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When we hit Dublin we usually go for breakfast.  It used to be Bewleys and now we use Keoghs in Trinity St.  Any recommendations for a change of venue?

I see that in the great metropolis of Armagh that a certain pub is offering £2 pints for Thursday night only. Its a bit of a coincidence that it is the day when GCSE pupils get their full picture on GCSEs.  I realise that 16 year olds will take a drink and as a 16 year old I used to sneak into pubs and have older friends buy me Harp (God I was so naive to have drank that cr*p). I do have a problem when the pub is filled with 16 year olds and no doubt younger ones.

Listening to Cyril Farrell, Sunday Game,  today and the comment on the decision to delay the hurling throw in to 2.15pm, he indicated his annoyance in the stupidity of the decision by saying "its a bit Irish".  I personally feel that this is racist.  Subsitute Jewish, black, gay etc for Irish and there would be an uproar.  I'm not a PC cop but having worked in England in the 60's and been the butt of Irish jokes, I feel that it is totally inappropriate for a commentator on the national channel to make such a remark.

Tony has another letter in the Sunday Times today (page 18) on the merits of an all Ireland football association.  It has merits but it is in the BRHC (bottom right hand corner) of the page.  This is where the Sunday Times' sister publication, The Times, puts its trivia and humorous letters.

Last week, on holiday, I met a bloke who organises tours for Jack Johnston.  He was bemused that I had never heard of him or his songs.  (That's what listening to 5 Live does for you).  Is JJ a big star and is he worth listening to, I am advanced in age, older than TF!

Where are we all off to this summer?  I'm hitting California and Mexico. Knowing my luck I'll take the rain with me.
Anyway enjoy the holidays

I have two premium level tickets for both the 15 July and 22 July hurling quarter finals.  Are there any hurling people out there who would swap their premium football tickets for these?  I would be also interested in doing the same for the All Ireland finals.  Anybody interested pm me please.

Vegetable roll is made of sausage meat with onion and tomato added.  Lovely but big time bad for the arteries. Comes in rolls the size of a small burger. Its a great delicacy in Armagh and Tyrone.  A friend who lives in Luton always asks me to bring hiim some over.  He tells me that its not available in the south.  I'd like to know where its sold and not.  Also are there any other areas where there are specialist foods like this.  I once had the best white pudding ever in Newport.

You young ones are in danger!

Taken from today's New York Times:

DUBLIN, Ireland (AP) -- Ireland's youth are becoming increasingly poor spellers and writers, and their love of text messaging on cell phones is a major reason why, according to the government's Education Department.

In a report published Wednesday, the department's Examination Commission said cutting-edge communications technology has encouraged poor literacy and a blunt, choppy style at odds with academic rigor.

''Text messaging, with its use of phonetic spelling and little or no punctuation, seems to pose a threat to traditional conventions in writing,'' according to the report, based on national test results in English for about 37,000 students aged 15 and 16.

The report branded today's teens ''unduly reliant on short sentences, simple tenses and a limited vocabulary.''

Too many test-takers, it said, were ''choosing to answer sparingly, even minimally, rather than seeing questions as invitations to explore the territory they had studied and to express the breadth and depth of their learning and understanding.''

Ireland is among the world leaders in cell-phone use -- in part because of traditionally high costs for conventional phone lines -- and surveys indicate that a majority of children have their own mobile phone by age 12, with the most enthusiastic texters sending more than 250 a week.

I've just paid £11.45 for 8 Mach 3 Turbo blades in Boots.  The Fusion ones were nearly £2 a blade.  Bloody rip off. I'd grow a beard but I don't teach Geography anymore and the cord trousers are used for gardening. I need to shave every work day at least.  Anyone know of any shop that has reasonable prices?  End of rant.

Ziggy
Grrencastle are in Croke Park soon.  I have a couple of tickets for the premier level next week.  If you are interested e mail or Tony Blair (pm) me.

The London Senior football final is being played Saturday 9 December.   Tara play St Brendans.