Over the past two days I visited the oldest buildings in Dublin – that is Christchurch Cathedral, St Patricks Cathedral and St Audeons Church. While I get through the queue of articles I need to write check out this video tour of the crypt in Christchurch cathedral, the oldest structure in Dublin dating from at latest the 12th century. As you can see its well worth a visit…. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQ3rODOr03Y?hl=en&fs=1 … Read More
An Sionnach Fionn
News, Politics And Culture From Ireland And The Celtic Nations
Filed under Uncategorized …
Sionnach, Greágóir Ó Dúill
Sionnach
Tráthnóna beag, siúlaimid i dtreo an tábhairne,
Blianta ár gcaidrimh mar chraiceann tiubh ar chomhrá.
Dul ó sholas, agus scáileanna ar thalamh,
Bícearnach codlatach éan, anonn’s anall na n-ialtóga.
Chím é, ag siúl na seaniomairí fada, é íseal, ceart,
Trasna ó chlaí go claí, ar a choimhéad ach ag seilg:
sionnach.
Imíonn díreach, gan mhoill gan deifre, ar chosa tapa,
Smut íseal, eireaball ag scuabadh drúchta. Stánaimid.
Baineann sé amach an t-ard beag, tiontaíonn,
Amharcann siar orainn faoi amhras, rian den dúshlán ann.
Fios aige nach aon díobháil sinn, téann faoi thom.
Pógaimid. Athraíonn mian. Fillimid ar theach.
…Greágóir Ó Dúill
Porcus ex grege diaboli (via Splintered Sunrise)
Splintered Sunrise is undoubtedly one of the most interesting, well informed, and at times enjoyably cynical Irish politics and current affairs blogs. Which makes it all the sadder that it is updated so rarely, for when it is…
Here is a new post on the scandal currently swamping the ‘golden boy’ of British, left wing journalism and commentary, Johann Hari. Enjoy!
Related articles
Left Archive: An tÓglach – Offical Organ of the Irish Republican Army, December 1967 (via The Cedar Lounge Revolution)
Historian Brian Hanley looks at the Irish Republican Army in the late 1960s through its internal publication, An tÓglach ‘The Volunteer’. Fascinating stuff. The parallels with recent events are of course obvious…
The Celtic Origin Revised: the Atlantic View and the Nordwestblock Blues (via Rokus Blog)
An excellent overview of the new (and increasingly popular) ‘Celtic From The West Theory’, albeit with the focus mainly on the Low Countries.
In short, the new paradigm argues that the origins of the Celtic peoples is to be found in Western Europe, along the coastal regions of the Atlantic seaboard (Spain, Portugal, Western France, Britain and Ireland) and amongst the trade-linked communities of Neolithic western Europe.
In simple terms the historical Celts emerged where the historical Celts always have been – in the coastal and island regions of western and north-western Europe. That means no Celtic invasion of Ireland, as such, since the Celts have probably always been there – and still are.
It also means that the great Henge monuments of western Europe, Brú na Bóinne (Newgrange), Stonehenge, Karnag, etc. were in fact built by the Celts – or at least their immediate ancestors.
Well worth a read.
(P.S. it also means that dear old Bob Quinn – he of ‘The Atlantean’ book and TV series fame – was onto something after all, just not exactly what he thought)
via Rokus Blog
No Flag Here…
Has the Irish Government made it a Public Order Offence under Section 21 to carry or publicly display the National Flag for the duration of the visit of the British head of state? Watch this video.
The DUP Becomes An All-Ireland Party… Err, Sort Of!
It had to happen eventually, a chairde. More here: http://www.dup.ie/
Just don’t ask about Question (6)!
’6) Did’nt the British cause our problems in the first place by conquering Ireland and eventual partition?’
Slice Of Sci-Fi
This weekend the Books section of the British Guardian newspaper is devoted to all things Science-Fiction, so pop over for a look. An introduction by Iain M. Banks, reviews of the works of Gene Wolfe, China Miéville, some author favourites and much more.
Follow the link to: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/science-fiction
