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Doing my bit for the 'síneadh fada'

31/1/2016

One Day in December

Next Day

I think that this is the third blog post hereabouts on the simple Thank You – Céad Míle Fáilte.

This one started when I was heading over town for lunch one day last month. I spotted two gents standing next to the ‘Céad Mile Fáilte’ sign, which had not been there the day before.

I was walking past but backtracked a bit to advise them of the missing fada. Their English accents suggested that they were not well versed in the Irish language. Their expressions when I tried to explain the elongated sound ‘meee-le’ needing a fada suggested that they had not much interest in becoming well versed.

I made matters as simple as I could and said the mark over the ‘a’ on the first line ought also to be over the ‘I’. They had the fada in the van and my intervention avoided its return, unused, to UK.

The following day, passers-by may well have been impressed with Holland & Barret promoting Gaeilge – and error free.

My work there is done.

Rock Art - Talk Today

30/1/2016

It has taken over two years but I am not much more educated.

The Rock Art on the Killelton Stone in Camp had me somewhat confused as to what ‘art’ I was looking at.

The good scribes at Roaringwater Journal are not just good company, they can put together an informative, concise, and clear exhibition on Rock Art as I found a few weeks back. The photography is co clear and educational. The information boards strike the balance between not enough and information overload.

I received an email during the week to say that they, Finola Finlay and Robert Harris, will be giving a talk at the exhibition today at The Museum, Fitzgerald’s Park. Negotiations regarding parental duties are ongoing but I do hope to get there.

The exhibition is so very well worth a visit.

Confused At Present

28/1/2016

My definite recollection is that at school, we were taught that there was a clear distinction between ‘at present’ and ‘presently’.

My brain has them filed as:

Presently : In a short time; soon

At present: Now

I recently spotted this sign on St Patrick’s Quay and it did prompt to ‘confirm’ that understanding prior to this blog. The results did not completely confirm.

Collins, Chambers and Macmillan state that ‘presently’ means both ‘at present’ and ‘soon’. Chambers indicates that the ‘now’ version came from America.

Macmillan categorises me as Old-Fashioned.

The Guardian and I are on the same page – I can live with that.

“presently adverb 1 soon; shortly. 2 N Amer, especially US at the present time; now”

Chambers Dictionary

presently -
1 formal at the present time
Presently, Rachel is heading our research group.

2 old-fashioned soon
He’ll be with you presently.

Macmillan Dictionary

presently
means soon, not at present
Guardian Style Guide

presently

adverb
in a short while; soon
at the moment
an archaic word for immediately
Collins Dictionary

Rogue, Vagabond, Swashbuckler

27/1/2016

Over two years ago, I commented, appreciatively, with regard to the five words engraved on the plinth under statue of Con Houlihan to describe him – Fisherman; Turf Cutter; Rugby Player; Teacher; Writer.

I was reminded of this recently in Rathcooney Cemetery.

The time of Breifne O’Callaghan on earth was short but the epitaph is one that conveys a life of fun: a life very much enjoyed: and, a person sought by others for company and friendship.

Thinking on it – they are descriptions that ought to be aspirations for many, including this writer.

After all, life is for living.

The Snare is Broken And My Soul Is Set Free

26/1/2016

I was in Rathcooney Cemetery recently. Among other things, I was looking to photograph the headstones of Seamus Murphy and came across this in the newer part of the graveyard.

I was struck by the message. It definitely left an impression with this reader that Louie Rickard was very happy to depart this life when the time came. I don’t think I have ever heard of life being called a ‘snare’ previously.

The cemetery caretaker advised that she was a famous author.

As a fellow north-sider, I had never heard of this former Montenotte resident, I was intrigued. The internet provided answers and some connections.

Wikipedia did provide quite a bit of information including details of some of the many books but it also included a photograph of a picture which I had spotted a while back on a tweet from Jean Prendergast.

Seemingly, the picture by Mantania, The Last General Absolution of the Munsters at Rue du Bois, includes Louie Rickard’s husband on horseback.

Once more – joining the dots of information…

IN LOVING MEMORY OF

LOUIE RICKARD

WHO DIED

AT MONTENOTTE

27TH JANUARY 1963

The snare is broken and my soul is set free

Old News

25/1/2016

I received this photo a short while ago from POF.

I spotted the obvious and was educated as to the not so obvious (to some).

I knew that ‘Chapel’ was not the Irish translation of ‘Chapel’ – ‘Séipéal is the correct word.

I also knew that adjectives generally follow the noun in Irish but learnt that ‘sean’ (as in ‘old’) is one of the exceptions.

Oldchapel is translated as ‘An Seanséipéal’ on logainm.ie.

How ‘Chapel Sean’ got through Cork County Council and/or N.R.A.? Your guess is as good as mine.

Where is Cork in Dublin?

22/1/2016

The Cork Coat of Arms has the motto Statio Bene Fida Carinis which translates as ‘A Safe Harbour for Ships’. Most of it is on two separate plaques on a building in Dublin.

But where?

21 January 1854 - 380 Die

21/1/2016

Last November, I was in Portrane and spotted this anchor on display near the seafront. It was the first time that I had heard or read of the ship, Tayleur.

Over Christmas, I was in Liam Ruiseal’s bookshop. I spotted ‘The Sinking of RMS Tayleur’ by Gill Hoffs and it has been on my ‘To Buy’ list since.

Today, I read on twitter that 162 years ago today, the Tayleur ran aground.

These three associated dots of knowledge were more than enough to warrant connection in today’s blog.

A short history of the Tayleur

The sailing vessel, TAYLEUR, skippered by Capt. Noble, sailed on her maiden voyage from Liverpool to Melbourne on Thursday, January 19th 1854 with a company of 652 persons of whom 71 were crew. The vessel was the largest sailing ship built in Britain up to that time. Many of the passengers were bound for the goldfields of Australia. The ship encountered rough weather in the Irish Sea and with visibility reduced the Tayleur dropped two anchors in an attempt to ride out the gale. Both cables snapped almost immediately and the ship drifted onto the rocks off Lambay Island. The Tayleur was washed back by heavy sea and sank in deep water, taking with her 380 persons.

The raising of the Anchor

This anchor known as the “Bower” anchor was removed from the deck of the Tayleur near the ship’s bow during a number of dives which took place in the Summer of 1985. The anchor was subsequently towed to Malahide by a boat called The Albatross. The ship’s “Kedge” anchor is currently on display in the town of Rush, Co. Dublin.

This anchor was unveiled on the 16th of May 1999 by Councillor Cathal Boland, Cathaoirleach Fingal County Council as a memorial to the 380 souls who lost their lives on the vessel, Tayleur, which sank off Lambay Island on the 21st January 1854.

Kindly donated to Donabate and Portrane Chamber of Commerce by:
Mr. John Finucane – Dive Leader and Project Organiser
Mr. Tom Durcan – Diver and Boat Skipper
Mr. John Alcock – Diver

Restoration sponsored by Donabate and Portrane Chamber of Commerce
Erected by Fingal County Council Parks Department

'Artisanal'

19/1/2016

Is ‘Artisanal’ a recognised word?

After my lunch inside today, I stopped and chatted with the lady writing up the new sign outside the door of the Natural Foods Bakery.

The word looked odd to me. I had quickly checked Chambers and Collins online – neither had ‘artisanal’ in the dictionary. When I mentioned this to the message writer, it sounded even worse when I pronounced it as ‘art-is-anal’.

I was told that ‘artisanal’, pronounced ‘r-tis-in-al’, is a word used by many small craft bakers and food producers and would be regularly observed at the likes of Farmers’ Markets.

My (limited) web searching this evening did find many Irish ‘artisan’ producers but no ‘artisanal’ but it was interesting to note that ‘artisanal’ is in the MS Word dictionary as well as many online dictionaries including Wiktionary, Free Dictionary, and Dictionary.com.

That quote included in an earlier blog - “Words are in dictionaries because they exist – they do not exist because they are in dictionaries” Máire Nic Mhaoláin – once again may be appropriate.

Terence MacSwiney at the Lough

15/1/2016

In September, I spotted this stencil art of Terence MacSwiney on timber hoarding.

I thought it worth sharing.

Old Aged Pensioners

14/1/2016

Once more the spelling skills of those involved in construction caused me to stop and record.

The word ‘opening’ has long been shortened to ope when used on building sites, as in forming or creating an ope (opening) for the likes of a door or window.

This is the first time I have seen a requirement for a new ‘Old Aged Pensioner’ on a building site.

If Only Venues Were Owned By People who Cared....

13/1/2016

A while back, I mentioned the messages on the Pavilion when in closed.

From the message I spotted last week, it appears that it may have suffered a similar fate.

I doubt very much if cash will ever come second to music.

Is the Public House no longer the Church of the People?

12/1/2016

I have seen former churches converted into Museum/Display Centre use, Houses, Hotels and Concert Venues among other uses. In Mary St, Dublin a church was converted to a bar and restaurant.

I have heard of many pubs closing down. I think that I had only seen the buildings turned into shops or residential but I had never seen a pub converted to a church– until my recent trip to Co. Roscommon, that is.

Google Maps shows a Guinness sign in 2011 – where the Grace Community Church sign now hangs.

Do Books Grow on Trees?

11/1/2016

I spotted on Twitter of the sculpture created at Scoil Ide in Limerick.

It reminded me of this sculpture I spotted a few months back at U.C.C. in Brookfield.

Speaking with SOH on our conversational Irish walk last month, he said that he passed as the library was being carved and that it was very impressive.

I do like both the Cork and Limerick installations.

What is a 'Victualler'?

10/1/2016

I spotted this ghostsign in Lahinch over the holidays. It got me thinking as to the word ‘Victualler’.

I remember it on some of the older butchers when growing up. When I checking for this blog entry, I learnt and realised.

I learnt that a ‘victualler’ was not only a butcher’s shop – as had been my experience. It extended to any shop selling food or drink.

I realised that, excluding those in the English Market, O’Flynn’s is the only butchers in the city centre. Olden’s of Liberty Street and Prince’s Street are now part of heritage only.

“victualler or (US) victualer noun, formal 1 a shopkeeper selling food and drink. 2 (in full licensed victualler) Brit a publican licensed to sell food and alcoholic liquor for consumption on the premises. 3 a ship carrying supplies for another ship.”
Chambers Dictionary

“victualler
noun
a supplier of victuals, as to an army; sutler
(British) a licensed purveyor of spirits; innkeeper
a supply ship, esp one carrying foodstuffs”
Collins Dictionary

Lahinch, Co Clare

Bresnan's, English Market