Messages

Thanks lads, much appreciated.

Bump.

Thanks to everyone that have contacted me. Should be a good night, they have signed Kilkenny & Tipperary jerseys to auction on the night as well as villa in Spain, a 50" tv and a parachute jump (think I'll buy this!).

There is also going to be a seven's hurling tournament on the day as well I believe.

Thanks again everyone.

Thought it was entertaining as well considering the conditions. Ground hurling tends to get neglected these days. Would love to get my hands on one of those shinty sticks.

Will do AZ. Just checking with the brother in law about bank details, who to make cheques out to etc.

BTW Niall received a lovely card from Matt Connor last year.

On 29th June 2010, my nephew Niall McKee, then aged 20, was involved in an accident at work wherein his left arm became trapped in heavy-duty industrial machinery. It took two hours to free Niall from the machinery. During the subsequent surgery in Craigavon hospital to try to save Niall's arm, the injuries were so extensive it became necessary to amputate his arm 2-3 inches below his shoulder, leaving him with no elbow. It was clear from the outset that the absence of his elbow joint would cause many complications when it came to constructing an artificial limb for Niall.
 
Niall is a fully trained brick-layer who, due to the downturn in the construction industry, had taken a job in another area of work while hoping to return to his own trade in due course. He had been employed in that new job for just three months when the accident occurred. Niall had two major interests in life, one was building and the other sport. He had always been involved in a range of sporting activities. Sadly, Niall can no longer build and the range of sporting activities in which he can now participate has been much curtailed.
 
Since his accident, which was a very traumatic experience, Niall's life has changed dramatically. He has had to come to terms with a lot, both physically and mentally. Always very stubborn and determined, Niall has made great progress. At this stage, >12 months after the accident, he has returned to his old job, where the accident took place, and has been working full time again for quite a number of months now. He is aware that others who are in a similar situation may require some encouragement to find this kind of strength within them, and he now helps other young amputees in an effort to pass on some of his inspirational spirit to those struggling to cope.
 
Although the immediate trauma care provided by the NHS was superb, their resources are very limited when it comes to prosthetics. Unfortunately, it has now become apparent that due to the nature of his amputation, a suitable and functional artificial limb will have to be paid for privately. After watching Niall cope for the past year without the use of his arm, his local club, Derrynoose GAC, have decided to come together with Niall's family to organise a fundraising night in aid of this worthy cause. Therefore, on the 5th of November 2011 a Race Night will be held. The purpose of this event will be to raise funds which will all go towards the purchase of a suitable arm for Niall.
 
The fundraising preparations for the Race Night involve selling horses, jockeys and trainers (not real ones!) at a cost of £10 each. Anyone who would like to donate will have their contribution acknowledged in the programme for the evening and will be able to name their own horse, jockey or trainer. Our family would be very grateful if you would consider supporting Niall's fundraiser by contributing £10 to buy a horse, jockey or trainer. Donations could be made as individuals contributing £10, or by two or more people coming together to donate £10 in total to buy a horse/jockey/trainer jointly. If you would like to donate, please PM me. Please tell me the name that you would like to give your horse/jockey/trainer and I will take note of all of the details and will pass on all donations. All contributions are being managed by the club who are acting as independent custodians of the funds raised until a suitable artificial limb can be purchased for Niall.

Thanks for taking the time to read.

The Housemartins Ulster Hall 1987. Had a couple of pints with them in the Linenhall bar beforehand. IIRC the Farm supported them.

An interesting piece from Niall O'Dowd.


Irish govt attacks on McGuinness will rebound with Clintons, leading Americans -- Short sighted assault to cost support in America
By: Niall O'Dowd
Published Monday, October 3, 2011, 6:25 AM
Updated Tuesday, October 4, 2011, 10:27 AM

Fine Gael attacks on Sinn Fein presidential candidate Martin McGuinness will reflect badly on them in America.

They appear to be desperate attempts to try and build law and order vote support for their candidate Gay Mitchell who is foundering in the opinion polls.

It may well end up not helping Mitchell and damaging Irish government and Irish American relationships.

The claim that the election of McGuinness would somehow damage Ireland's economic prospects among American business is ludicrous and will be seen as such over here.

Martin McGuinness is very well known and deeply respected in American business circles since he became Northern Ireland's Deputy First minister four year ago.

He has a particularly good relationship with Hillary Clinton the Secretary of State and with her husband, Bill Clinton.

One wonders what Bill Clinton will make of the vilification of McGuinness when he is in Dublin this week for the Irish Diaspora forum.

McGuinness is widely respected by them and a slew of leading Americans for his work on bringing peace to Northern Ireland, a far greater accomplishment than any his detractors have ever aspired to.

He has delivered on many key meetings and helped bring major investment to the North.

There are legitimate questions that can be asked about his IRA past but talking of future impeachment, arrest and denigrating his undeniable role in bringing peace to Ireland is way over the top.

The notion of portraying him as an unrepentant terrorist who would spook American investors is just plain stupid.

It also raises questions about whether this Irish government really cares or knows about the compact that has brought Irish America, Sinn Fein and successive Irish governments together.

It was created in order for the Irish peace process to succeed, for a united front that could speak to successive White Houses and key political supporters with one voice.

That contrasted greatly with past experiences where elements in Irish America opposed the Irish government tooth and nail and caused massive friction with them.

There were often tensions between the various parties since they began working together but a way to resolve them was always found.

The attacks on McGuinness are sure to unsettle the relationship as Sinn Fein's counter charges about 'black propaganda' are bound to resonate with many Irish Americans.

The Fine Gael attacks are the worst kind of short sighted and deeply flawed political thinking.

'A colossal person and player'
McAlinden tribute to Orchard star Kieran

Club and county colleague Brian McAlinden paid tribute to Kieran McGurk as a "colossal person and player" after the former Armagh star died suddenly yesterday morning.

The 49-year-old McGurk played with McAlinden for Armagh and their club Highmoss Sarsfield's, his native Kildress in Tyrone and Lurgan club Clann Eireann and coaching Glenties in Donegal.

He won an Ulster SFC medal with Armagh in 1982 and became the first Sarsfield's man to lift the Gerry Fagan Cup when he captained the club to the Armagh SFC title in 1990.

McAlinden, who also managed him at club and county level, said the shock of his passing has been felt in Sarsfield's, Armagh and beyond.

"Certainly he was held in very high esteem in both county and club, and all across Ireland," he said yesterday.

"I don't think you can put into words what people thought of Kieran McGurk – and not because of where he is now. In living memory of Kieran, everyone would have had the same word for him.

"It was just unreal this morning and it's hard to put into words what people are thinking in Derrytrasna and the whole of the county.

"We have two ex-players, who now live in Chicago, who were onto me within an hour of me getting the word this morning and we had an hour-long conversation. Unfortunately that type of word spreads very fast."

"He was simply, a colossal person and player and it's just unreal how quickly he was taken away."

In his debut season for Armagh in 1981, McGurk scored a winning goal in Killorglin that beat Kerry – the first time Armagh had won away in the Kingdom – and kept Armagh in Division One of the National League.

The high-point of his county career came the following year when he won an Ulster medal, while he also went on to pick up a Railway Cup medal with Ulster, play in three National Football League finals and be name an All-Star replacement.

McAlinden's memories of McGurk include all those moments, and stretch back to the time the Kildress man joined the Sarsfield's club.

"I would have known Kieran a long time," he said.

"Kieran was a Tyrone man who came to Lurgan with the family to live. He played underage at Eire Og in Craigavon then moved to ourselves.

"I was fortunate enough to play with him at club and county level, and manage him at club and county level as well.

"When we won the senior championship for the first time in 1990 I was the manager of the Sarsfield's team and we gave Kieran the honour of being the captain of the team.

"When it came to selecting the captain, Kieran's name was there first and foremost.

"There was never a doubt in my mind or the selectors' minds who the captain would be."

McGurk was renowned as an almost unstoppable penalty taker for both Armagh and Sarsfield's. Goalkeeper McAlinden admitted inside knowledge didn't provide any help when facing them in training.

"Even with me knowing where he was going to put them, it was impossible to stop them," he said.

When McAlinden and Brian Canavan took over the Armagh job in 1995, McGurk was still on the Orchard panel, but was approaching the end of his inter-county career.

"He wouldn't have played much past the time we took over," said McAlinden.

"He said to me at a training session one day in Belfast 'Brian, that's it. I can't give you what I want to give you. My time has come."

"I didn't want to hear those words but when they came from Kieran himself, I knew that was it. Myself and Brian Canavan were just unfortunate that Kieran felt it was time for him to go."

Current Armagh stars Steven McDonnell and Aaron Kernan posted messages to Twitter yesterday paying tribute to McGurk.

The Irish News
Tuesday September 27 2011

Very sad to hear of the passing this morning of former Armagh footballer Kieran McGurk, only 49 I believe.

Just heard about Kieran McGurk's passing. Very sad Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

First Irish case of death by spontaneous combustion
Continue reading the main story
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Does spontaneous human combustion exist?
A man who burned to death in his home died as a result of spontaneous combustion, an Irish coroner has ruled.

It is believed to be the first case of its kind in Ireland.

West Galway coroner Dr Ciaran McLoughlin said it was the first time in 25 years of investigating deaths that he had returned such a verdict.

Michael Faherty, 76, died at his home at Clareview Park, Ballybane, Galway on 22 December 2010.

An inquest in Galway on Thursday heard how investigators had been baffled as to the cause of death.

Forensic experts found a fire in the fireplace of the sitting room where the badly burnt body was found had not been the cause of the blaze that killed Mr Faherty.

The court was told that no trace of an accelerant had been found and there had been nothing to suggest foul play.

The court heard Mr Faherty had been found lying on his back with his head closest to an open fireplace.

The fire had been confined to the sitting room. The only damage was to the body, which was totally burnt, the ceiling above him and the floor underneath him.

Dr McLoughlin said he had consulted medical textbooks and carried out other research in an attempt to find an explanation.

He said Professor Bernard Knight, in his book on forensic pathology, had written about spontaneous combustion and noted that such reported cases were almost always near an open fireplace or chimney.

"This fire was thoroughly investigated and I'm left with the conclusion that this fits into the category of spontaneous human combustion, for which there is no adequate explanation," he said.

Taken from the BBC.

Troy Davis.

There are some awful twisted c***ts on that Politics.ie site.

The thread Ulick refers to shows that some of our southern brethren are worse than Jim Allister.

He is/was a geography teacher.

That was pure dung. Why wait so long to bring Hunt on?