Nice coverage for the Blog

There I was last week wondering if in the eyes of the local journo's I had actually been at the Borough Council meeting, let alone lead a few important debates from the chair as acting Mayor for the night. Lo and behold, the roundabout overcame the swings yesterday and today with lovely pics from the opening of the coolest mart in the country at Cillin Hill, about which I shall write again, decent coverage of my raising of the disturbances to local communities, particularly in the Outrath area from so-caled 'Boy Racers', and best of all a smashing article by Katherine Blake in the Kilkenny People about politician's websites.

Katherine, who has her own website, gives me the 'Best Councillor's award' for this here Blog, and brought a few visitors in the past few days.
Giving credit where it's due by the way, hats off to a hugely improved Kilkenny People website. For a long time the doyen of the local media had a pretty difficult to negotiate site, which was often weeks out of date, but now it looks a whole lot brighter, and has all this wekk's contents already. The local free paper, the Kilkenny Advertiser has had a fabulous site since its launch, featuring the Pagesuite digital issue. Of course it makes all its money from advertising, where the People still has good old-fashioned paper sales as part of its revenue stream.

Amhrán an Nóimead-Léimigi thart a phleidhci

Seo amhrán na bliana domsa gan dabht agus clár teilifise na bliana chomh maith. Is brea liom, Deasún Mac an Easpaigh! ar aon nós agus tá a chlár 'In the name of the Fada' i mbéál gach éinne a bhuaileann tú leo.

Without Des Bishop's version of 'Jump Around'is proving to be the hit of the century so far in the teanga Gaeilge. Here he is performing live at the Oireachtas, a long way from the Oireachtas I remember. Lean ort Des, and get this single out soon. It's available as a free download on his website by the way, and here's the lyrics too. Bain sult as agus 'Leim Thart'


Léimigí Thart- Des Bishop

Dún do chlab, dún do bhéal
Éist le mo scéal, má cheapann tú go dtuigeann tú, tá tú ag cur i gcéill,
Tá mé ag dul go nua Eabhrac, ceangal mé le slabhra,
Goile a mhac, ná bí (ag caint anseo???) i lár an tsamhraidh
(súistí búistín buaille beag a phústín???)
ná bí i do phleidhce, nó gheobhaidh tusa léice
Níl mé ag iarraidh a' éisteacht le do chac-bó
damhsa damhsa gan aon stró
buachaillí gránna, cailíní boga dána
Ní thugann mise aird ar na gardaí síochána
Ag an gCeathrú rua, Amach anseo faoin dtuath
léim anois léim anois léim anois go luath
má tá sé mícheart, má tá sé mícheart, is cuma liom, is cuma liom,
léimigí thart!

léim thart! léim thart léim thart! léim thart léim thart! léim thart
Fág seo, éirigh as do pholl is léim thart!

Léim, léim, léim , chuile duine léim, léim, léim, gach duine léim, léim, léim, chuile dhuine léim, léim, léim

freastalóidh mé thú ar nós John McEnroe
má shiúlann do bhean suas, buailfidh mé an hó!
Cá bhfuil do chlann, cá bhfuil do chairde, cá bhfuil an ceol, (suas in airde???)
Agus díreach (ar do thuiscint, tá mé ag rith???)
Má fheiceann tú mise, (b’fhearr duit???) bagairt a rá
Mar tá mé ar nós Tom Cruise sa scannán sin top gun
Ní stopadh tú mise leis an Shotgun!
Má dhéanann tú 's cuí go luath
Agus beidh tú i do staic
Ní éiríonn tú arís go deo, sin an craic
Anois mo stór, éist le mo ghlór,
amach ar an urlár ar nós Peigín leitir mór
má tá sé mícheart, má tá sé mícheart srl

Is mise an fear is fearr, so tá mé thar barr,
Ní fheicfidh tú mise i mo sheasadh (as an lár???)
Ná ag an deireadh ach an oiread an taobh eile don droichid
má thagann siad chomh fada liom, cuireadh mise iad,
amach ar an bportach, agus iad ag baint mhóna,
Déardaoin, De hAoine, De Satharn De Domhnaigh,
Suas suas ‘s síos agus ar ais arís,
Dún do straois, tá sé salach agus clúdaithe le smaois
(Do héadan bheidh caillte , an teallach sin duitse???),
Fainic thú féin nó ní thógfaidh mé uaitse
Má tá sé mícheart, má tá sé mícheart srl

Tá mo homies as Conamara
M'abhailies, m'abhailies as Conamara

Muintir na Gaeltachta, agus muintir na hÉireann freisin, tá an réabhlóid ag teacht go luath

Sin é, sin é, sin é , sin é [TRÉIG]

Samantha explains on Comedy Central-'Sorta'

Here's a great piece of fun from Comedy Central where the great Samantha Power gives her first interview after the 'Monster' controversy. As usual, she comes out shining. Looking forward to the new book.

Cleese offers Obama his talents

John Cleese today offered Barack Obama his talents as a speech writer. Here's his previous major input into politics- a weird and wonderful broadcast forthe SPD/Liberals in 1987. What about drafting him in Eamon?

Time for a decent bus service to Cork-Join the campaign

Since my wife began working in Cork last year and a number of students have contacted me, I have been looking at the public bus service to Cork from Kilkenny and vice versa. Putting it mildly, the service is poor. As a supporter of public transport, I believe it is crazy for our national bus company to effectively make it more difficult to travel by public transport than by car.

Because of our mad radial train service where all lines radiate from Dublin and there are no connections in between, getting from Kilkenny to anywhere except Waterford and Dublin and points in between is not an option. To get to Cork or Kerry for instance you have to find your way to Thurles to the nearest train connection.

Back to the bus service which is the only option to Cork, the timetable is extraordinary. From Monday to Saturday, the fastest bus journey is 2 hours and 50 minutes, and that's only once a day in the morning. It arrives in Cork at 9.50 am, too late for work or for any half-conscienscious students. The other three journeys take between 3 hours and 5 minutes and an extraordinary 3 hours and 50 minutes.

At the weekend it's worse with the fastest journey taking 3 hours and 5 minutes, this the Sunday evening service most likely to be used by students. The reason for much of this is the decision to route the journey through rural South Tipperary. Putting it bluntly, the service is used to provide the people of Clogheen and Ballyporeen with a service. As a long-time rural activist I always support the provision of rural services, but surely it makes no sense to divert what should be an inter-city bus route through a rural hinterland, thus losing business in the process.

The campaign to change this begins now. I have just launched an online petition campaign to support a motion I have placed before Kilkenny Borough Council, calling on Bus Éireann to substantially improve the service. Please sign the petition here, and encourage your friends to do so also. If you're a UCC student, or a CIT student or you travel to work in Cork or from Cork to Kilkenny, please support the campaign. You could take up a petition in your college or workplace. I will begin campaigning amongst existing bus users this weekend. Please spread the word today

Na Maoinigh Ann Aris-On March Munster

Ar aghaidh le fathaigh na Mumhan. Cad é mar bhua nGloucester tráthnóna?Ach go háirithe b'é fear Chill Chainnigh agus iar-scoláire Ghaelscoil Osrai, Ian 'Skinny' Dowling ó Bhóthar Chaisleáin an Chumair a chuir seasmhacht le imirt an fhoireann leis an úd iontach a bhfuair sé sa chéad leath.

Onwards then to the semi-final against Ospreys or Saracens. Any tickets going a begging? Enjoy the night in Gloucester ye lucky Red Army.

He goes at last-Ahern not a corrupt man?

So here's the faces of Christmas past and Christmas present. Bertie Ahern finally called it a day yesterday. I had done the Late Night Live programme on Newstalk the night before which proved to be great fun and a lively debate. Unfortunately it's not podcasted on the Newstalk site. Presenter Declan Carthy opened by telling the nation that Bertie had won another major victory in the highcourt in oreventing the Mahon Tribunal from accessing some of the information about his finances. Having criticised Burke and Haughey previously for impeding and delaying the workings of previous tribunals, he had resorted to the same tactics himself and seemed to have succeeded. Declan's question though was simple. "Why is he doing this-what does he have to hide??"

Looks like Bertie copped this also in the last few days, and finally decided to do the right thing. I called publicly last September for the Taoiseach to resign, as I felt he was not being upfront with us as voters. In fact, I think Ahern got away with murder from the day he did his 'Cry me a river' routing with Brian Dobson on RTÉ television. I don't know what Dodson is like, but I do know that if Olivia O' Leary had conducted that interview, Ahern would hardly have survived till the last election, and we would likely have a different Government by now.

So what's Ahern's legacy? There's no doubt that he did a lot of good, particularly the cmpletion of the Good Friday Agreement negotiations ten years ago. He also presided over a Government in very fortunate economic circumstances. Pointing out that Ruairi Quinn left McCreevy and Ahern the first budget surplus for almost two decades is not taken well by FF's experts on thier 'Economic miracle'. The hard question though is what hos Government chose to do with such riches. The legacy of the self-proclaimed socilaist however has been one of extraordinary wasted opportunity, a growing divide between rich and poor, a third world health system, and now a floundering economy.

There's no doubt he was likeable, and worked hard at projecting the ordinary man image. I for one think he has been a poor Taoiseach, and that history will treat him a lot less kindly than the rose-tinted glasses of the past twenty four hours. Slán abhaile Bertie-bain taitneamh as an ciúnas.

On National Airwaves-Joining the Newstalk team on Tuesday night

Tomorrow night I'm on the national airwaves again for a full programme as a panel guest. The 'Late Night Live' programme is one I listen to regularly, particularly since Vincent Browne left the Radio 1 planet. I'm delighted to take part in this lively programme with Declan Carty in the chair.

The other guests tomorrow night are Tom Cooney of UCD and Tina Leonard of the European Consumers Centre in Dublin. Should make for a lively time from 10 pm to 11.30 pm. Do join in to comment for good or bad.

Well done to health marchers-Only the start

I couldn't make it to the Health service demonstration on Saturday in Dublin due to family commitments but hats off to those who took part. The Health Service Unions represent those who work at the coal face of Irish health every day. They took the initiative on Saturday, and were joined in strength by the Labour Party and others on the left.

The highlight of the day I believe was the speech by Kilkenny resident Conor MacLiam, husband of the late Susie Long whose tragic death brought so much of the injustice and inequlaity of the health servie to the fore. Conor gave a fantastic interview on the Sue Nunn show on KCLR local radio this morning, and made it clear that he believes that this campaign should continue. I hope to be there next time, and we owe that to Susie and all those who have suffered at the hands of this unjust system.

Labour Leader Eamon Gilmore also joined the ongoing weekly picket at the Mater Hospital in my old constituency of Dublin Central. Most importantly, the picket highlights the apalling conditions in the A&E department in the hospital. My late brother in law Gregg Flannery passed away in that unit three years ago, and if ever I needed a clear example of the disgrace of the system, it was the sight of his family members sitting on plastic chairs in the hospital yard in the time of their greatest distress because there was nowhere for them inside.

Join the Health march on Saturday

This Saturday, March 29th there will be two major Health Rallies in Dublin City Centre and in Tallaght.

The Tallaght Hospital protest is at 1pm but if you're a Labour member or supporter in the neighbouring constituencies you can come at 12.30pm to the County Hall, Belgard Square North (adjacent to gate of Tallaght Hospital)


The National Rally takes place in Dublin City Centre. All Labour members and supporters are to meet at 2.30pm at the very latest at the Garden of Remembrance, Parnell Square.

This is one of the most important demonstrations possibly sine the anti-war demo's of 5 years ago. Let's turn up the heat on Harney and Ahern.

Sign the Tibet petition

Just got this message about an Internet petition on the attacks on Tibet by the Chinese Government tonight. Read ot please and try to sign up.


----------------
Von: Ricken Patel - Avaaz.org [mailto:avaaz@avaaz.org]
Gesendet: 27 March 2008 12:00
An: a9509611@yahoo.de
Betreff: Tibet: 4 days left!



  Dear friends,

We reached our target! In just 7 days over 1 million of us have signed the petition calling for human rights and dialogue in Tibet--the fastest growing internet petition in history. As the crisis continues, it's time to deliver our petition and make sure Chinese President Hu Jintao hears our voices.

An International Day of Action has been declared for Monday, March 31st. On Monday, thousands of people in cities across the world will march to Chinese embassies and consulates, and stack hundreds of boxes containing our petition outside them. 1 million signatures makes a mountain of boxes--it will send a powerful global message.

We have just 4 days left until the petition delivery. Could we get to 2 million signatures in 4 days? We can do it--if every one of us recruits at least one more friend to sign the petition by forwarding the email below.

--------------------------------------------------

Dear friends,

After decades of repression, the Tibetan people are crying out to the world for change. The Olympic spotlight is now on China, and Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama is calling to end all riots and violence through restraint and dialogue.

China's hardliners are lashing out publicly at the Dalai Lama--but many Chinese leaders believe dialogue is the best hope for stability in Tibet. The government is right now considering a crucial choice between repression and dialogue that could determine Tibet's--and China's--future.

We can affect this historic choice--President Hu Jintao values China's reputation, and he needs to hear from us that the 'Made in China' brand and the upcoming Olympics in Beijing will succeed only if he chooses dialogue over the hardliners' repression. An avalanche of global people power is moving to get his attention. In just one week, over 1 million people have signed our petition, which will be delivered in rallies at Chinese embassies worldwide on Monday--click below to join the global outcry, and then forward this email to friends and family right away:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/tibet_end_the_violence/70.php/?cl=66876305

China's economy is dependent on "Made in China" exports that we all buy, and the government is keen to make the Olympics in Beijing this summer a celebration of a new and respected China. China is also a sprawling, diverse country with much brutality in its past, so it has good reasons to be concerned about stability--some of Tibet's rioters killed innocent people. But President Hu must recognize that the greatest danger to Chinese stability and development today comes from hardliners who advocate escalating repression, not from those Tibetans seeking dialogue and reform.

The Tibetan people have suffered quietly for decades. It is finally their moment to speak--we must help them be heard.

With hope and respect,

Ricken, Pascal, Graziela, Iain, Paul, Galit, Milena, Ben and the whole Avaaz team

Here are some links with more information on the Tibetan protests and the Chinese response:

Reuters reports unrest continues:
http://www.reuters.com/article/vcCandidateFeed1/idUSPEK369654

China allows first journalists back into Lhasa, monks speak out:
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/china/local%20news/tibet/2008/03/27/149167/Tibet-monks.htm

Europe and the US step up calls for dialogue:
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/03/27/europe/27europe.php


Prominent Chinese Intellectuals call for fair approach to Tibet:
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/03/24/asia/chinasub.php
-----------

Happy to meet -Sorry to part

Here's a little pic I took today on the Blackberry outside Barnstorm's wonderful kids theatre in Kilkenny. One of my favourite groups was the wonderful Horslips from the 70's and 80's This is one album I don't own however, and must buy. The person who dumped this might have had good taste but should have held onto this one.

Bumped off by Paisley-Learning about media operations

Really funny day last Tuesday. I turned up to Lyrath Hotel at lunchtime with Caoilfhionn and her friend Alan, because the Irish Hotels Federation wanted two kids to promote their great new initiative to provide decent healthy food for kids, as an alternative to the chips and sausages, chips and fish fingers etc. diet which has been the bain of all us parents' lives.

Dressed as I was for a gardening session at school, I was fairly shocked to deiscover that RTÉ wanted to talk to me as a parent. Anyway, we ploughed on, and all were happy with the short interview with the two kids and myself. Unfortunately, the start of the 6 o' clock news on Tuesday evening featured the breaking news that the 'Big Man' Ian Paisley had announced he was standing down as leader of the DUP. The end result of course was that he occupied half the Six One news and the 9 o' clock news and we got 'bumped off' as the journo's would say.

Try explaining that to an eleven year old. Her reply was 'That bloody Paisley!' Her late great-grandfather would be proud of her! Just for the record, here's the piece which made RTE's great News2Day, the kids news programme on The Den.

Twelve in a Row-Vermont in for Obama

Here we go again. Tonight's the night when we see the real picture. Having lived in New Hampshire for a little while back in the student summer, it looks like the nice people of Vermont have done what was expected. By the look of the exit polls, he's taking the white voters there comfortably, and doing very well with women. Twenty minutes to go to close of Ohio which will really tell what's happening.

Great profile of Samantha Power that magical woman who stunned St. Canice's cathedral in August in the Irish Times today. Forget the national security advisor job Samantha-what about the Phoenix Park instead, and then the top top job in the UN?Here's a really bad mobile pic from that great night.

Jaysus-too close to call in Ohio. RTÉ reporting earlier that Clinton had pulled ahead in last polls in Ohio, maybe up to 8% ahead. Now CNN saying it's 'competitive'. Long few hours to go methinks.

Cleaning up and helping out-Robertshill the spot

It's great when neighbours get together and do things for themselves. The Robertshill estate on the Western side of Kilkenny city has had more than its share of detractors over the years, most of the coverage it gets being pretty unfair. It's one of the biggest private estates in the city area, mostly made up of starter homes and medium priced apartments and homes.

The quality of finish in the estate is not the best and the residents have long been frustrated at a number of issues including a lack of adequate parking, speeding traffic, poor landscaping and consistent problems with illegal dumping and rubbish.

Fair play to my colleague, Cllr. Malcolm Noonan, who helped the residents organise a meeting with a view to setting up a formal residents association. I missed the first public meeting, but I hope to be there this Wednesday night when the group formalises itself.

Meanwhile, Malcolm, along with Cllr. John Coonan and I came along to give a practical hand out with the greoup's first activity-a clean-up of the estate on Saturday morning. A group of about forty people gave up their Saturday morning to sweep the roads and paths, remove the weeds and get together for a chat in the process.

It was great to see many of the non-national residents, who are often criticised for neglecting the homes they rent or own, playing their part.

Hopefully it's the start of many days of co-operation to come. By the way, thanks a million to the lovely lady who provided the welcome tea and coffee at the end.

Here she is with the equally lovely John Coonan who needs all the publicity he can get!

Computer says I'm a socialist-Phew!!

Well thanks be to God for that. Just when I was beginning to believe the propaganda-only joking! Seriously take the test for the craic, and see how you get on. Just watching Gay Mitchell on Q&A-don't think he'll be in the same corner as me-I hope!!

You are a Social Liberal (68% permissive) and an... Economic Liberal (13% permissive) You are best described as a: Socialist (13e/68s) Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid Also : The OkCupid Dating Persona Test

Have to moderate comments due to crap!!

Sorry folks but I'll have to moderate comments from here on. Don't know about other bloggers but this one has been targetted by some pretty nasty spammers and spyware stuff in past couple of weeks. If you're reading this spammers, lay off please.

Meeting the Milk Cart

Here is the ultimate childish comedy fan's pic. On the road to Callan on Thursday, Fionn, Caoilfhionn and I came across the wonderful milk-cart from Fr. Ted-remember the manic scene with Fr. Dougal driving the cart around like a demented lunatic á la the movie Speed.

The cart is being pushed around Ireland to raise funds for Downs Syndrome Ireland and to mark the 10th anniversary of Dermot Morgan's death, and is getting a fantastic reaction everywhere.

Here's the famous clip that you shoud remember-what magic it was, and do support the lads and lassies organised and sponsored by Paddy Power bookmakers when they come to a place near you.

The Potomac night-Yes he will again

The night of the states around the Potomac area has started well with Obama cruising to a clear win by the look of it-he's on 61% to Clinton's 38% so far. CNN now saying it'as 1,164 to 1,159 delegated but the lead of only 5 is down to her lead in Super-delegates. He's won 19 to 14 states so far, and as he says it's 'coast to caost, sea to shining sea'. Dsitrict of Columbia with no exit polls and only a tiny amount of votes in.

CNN saying McCain just barely winning Virginia.

It's just happened he's pulled ahead by 2 delegates-including the Super delegates. In fact he's 1,104 to 834 ahead on the pledged delegates. That's almost 20% ahead. Great quote from Donna Brazille on CNN- "he's moved from the Starbucks latte types to the Dunkin' Donuts types".

Here come's Hilary-looks a bit rattled to me. Hammering the vets support, and now the young democrats. She's in El Paso-the real one now, not Dundalk.

'All hat, no cattle', is she off again on inexperience? Trying to answer the charges of having done little in early life. Kept it relatively clean so far, I think not for long though!

Here it goes-he's taken Maryland as well, as we expected. And McCain for republicans. It's beginning to feel like we might be looking at these faces until November. Once again it's a state where Obama's overturned a big Clinton poll lead.

And now DC (75% to 23%!!!) as well-his line is great- we have won DC but we won't stop till we have real change in Washington DC.

He's taking the battle direct to McCain now-that's what I call confidence, and what a crowd. Tonight he decidedly looks like the real deal!

A $4,000 tuition grant but only for students who commit to community and voluntary service. I wonder how that would play with the gang in the student bars tonight.

The video for me-what ya think?

Thanks to politics.ie for this one. I don't have the metal hand, but the vertically challenged bit does count. Meanwhile I'll be on p.ie and blogging here tonight on the US stuff. A rotten dose of the flu has me up and coughing my way through the night.