Blog Archives - Reading the Signs

Search the site

What is a 'Fellow Creature'?

31/10/2014

Killorglin, Co. Kerry

IN MEMORY OF

TOWNSEND BLENNERHASSETT

LATE CAPTAIN KERRY MILITIA

DROWNED IN CASTLEMAINE BAY

20TH JUNE 1867

WHEN GALLANTLY ATTEMPTING TO

SAVE THE LIFE OF A FELLOW CREATURE.

ERECTED

BY HIS BROTHER OFFICERS

OF THE KERRY MILITIA

IN TESTIMONY OF THE AFFECTIONATE

ESTEEM IN WHICH HE WAS HELD

BY THEM AND TO PERPETUATE

THE RECOLLECTION OF

THE HEROIC ACTION,

BY WHICH HE LOST HIS LIFE.

If you read the inscription on the monument, did you think that Townsend Blennerhassett died attempting to save the life of an animal?

I did.

Tralee Gallery

30/10/2014

I was thinking that I had not posted a blog on wall art for a while – as good a reason as any for this one.

These were taken at Dean’s Lane in Tralee during the summer. I do prefer the art installations carried out in-situ as opposed to this one which is on removable panels. Despite this, these are a marked improvement on the blank wall that would otherwise have existed – a long blank wall that some designer and some local authority planner both thought would be acceptable to society.

I suspect that there may not be more than two in their little group. I hope so at least.

Stone Graffiti

29/10/2014

I had understood that graffiti was something that was carried out without the permission of the owner of the property and without him knowing of it being applied.

I always imagined graffiti as something that was carried out quickly to avoid apprehension. I always liked the notion aroused by ‘FAR AWAY IS CLOSE AT HAND IN IMAGES OF ELSEWHERE’ that was on the wall of the railway in London and carried out one night.

On two occasions recently have I come across the term, ‘stone graffiti’, and have had to change my understanding as stone engraving cannot be carried out that fast – can it?

At a recent talk at the Ennis Archaeological and Historical Society on the IHS tiles in Galway, Eamonn Fitzgerald commented on stone graffiti where between 1812 and 1817 by J. Healy where the IHS lettering was engraved on buildings – quite a number of building.

Then earlier, I was reading on Louise Nugent’s blog of medieval stone graffiti at Cahir Castle. I was then told that there are two similar engravings at the old Ennis Friary.

I need to either appreciate how quickly stone engraving can be executed or else amend my understanding as to how long graffiti can take………

Galway

Thanks For The Memories

28/10/2014

There used to be a difference between U.S.A. and Ireland with regard to the failure of a venture. In America, it was accepted as a part of learning and one just got on with whatever was the next venture. In Ireland, there was a perceived taint on one’s character – a blemish that would never be forgotten.

Of late, I have noted that it is not unusual to see signs such as this on the Seanachai in Kinsale. Similar appeared on The Pav, Fitzgerald’s Electrical and Crowleys.

One side-effect of the Celtic Corpse appears to be an acceptance that a business may have failed despite the absolute very best efforts of the owner/operator – a victim of society and factors outside their control.

Bank Holiday Riddle - October 2014

27/10/2014

Can you spot something odd in this photograph?

If you fail, you are in good company – I saw nothing wrong when NT emailed the photo.

Capital Punishment

26/10/2014

No Such Thing As Bad Publicity - Chapter 14

There I was. Last Tuesday it was. I was stuck in traffic using Lyric FM to try to soothe the pressures of life and to provide a calming atmosphere in which I could relax and let the mind chill out for a while.

It failed.

I was crawling along next to this jeep and was wondering why ‘courses’ did not begin with a capital ‘c’. If ‘Business’ and ‘Public’ did not have capital letters, then I could understand that ‘courses’ would not. But they do, and ‘courses’ does not.

What did it do to offend? What is the rationale behind that? Why is ‘courses’ less deserving than ‘Business’ and ‘Public’?

Maybe I need some training to allow things to pass me by……….

Javelin Throwers

25/10/2014

I do like a walk in a cemetery.

Never before have I seen a headstone with a family tree engraved on it.

Sometimes, one might see the name of a surviving relative on a headstone but I do not think I have ever seen a headstone with so many living relatives.

I did not know that ‘Jardine’ translates as Javelin Thrower in Old Norse.

Many thanks to Doc for this photograph and education from his recent strip to Dunfriesshire on his way to the match in Sale.

Ireland – Out Of This World

24/10/2014

No Such Thing As Bad Publicity - Chapter 13

I always understood that a list of items with ‘and’ before the final item was a list of mutually exclusive things.

One does not generally say that the spectators included people from Cork, Kerry and Munster.

One might state that something includes ‘gold, magnesium and other chemical elements’. One does not say that it includes ‘gold, magnesium and chemical elements’.

As the marketing and branding people in Nightline Deliveries must be correct, Ireland and England are obviously not part of the (real) World.

There are probably many who thought that for some time………

Using Protection

23/10/2014

No Such Thing As Bad Publicity – Chapter 12

When I read the sign on the van, it didn’t look right and it didn’t sound right. It still doesn’t.

The Health & Safety Authority uses the term ‘Personal Protective Equipment’ – as does Wikipedia, the Health & Safety Executive in the United Kingdom, and even Centres for Disease Control & Prevention in their recent Ebola notices.

When one asks Google with regard to “Personal Protection Equipment”, one is asked in return ‘Did you mean: "Personal Protective Equipment"’.

The M J Scannell website describes them as specialising in Personal Protection Equipment – so maybe it is ok to have two consecutive nouns.

After all it is used for ‘protection money’…….

“protection noun 1 the action of protecting or condition of being protected; shelter, refuge, cover, safety or care. 2 something that protects. 3 (also protectionism) the system of protecting home industries against foreign competition by taxing imports. 4 colloq a the criminal practice of extorting money from shop-owners, etc in return for leaving their premises unharmed; b (also protection money) the money extorted in this way. 5 insurance cover. protectionist noun.”

Chambers Dictionary

An Irish Day

22/10/2014

No Such Thing As Bad Publicity – Ch. 11

Today is further proof that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing………..and that I have too much time on my hands.

While enjoying my coffee at the weekend, I had to run out to photograph the coach.

DAILY: At first, I did wonder why they did not use ‘daily’ but then I thought that the tours did not happen every day and so that this may be misleading

BUT…… Chambers Dictionary also defines DAILY as ‘relating to a single day’. After some deliberation over the remainder of my coffee, I became convinced that as they must have spent some time thinking of the words to place on the coach, the selection was considered and deliberate so there had to be a reason why they used the word ‘DAY’, and then I had my Eureka moment.

The wanted to make sure that any potential customer was fully aware that the tour was for an ‘Irish Day’ as opposed to an ‘English Day’, a ‘French Day’ or even ‘an American Day’.

Whatever day you are having yourself, have a good one.

“daily adj 1 happening, appearing, etc every day, or every day except Sunday, or now often every day except Saturday and Sunday. 2 relating to a single day. adverb every day; every weekday. noun (dailies) 1 a newspaper published every day except Sunday. 2 colloq a person, usually a woman, who is paid to come in and clean and tidy a house regularly, but not necessarily every day. 3 (dailies) cinematog the rushes.
ETYMOLOGY: Anglo-Saxon dæglic.”

Chambers Dictionary

The Man Who Came In From The Dark

21/10/2014

This evening my 8 year old accompanied me to the launch of John Spillane’s new album at the City Library.

The Man Who Came In From The Dark is playing as I type.

I would guess that John Spillane takes and learns from the plaques and memorial stones that he sees on his travels also – a comrade learning of the locality.

Fr Mathew

20/10/2014

I was reading earlier of a book published about the history of the statue of Fr. Mathew in St. Patrick’s Street – the book is apparently about the statue rather than the individual.

I was reminded of the plaque which I had come across in Cobh – on the building in which Fr. Mathew died. I suspect that I was not alone in not knowing that.

Fin Whale, Kilbrittain

19/10/2014

I was in Kilbrittain in June and was well impressed with the display of the fin whale at the bottom of the town.

Reading the information, I was even more impressed with the community spirit that was generated.

It seems that the more one experiences and reads of the ‘me, myself, I’ attitude, the more one appreciates the 'all for one' attitude.

It is worth a visit – and a donation.

James Gralton

18/10/2014

I hadn’t known of a deportation of an Irish-born naturalised American from Ireland in 1933.

I took this photograph at the end of June when we visited the North-West. We stopped for lunch in Carrick-On-Shannon on the way back and during a walkabout, I did manage to take a few photos but it was only recently that I actually read this one in detail.

Interest was aroused.

I have spent the last 40 minutes or so listening to The Gralton Affair of the DocOnOne Archive, and reading various websites with some aspects of the life of James Gralton including raising funds for the International Brigades; once captured, he was brought to Cork prison and departed for America from Cobh; he refused to serve in India in protest over British polices in Ireland; and he was deported without trial.

Easily known that I am not a major cinema-goer as I had not realised he formed the basis of Jimmy’s Hall.

On my next visit, I hope to factor in a visit to the site of the hall.

My interest in things historic is only relatively recent so the reading and documentary so highlighted the power of the church at that time and the fear of communism – which does go some way to explain why some joined O’Duffy’s Irish Brigade to fight with Franco and how difficult and against the society norms for those to join the International Brigade.

King George

17/10/2014

A while back, I wondered as to a post box with the GR insignia and also that of Saorstát Éireann – which would be of an equal time – even if the castings were not of the same time.

Thanks to Doc who spotted this beauty in Sandycove outside Kinsale