Poem on Ballymanus Mine Disaster, 1943
On May 10th, 1943, a stray mine washed ashore in the Rosses of Donegal. What happened next is recounted in this Irish Times piece on a memorial unveiled in 1999:…
What is happening to our hedgehogs?
Fortunately hedgehogs continue to visit my own garden… difficult to estimate as I have not perhaps been there as much after dark compared to last year, but certainly a presence.…
Laptop Warriors – on the “Stealing the Network” series. SAU Blog, October 2007
As it stands, my last contribution to the Social Affairs Unit blog is this piece on two novels written by (firstly) Ryan Russell, Tim Mullen (Thor), FX, Dan “Effugas” Kaminsky, Joe Grand, Ken…
Lough Neagh sand in Croke Park and Stormont – An Irishman’s Diary, January 2008
Came across an interesting Irishman’s Diary on Lough Neagh by Paul Clements from 2008 . Some highlights: Lough Neagh was famed in the past for its winter floods and many people…
Brittasdryland, Lousybush, Mortgagefields: some Kilkenny townlands
Brittasdryland (Bhriotás an Drílinnigh) – “Briotás” a borrowing from Anglo-French “bretesche”, wooden stronghold from “big oak tree” (see here and here) and “Dreeling” Lousybush (Sceach na Míol): And my favourite, Mortgagefields which sounds…
Fifty Years On: “I Heard the Owl Call My Name”, Margaret Craven
Originally posted on Leaves & Pages:
I Heard the Owl Call My Name by Margaret Craven ~ 1967. This edition: Clarke, Irwin & Co., 1977. Softcover. ISBN: 0-7720-0617-2. 138 pages. My…
“an expert on Brecht, the law of contract, the price of light bulbs and how to stack loo rolls”
The full text of Henry Hitchings‘ review of Nicholas Hytner‘s memoir in the current TLS isn’t available online, but there is just enough to include this gem: “The artistic director of a…
Information underload – Mike Caulfied on the limits of #Watson, #AI and #BigData
Originally posted on A Medical Education:
From Mike Caufield, a piece that reminds me of the adage Garbage In, Garbage Out: For many years, the underlying thesis of the tech world has…
Séamus Sweeney 