, but occasionally it comes and bites us when we least expect it.

We need to respect the river and put an emergency plan in place so that when the floods return, because they most certainly will, that we are ready to support those most in need.

Our government need to take notice and assist the stricken communities both now and in the future. The community are doing their bit, now its up to the elected representatives to do theirs.

I must dash now, as I have to get into a boat and go and visit my in laws. The one road out from their house is flooded and can only be accessed by boat. I do hope the water has receded by Christmas. I don’t feel like carrying the turkey in a boat.

The French Connection

2009-11-23T01:24:00.000-08:00

Day Light Robbery – The defeat of a small footballing nation.

It seemed that the only issue on peoples mind last week was the World Cup Play off match against France.
The whole country held their breath and then Thierry Henry extinguished our dreams with two sweeps of his hand.

Recessions are difficult to get through, many challenges are put in our way and there are few opportunities for the country to forget its worries and all focus on the one goal

The whole country stopped last Wednesday night and I should know because a meeting ran late and I did not get home until the game was half an hour old. The roads were empty, everyone either tucked up at home or enjoying a pint or two in the pub.

Even those of you who are not huge football fans could see the importance of this match. It was a great chance to forget out worries for a few hours, yet now we are left signing petitions in a bid to have the game replayed.

I am sure that Messrs Cowen and Lenihan were hoping for a favourable result in Paris. Possibly in the hope that a nasty budget could be slipped through on the back of national euphoria.

It is plain to see that FIFA the governing body of football want to see the major footballing nations qualify for the world cup finals in South Africa.
This became apparent when FIFA moved the goalposts following the qualification campaign and seeded the larger nations against the smaller nations.
This change of the rules all but guaranteed the progress of large nations like France and Portugal

I feel that if we had been serious about the injustices done to us we should have refused to contest the qualifiers unless an open draw was in place

I fully understand the financial implications that this decision could bring with it, but at least we would be standing up for the rights of both our players and our fans
Qualification for major championships is difficult enough without FIFA continuously putting new obstacles in the way of the smaller nations.

I am sure that I can speak for everyone when I say the Irish players and fans did us proud last week, and I am saddened that I was not in Paris myself.

We can now forget the trip to South Africa, Cape town and the African safari’s will have to do without the Irish supporters. Come next summer many of us will be looking on with envy and I am sure we will take more than a passing interest in the progress of the French team

As Del Boy in Only Fools and Horses would say “ Mange Tout Rodney, Mange Tout.

The Charity "Bag Pack"

2009-11-17T02:35:00.000-08:00

Last weekend I was involved in organising and participating in a charity “Bag Pack” event at Tesco in Golden Island. You know the type of thing; somebody stands at the far side of the till and helps you pack your shopping

I had never done one before and to be honest with you I felt a little nervous, and my fragile state was not helped by having to wear a luminous yellow jacket.

Before I started I thought that it is very important not to upset the general public. I was a little worried that people would be standoffish and wary of who we were

This could not have been further from the truth. The general public of Athlone proved to be extremely generous and were full of wise cracks and banter.
I was concerned that the sight of people collecting for charity might annoy some especially during these financially turbulent times but I was wrong.

People dug deep into their pockets and were happy to toss a few coins into our little white buckets.
When I say buckets I really mean recycled mayonnaise containers.

What’s more they took an interest in what we were collecting for and we were happy to answer any questions
I really enjoyed the different personalities and conversations that I had and it was also a thrill to help people with what many see as a chore.

It reminded me that when I was unemployed I felt isolated and did not get out and about as much as I should, once your confidence takes a battering it can be hard to get it back.

I met more people at Tescos in a two-hour period than I would have done in a week when I was on the dole.

I really hope never to find myself unemployed again but if I do I will make sure to help out with things like this.

For the many of you out there who may find yourselves at a loose end I propose you pick up the phone and find out how you can help your community. It will feel like watching the “Secret Millionaire” Television programme, you just won’t be handing over huge amounts of cash a the end of it

I would never have believed that packing bags for two hours could make you feel invigorated, but it does.
It made me feel useful and that I was making a difference

You see the best in people and believe you me; when it comes to giving to deserving causes Athlone does have the best of people.

Letter to Mr. Cowan

2009-11-16T05:09:00.000-08:00

Open Letter to An Taoiseach - Brian Cowan

Dear Brian,

It must be tough for you at the moment? The country is in a terrible state and everyone is blaming you. I certainly don’t envy you.
But there are positives out there Brian. Every cloud has a silver lining and it is up to you to find one.

The nation awaits your verdict. You have an opportunity to change the face of economic Ireland forever if you are brave enough to take up the challenge.

You don’t need me telling you what needs to be done, you know that already.

As a low paid worker I am willing to take a hit if it helps in the regeneration of our economy and so should everyone else, so just get on and do it.

Don’t be afraid of the difficult decisions. Do not bow down to the public servants or other vested interests. You know that there are huge savings to be made in this area and if you have the will you can find the way. The country voted you into power to make the difficult decisions so make them.

Brian , Do you have the will? Do you really want to get your hands dirty or are you going to gloss over the issues in the hope that you can put a positive spin on things in time for the next election.
This budget is not about saving your own skin, its about saving the country.

Please never forget that you are a public servant, elected by the people for the people. You are there to do OUR work, not the work of your own political party.

Brian, do you know that politicians are hated out here in the real world?

We have been disgusted by scandal after scandal, disaster after disaster, yet you are still in power, still our county’s leader so get on with it.

I am giving you one more opportunity to get things right. I am sure I will not agree with everything you produce in the upcoming budget, but I like every other sensible citizen will be able to sort the wheat from the chaff when it comes to digesting the budgets findings.

If you fail to make the difficult decisions and pander to your cronies in certain circles, I will stand up and take you on head first. I will march. I will agitate and I will call for a change of government.

You know the old saying Brian “Cometh the hour cometh the man “

So Come on Brian.

Yours Hopefully

Joe Public

Poverty In Ireland

2009-11-11T07:06:00.000-08:00

Poverty In Ireland

I have done the research, and according to the latest Central Statistics Office findings contained in the 2007 EU survey of income and living conditions, I am “At Risk Of Poverty”

Do I feel impoverished? Not at all.

I don’t have any spare money; we can’t pay our bills fully. We can’t afford new clothes; we can’t afford to mend the car. We cannot afford to go out at weekends. But we are not poor. Well not in my mind anyway.

According to the Combat Poverty Agency 16.5% of the Irish population are at risk of Poverty and 5% actually experience consistent poverty, now these figures were released in 2007, and as we all know this was before the credit crunch kicked in, before the banks crashed and before the developers saw the light and ceased building.

Our nation is suffering poverty and not just in a purely financial sense. Yes the money seems to be gone, the good times are behind us for a period of time, but we have also lost our sense of justice as a nation, our sense of community our sense of togetherness

When I think of real poverty I think back to my recent visit
to the graveyard beside the old Christian Brothers Industrial School in Letterfrack, in beautiful Connemara. Now if you want to experience a real sense of poverty then make an effort to visit this place. Set amidst some of the most stunning scenery that our country has to offer is an example to us all.

As our country grew over the last century or so, we allowed far too many of our citizens to fall by the wayside. Humans are selfish by nature, but as a nation we have spent millions of pounds promoting our Irishness to the rest of the world. We want to welcome you to our country, we are great people. We will take care of you when you visit

Alas this is an empty promise. We were never able to take care of the most vulnerable in our society so how then can we take care of our guests.

I had been to Letterfrack on many occasions before. It is a quiet west Galway village at the base of the Connemara National Park.

One sunny afternoon, which was strange for this past summer my wife and son accompanied me on a search for a playground in the National Park.

Two year olds have so much energy and swings and slides are a great way to tire them out

As we walked up a slight incline past the church I noticed a small black wrought iron gate and a sign that said “graveyard”
I have always found graveyards very relaxing places, the history of them makes me want to recall past times so we decided to investigate. The path through the gate took us to a serene wooded area and up the hill again.

At the top a marble plaque was placed on the wall with this haunting script

What they suffered they told but few
They did not deserve what they went through
Tired and weary
They made no fuss
They tried so hard
To stay with us

I opened another small gate and we entered the graveyard and my heart sank. I actually felt sick to my stomach. I felt a tremendous amount of anger.

There laid out in front of me were row upon row of small black heart shaped gravestones 77 in total to represent 99 boys who died in the care of the Christian Brothers from the 1890’s to the 1970’s when the school was finally closed school

This is the final burial place of some of the unwanted souls of Ireland’s shameful past.

I just looked a the ages of the dead children, 10 years old, 3 years old, six years old, age unknown.

The uniformity of the gravestones reminded me of the final resting place of the soldiers from the two world wars. But these were not soldiers who died in war; these were children who died in utter poverty and confusion.

Records show that these children were beaten, abused and shown none of the respect that we should afford our youth.

So the next time that you think you are poor. The next time you moan about not having this and not being able to afford that. Stop and think a second. Think about the pain and suffering that these children suffered, and what’s more all done in the name of god

Most graveyards that adjoin a church can be seen from the church, but not this one. This final burial place of scores of children is hidden in a wooded area away from the church. You would not find it unless you were looking for it

The church abused and tortured these children and even in death the church still feels the need to shame them by hiding them away.

These beautiful black marble gravestones were not placed there by the church, they were not placed their by the families of the deceased, they were actually placed there as recently as 2002 by the Joseph Pike Research Group, in a bid to remember these young boys.

These children suffered real poverty. Poverty in its purist form.

I do hope that during this current recession we can spend a little time to look out for a neighbour or a friend. Never be afraid to ask the question “Are you Ok?” Can I help in anyway?

Many of us are really lucky. We have our families and friends and support networks to help us through.
Having visited the graveyard in Letter rack I am trying to put my own advice into action

I hope that you will try it too, and when someone does ask you for help, hold out your hand and your heart and remember that it was not too long ago that we as a nation just turned our backs on the most needy in our society.

2009-11-09T04:44:00.000-08:00

Last week I had to go to Dublin Airport to collect my family, as seems the norm these days the flight was slightly late and I was slightly early, which gave me plenty of time to stand around “people watching”

The arrivals hall at the airport seemed to contain every conceivable emotion in just the one hour that I was there

There was passion from when the twenty-year-old student holding a bunch of flowers purchased from the petrol station as he kissed his newly arrived girlfriend. It turned out that he really didn’t need the flowers

The middle-aged couple welcoming their daughter who has lived in America for the last twenty years. They were exited to welcome her I could hear it in their voices but you could see the fear in the mother’s face that in no time at all she would be upstairs again waving her daughter goodbye. Would she ever move home?

There is the apprehension of the first time arrival in Dublin, head moving quickly from side to side knowing that there is no one there to meet them but somehow hoping against all hope that somebody will call their name

The other first time arrivals were also there, the ones who strode purposely through the opaque doors hoping to catch a glimpse of the person holding the sign with their name on it. They are on business and business people are all business like, everything has to be done in a hurry, no time to spare. No time to feel the emotion that was clearly present.

A group of doting parents stood together waiting for their teenage daughters to return from the mid term school tour to Kenya. The trip was all about teaching the children that there was another world less fortunate out there, but as they entered the arrivals hall half of them were already back talking on their mobile homes.
Yes they wore flip flops, kaftan styled dresses and tie dyed t shirts but their two world experiences met right there on the concourse and I knew which world would win out. It would not be long before the plight of Africa was a distant memory. Maybe it’s too much to ask for a teenager to fully explore?

A slightly red eyed forty something lady, dressed for the cold spell stood motionless as close to the opening arrivals door as possible what seemed like her sister stood staunchly beside her, hands held ever so tightly. She had a mission, and that was to make sure that when the doors opened the first face that her arrival would see would be hers.

I guessed that there had been a death in the family and they were there to welcome somebody home
The doors opened and the embrace seemed everlasting. No words were required between the two ladies and the clearly emotional young man

The television news blared above my head, the security notices played every few minutes. The terminal is a noisy place but I heard little. I just watched the waiting people and imagined who would walk through the doors to meet them.

Then suddenly before I had the chance to react my own son ran towards me with a loud “Daaaadddddy” ringing in my ears. I wrapped him in my arms kissed my wife and we were on our way.

I felt a little guilty that my family had only come from Leeds / Bradford after a weekend spent with friends.

The next time I need to see human emotion in all it’s glory I may just take a trip back up to the airport. Maybe we should all try it sometime?

2009-11-09T04:42:00.000-08:00

Unemployment – The loss of my sporting passion.

The great Irish Summer offered so much to the sports fan whether on the television or attending in person.

When I became unemployed earlier this year I was advised by many people to make sure that I kept up with my sporting hobbies. Playing golf and watching League Of Ireland Football.
Your hobbies give you an outlet, time away from the pressures of searching for that job, if even for a few hours.
But as I have found like everything else hobbies cost money.

An average game of golf costs 30.00 euros; this is 1/3 of our electricity bill or ¼ of our weekly shop.
How can I justify spending that amount of money on a whim?

Although still reasonable a trip to watch a league of Ireland game will cost me at least 30.00 including match ticket, petrol, a packet of Alex Ferguson chewing gum and the cup of much maligned oxtail soup.
When I was working I would not have thought twice about spending this, but now that I am unemployed it cannot be justified.

Earlier in the summer when Kerry gave my beloved dubs a step-by-step lesson in how to win a Gaelic football match. I was obviously devastated by the performance and the result, but a small little piece of me was happy that I would not have to find a way to pay for a ticket for the semi final or god forbid even the final
So thank you Kerry football for taking my dilemma away. I will eternally be in your debt.

The golf clubs are now in the shed gathering dust, and every time I enter they seem to look back at me with utter distain.
Friday nights pass without me going to a match and I can wait until next spring at least before I have to worry about the Dubs.

I am now left with only one avenue to my sporting passion and that’s my satellite dish, my beloved sports channels. Now if this were taken away I would be truly lost. I would be half the man I am now.

In our current precarious financial state the dish should really be removed from the side of the house but I just can’t bring myself to disconnect it.

It would be like a priest arranging an exorcism, exorcising the sporting demons from inside of me. The dish would be removed and with that a little piece of me would die, to be replaced by a deep open void of nothingness

This really is my last view to the sporting world outside
My wife says is it really important who wins the third round of the Carling Cup? Why are you watching women playing golf at the Solheim Cup? Nascar racing is so boring dear; can we switch over to “Eastenders”?

Darling it’s very important that I have this information and by the way the crown green bowls from Perth Australia is up next.

2009-11-06T04:29:00.000-08:00

The dreaded budget is now only a matter of weeks away. For those of us unemployed or on low incomes it is an increasingly worrying time.

It seems that there will be cuts across the board, children’s allowance may be means tested? Unemployment assistance may be reduced? The public sector wage bill will need to be trimmed?
We all know that there is a huge deficit in the annual national accounts and some and maybe all of us will have to pay.
We may feel that these problems were not caused by the likes of you and me but unfortunately it will be up to us to foot the bill.

For me this time of year is all about survival. If I tightened my belt anymore I would suffocate, so a proposed cut in children’s allowance would be a disaster.

I know some wealthy people who use their children’s allowance payment to get their hair done.
We use ours to pay the electricity bill. I should be putting it away for my son’s future, but the here and the now is just more important.

As a family we will find it impossible to accept any further cuts to either wages or benefits

These difficult times may just allow us to think about what is really important in our lives. For too long we as a nation have been far too concerned with chasing the money, driving the brand new car, living in the large house, buying the biggest television and going on the most expensive holidays, but did this lifestyle really make us any happier?

Maybe now is the time to reassess and start chasing the truly important things in life like health, happiness, strong family and communities and friendship.
There have been times in our history when money was not all that important for most of us, and that was not that long ago either.

The budget will be released just before Christmas and I am sure that a wave of anger will consume the country at this time. Everyone will be looking at how the budget affects him or her personally. This is only a natural reaction, but I would ask that people try to look out for each other at this time. Check that friends and neighbours are ok. Speak to your families. The love and support they can give us during these difficult times can be priceless.
Lets support our communities and take extra care of the vulnerable.

The Celtic Tiger may be long gone, but the Irish spirit of care and community is still there. It may have been somewhat dormant during the boom times, but it is now up to each and every one of us to rise to the occasion.

We cannot allow the budget and all that it brings with it to destroy our enjoyment of Christmas. I may need to reduce my spending even further. Go out less. Buy cheaper presents? But it is still an occasion that I welcome and enjoy

Christmas is the “Season of Giving” Will you be giving this Festive Season?

2009-11-06T04:11:00.000-08:00

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