It's starting to feel like the end of an era with all these retirements in Hurling and Football. The Boy Wonder himself is the latest to go. In the past couple of years he's been reduced to cameo roles for Tipp, and this is probably no great surprise. Another great player though, and a great servant to the Blue and Gold, he takes with him 2 All Ireland medals and 5 Munsters I think. A great man for a goal, and a great freetaker in his time, he'll be a loss to Tipp, even as an option off the bench or for his leadership.
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#61
Hurling Discussion / Eoin Kelly (Tipp) retires from Inter County.
December 02, 2014, 10:37:11 AM #62
General discussion / Samsung Galaxy S4 versus Nokia Lumia 9300
October 16, 2014, 02:23:56 PM
Hi Lads,
Sorry if this has been mentioned before. My old blackberry is clapped out, and I'm putting in a req for a new smartphone as Blackberries are not provided by the company any more. It looks like I have two choices, the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the Nokia Lumia 9300.
Now I love my iPod and iPad mini, and I love my apps etc, TuneIn Radio, NFL Gamepass, ESPN Scorecentre, etc etc, so apps wouldn't necessarily be a huge factor in this decision. So basically things like 'Is it actually a good phone', access to email, internet browser, battery life, wifi etc would be important to me.
Has anyone any experience of either of these, and especially of comparing the two? Any recommendations before I click submit?
Sorry if this has been mentioned before. My old blackberry is clapped out, and I'm putting in a req for a new smartphone as Blackberries are not provided by the company any more. It looks like I have two choices, the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the Nokia Lumia 9300.
Now I love my iPod and iPad mini, and I love my apps etc, TuneIn Radio, NFL Gamepass, ESPN Scorecentre, etc etc, so apps wouldn't necessarily be a huge factor in this decision. So basically things like 'Is it actually a good phone', access to email, internet browser, battery life, wifi etc would be important to me.
Has anyone any experience of either of these, and especially of comparing the two? Any recommendations before I click submit?
#63
GAA Discussion / Up for the match
September 20, 2014, 11:12:46 PM
So kerry only have 35 all Irelands, and they also won the one in the polo grounds apparently. Not a clue.
#64
General discussion / dublin to host 3 games at euro 2020
September 19, 2014, 12:36:38 PM
Dublin has been chosen to host 2 group games and a round of 16 game. Should be good craic.
#65
GAA Discussion / Hayes' Hotel in Thurles has been sold.
September 17, 2014, 10:51:31 AM
Just in case people weren't aware, the birthplace of our Association was sold at auction yesterday for 650k. There's been a lot of worry about what would happen if it was bought by someone with no concept of it's place in our history, and many people were calling for the GAA to buy it, and restore it or use it as a some sort of museum.
It looks like that won't be needed, as a lad from Fethard, in county Tipp, has bought it, and is intending on keeping it going as a renovated hotel, which is good news.
It looks like that won't be needed, as a lad from Fethard, in county Tipp, has bought it, and is intending on keeping it going as a renovated hotel, which is good news.
QuoteFethard man has big plans for landmark Liberty Square building.
title
Jack Halley from Fethard purchased the birthplace of the GAA at the Allsop Space Auction in Dublin yesterday for €650,000, 150 thousand above the reserve price.
Halley, who's in his late 20's, has been living in London for several years working in the hospitality sector.
Speaking exclusively to Tipp FM, the son of well known Fethard-based veterinary surgeon John Halley said he plans to bring the iconic building back to its former glory.
Tipperary Independent TD Michael Lowry has welcomed the purchase of the hotel by Jack Halley describing him as young and energetic while locals in Thurles are happy that the hotel has been bought.
#66
GAA Discussion / Westmeath Manager Hunt
September 11, 2014, 01:22:34 PM
From midlands radio
Banty!!!
QuoteThere's a strong interest in the Westmeath Senior Football job as nominations have been submitted as the search for Paul Bealin's successor continues.
Former Monaghan and Meath boss Seamus McEnaney and recent Waterford manager Niall Carew are among those nominated.
With interviews set to take place in the coming weeks, Mullingar's Ned Moore and former Galway manager Val Daly are also in contention.
Banty!!!
#67
Hurling Discussion / Anthony Daly steps down.
September 01, 2014, 10:53:35 PM
Anthony daly seems to have resigned as Dublin hurling manager. I wonder will Galway give him a shout. Reports on breaking news dot ie
#68
General discussion / Picture Quiz - How well do you know Ireland?
August 19, 2014, 02:20:06 PM
Just as it says on the tin. Cropped a few scenes from street view on Google Earth. How many can you guess? Some are easy, some I think you'd have to know the place well.
1 -
2 -
3 -
4 -
5 -
6 -
7 -
8 -
9 -
10-
11-
1 -
2 -
3 -
4 -
5 -
6 -
7 -
8 -
9 -
10-
11-
#69
General discussion / NCAA at Croke Park - Penn State v UCF
August 12, 2014, 01:49:54 PM
Sorry for not putting this in the American Sports Thread, but given it's imminent date and the fact it's in Ireland I thought it merited a new thread. Anyone heading to this? UCF were good last year, won the Fiesta Bowl actually, but they've lost Blake Bortles. Penn State would obviously be one of *the* big names in US College Sports, but they've been hit by sanctions since the Jerry Sandusky incidents at Penn State, and this is really their bowl game you suspect.
Apparently 20,000 fans from the US making the trip. If it was in the Aviva it would probably sell out. Hard to see it topping 50k or so at Croker though, although it is nice of the Dubs to let these teams play there.
Apparently 20,000 fans from the US making the trip. If it was in the Aviva it would probably sell out. Hard to see it topping 50k or so at Croker though, although it is nice of the Dubs to let these teams play there.
#70
GAA Discussion / Pat Duffy - RIP
August 12, 2014, 12:58:09 PM
Pat Duffy was a visionary with regard to coaching, and a fantastic resource for our club (Newport) in Tipperary. I bounced many ideas off him, and he always proved a great help in everything we are trying to do. He was our Coaching Officer in the club, and it was unreal to have someone like that setting our direction with regard to coaching for life with regards to our kids and adults. I'm sure our players and coaches will reap the rewards of his input over the coming years and I hope we can keep his spirit and ideas alive in the club, and beyond. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.
From the Irish Examiner
Visionary Pat Duffy is gone but Hope lives on
Patrick Duffy's pioneering work — for that's what it was — was never about him
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
For all the big crowds and big names that will descend upon his home place in the coming days, you may not have heard about Pat Duffy's premature passing last weekend.
That would have been fine with him.
There are people teaching PE and coaching sport in this country and far beyond that coach and teach the way they do because of him, without ever knowing it or him.
There are carded athletes that have gone to Olympics and won at world championships that would never have heard of him even though it was he, along with Giles Warrington, that devised the scheme in this country.
His pioneering work — for that's what Patrick Duffy's was, in both an Irish and international context — was never about him. He'd often say that, that coaching was never about the coach. It was about someone else.
At conferences all around this country and all around the world, he would often show two slides to illustrate the point. One was of his long-haired, grey-haired brother Brendan at 56 years of age still playing "a mad game called Gaelic football", kicking the ball and smiling while he was at it.
The other was of a five-year-old girl on a tricycle. He called her Hope. Look at her face, he'd say. She's smiling, just like Brendan. So what's her lifelong journey in sport and physical activity going to be like? How are you as a coach or educator going to help her on that journey so she's still active and still smiling like Brendan when she's his age?
Back in 1994 when he was head of Coaching Ireland or the National Coaching and Training Centre (NCTC) as it was known then, he wrote a paper on a vision of physical education for the 21st century. For as much as he appreciated sport science, his vision, he'd say, wasn't rocket science. He wanted five things for Hope: to have a love and appreciation of physical activity for its own sake; a love and understanding of one's own body; a mastery of the skills and capacities to participate effectively and safely at her chosen level; a self-reliance in decisions and choices concerning physical activity; and an appreciation of the place of physical activity in the balance of life. And it was still his vision until his death.
It was how he lived himself. He was still swimming outdoors prior to falling ill 15 months ago. It was his physical activity then, not necessarily his sport. If he had a sport, it was athletics. He was there in the early years of Thomond PE College and before anyone knew it or him, there were anonymous notices on the board about a meeting to establish a college athletics club. All these third-and fourth-years showed up to find that their Larry Mullen was this first-year upstart from Knocklyon.
He would initiate a lot more through the years. After teaching PE in St Declan's, Cabra he would return to Limerick to lecture in UL, his book on PE being the core text for the discipline in this country for years. Then in 1992, on the same campus, he was appointed director of the newly-founded NCTC. To roll out the best coaching education system possible in this country, he went abroad to learn from the best in the world. He learned from their wisdom, and from their mistakes.
Coaching, he discovered, was not necessarily a profession; in Ireland, with so many volunteers, it was more of an art. And just as coaching wasn't about dictating to the athlete, the NCTC wasn't going to dictate to the national governing bodies. Instead it was about empowering them. He and his colleagues in the NCTC like Liam Moggan weren't going to tell Brian Kerr or Billy Walsh what to coach, they were just going to help them HOW to coach: the subtle arts like how to plan, observe, listen, communicate, care, connect. So the governing bodies would send coaches down to Limerick to become tutors, and then those tutors would go back to their sports and spread the word.
It was a model that gained international respect, recognition and imitation. In the mid-noughties he was headhunted by Sports Coach UK to be their chief executive. For the past seven years he was vice-president for Europe of the International Council for Coach Education. He combined that work with being a chief technical advisor to South African sport.
At times being an educator and coach meant being a politician was unavoidable which meant at times conflict was too. For all his importance in the formation of the Sports Council and the carding scheme, he was somewhat isolated by them later on. He would depart Sports Coach UK after opponents found he was changing too much too soon. But for the most part his gentle yet forceful manner got things done and mobilised, inspired and united people.
He helped standardise and regulate the fitness training industry with the establishment of the National Council for Exercise and Fitness (NCEF). George Mitchell would have bowed to his diplomacy skills in helping the various martial arts come together to form IMAC. And for the last five years while in his post as professor of coaching at Leeds Metropolitan University, he would never forget his roots, serving on various committees in Irish basketball.
If there was anything as impressive as his vision, it was his ability to communicate it. YouTube his lecture on blended, not blinded, coaching two years ago; the man's intelligence as well as integrity shines through. He speaks about Drawbridge-Up Coaches and Drawbridge-Down Coaches: the former are isolated, aloof, help or let in no one else; the former have a sense of responsibility to involve and integrate and develop others. He cites the sociologist Amitai Etzioni's concept of the Good Society where you have relationships through bonds of affection and a healthy moral culture balanced with a powerful protection of the self; physical activity and sport and coaching was uniquely positioned to facilitate that by seeing the bigger picture.
To help others see it, he plays and cites the band Chicago that he grew to love in his days in Thomond. They had a song called Dialogue, which asks: "Will you try to change things/Use the power that you have, the power of a million new ideas?"
Stephen Hawking, who he also cited in that talk, did. Yet at 21 he was diagnosed with MS. He could have given up on his degree, on life itself, but he didn't. Instead he would preserve and write, "Be curious. Never give up, however difficult things might seem. Remember to look up at the stars, not down on your feet. And however difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do to succeed. It matters that you don't just give up."
Duffy recited those words in 2012. In May 2013 he was diagnosed with a brain tumour. Yet he did not give up. He would remain curious. He would help Keith Wood set up and found Healthy Ireland, an initiative driven to create a good, better, society. As recently as May on the day the national Special Olympics opened in Limerick, he would speak to a gathering of old colleagues and friends from Coaching Ireland and the wider sporting community in Matt the Thresher's, the local by his home in Birdhill. He was ill, and looked ill, but he was as inspirational and inspired as ever, still intrigued by the power of a million ideas.
He did not get to keep playing sport actively like his brother Brendan until he was 56. He was 55 years and 20 days when he passed away gently under the loving eyes of his wife Deirdre and his five children. But it was important to Pat that he managed to get to 55; that was his goal, to reach at least that milestone, a way to measure that however difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do to succeed, to not just give up.
What a lifelong journey he had. And after him and thanks to him, Hope lives and smiles on.
From the Irish Examiner
Visionary Pat Duffy is gone but Hope lives on
Patrick Duffy's pioneering work — for that's what it was — was never about him
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
For all the big crowds and big names that will descend upon his home place in the coming days, you may not have heard about Pat Duffy's premature passing last weekend.
That would have been fine with him.
There are people teaching PE and coaching sport in this country and far beyond that coach and teach the way they do because of him, without ever knowing it or him.
There are carded athletes that have gone to Olympics and won at world championships that would never have heard of him even though it was he, along with Giles Warrington, that devised the scheme in this country.
His pioneering work — for that's what Patrick Duffy's was, in both an Irish and international context — was never about him. He'd often say that, that coaching was never about the coach. It was about someone else.
At conferences all around this country and all around the world, he would often show two slides to illustrate the point. One was of his long-haired, grey-haired brother Brendan at 56 years of age still playing "a mad game called Gaelic football", kicking the ball and smiling while he was at it.
The other was of a five-year-old girl on a tricycle. He called her Hope. Look at her face, he'd say. She's smiling, just like Brendan. So what's her lifelong journey in sport and physical activity going to be like? How are you as a coach or educator going to help her on that journey so she's still active and still smiling like Brendan when she's his age?
Back in 1994 when he was head of Coaching Ireland or the National Coaching and Training Centre (NCTC) as it was known then, he wrote a paper on a vision of physical education for the 21st century. For as much as he appreciated sport science, his vision, he'd say, wasn't rocket science. He wanted five things for Hope: to have a love and appreciation of physical activity for its own sake; a love and understanding of one's own body; a mastery of the skills and capacities to participate effectively and safely at her chosen level; a self-reliance in decisions and choices concerning physical activity; and an appreciation of the place of physical activity in the balance of life. And it was still his vision until his death.
It was how he lived himself. He was still swimming outdoors prior to falling ill 15 months ago. It was his physical activity then, not necessarily his sport. If he had a sport, it was athletics. He was there in the early years of Thomond PE College and before anyone knew it or him, there were anonymous notices on the board about a meeting to establish a college athletics club. All these third-and fourth-years showed up to find that their Larry Mullen was this first-year upstart from Knocklyon.
He would initiate a lot more through the years. After teaching PE in St Declan's, Cabra he would return to Limerick to lecture in UL, his book on PE being the core text for the discipline in this country for years. Then in 1992, on the same campus, he was appointed director of the newly-founded NCTC. To roll out the best coaching education system possible in this country, he went abroad to learn from the best in the world. He learned from their wisdom, and from their mistakes.
Coaching, he discovered, was not necessarily a profession; in Ireland, with so many volunteers, it was more of an art. And just as coaching wasn't about dictating to the athlete, the NCTC wasn't going to dictate to the national governing bodies. Instead it was about empowering them. He and his colleagues in the NCTC like Liam Moggan weren't going to tell Brian Kerr or Billy Walsh what to coach, they were just going to help them HOW to coach: the subtle arts like how to plan, observe, listen, communicate, care, connect. So the governing bodies would send coaches down to Limerick to become tutors, and then those tutors would go back to their sports and spread the word.
It was a model that gained international respect, recognition and imitation. In the mid-noughties he was headhunted by Sports Coach UK to be their chief executive. For the past seven years he was vice-president for Europe of the International Council for Coach Education. He combined that work with being a chief technical advisor to South African sport.
At times being an educator and coach meant being a politician was unavoidable which meant at times conflict was too. For all his importance in the formation of the Sports Council and the carding scheme, he was somewhat isolated by them later on. He would depart Sports Coach UK after opponents found he was changing too much too soon. But for the most part his gentle yet forceful manner got things done and mobilised, inspired and united people.
He helped standardise and regulate the fitness training industry with the establishment of the National Council for Exercise and Fitness (NCEF). George Mitchell would have bowed to his diplomacy skills in helping the various martial arts come together to form IMAC. And for the last five years while in his post as professor of coaching at Leeds Metropolitan University, he would never forget his roots, serving on various committees in Irish basketball.
If there was anything as impressive as his vision, it was his ability to communicate it. YouTube his lecture on blended, not blinded, coaching two years ago; the man's intelligence as well as integrity shines through. He speaks about Drawbridge-Up Coaches and Drawbridge-Down Coaches: the former are isolated, aloof, help or let in no one else; the former have a sense of responsibility to involve and integrate and develop others. He cites the sociologist Amitai Etzioni's concept of the Good Society where you have relationships through bonds of affection and a healthy moral culture balanced with a powerful protection of the self; physical activity and sport and coaching was uniquely positioned to facilitate that by seeing the bigger picture.
To help others see it, he plays and cites the band Chicago that he grew to love in his days in Thomond. They had a song called Dialogue, which asks: "Will you try to change things/Use the power that you have, the power of a million new ideas?"
Stephen Hawking, who he also cited in that talk, did. Yet at 21 he was diagnosed with MS. He could have given up on his degree, on life itself, but he didn't. Instead he would preserve and write, "Be curious. Never give up, however difficult things might seem. Remember to look up at the stars, not down on your feet. And however difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do to succeed. It matters that you don't just give up."
Duffy recited those words in 2012. In May 2013 he was diagnosed with a brain tumour. Yet he did not give up. He would remain curious. He would help Keith Wood set up and found Healthy Ireland, an initiative driven to create a good, better, society. As recently as May on the day the national Special Olympics opened in Limerick, he would speak to a gathering of old colleagues and friends from Coaching Ireland and the wider sporting community in Matt the Thresher's, the local by his home in Birdhill. He was ill, and looked ill, but he was as inspirational and inspired as ever, still intrigued by the power of a million ideas.
He did not get to keep playing sport actively like his brother Brendan until he was 56. He was 55 years and 20 days when he passed away gently under the loving eyes of his wife Deirdre and his five children. But it was important to Pat that he managed to get to 55; that was his goal, to reach at least that milestone, a way to measure that however difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do to succeed, to not just give up.
What a lifelong journey he had. And after him and thanks to him, Hope lives and smiles on.
#71
GAA Discussion / Managerial Merry Go Round, 2014/15 edition
August 07, 2014, 12:11:12 PM
With the news that Paul Bealin is out as manager of Westmeath, I was wondering what the situation is in the rest of the country?
Leinster
Louth - Vacant
Meath - Mick O'Dowd - Manager since 2013 championship. - (In trouble after a poor end to 2014?)
Dublin - Jim Gavin - Manager since 2013 championship. (Assuming he'll stay if he wants to.)
Wicklow - Harry Murphy - Manager since 2012 championship.
Wexford - Vacant
Carlow - Vacant
Kildare - Jason Ryan - Manager since 2014 championship. (Assuming he's okay).
Laois - Tomás O Flaharta - Manager since 2014 championship. (Assuming he's okay).
Offaly - Vacant
Westmeath - Vacant
Longford - Jack sheedy - Confirmed for 2015
Munster
Cork - Brian Cuthbert - Manager since 2014 championship. (Probably okay as it's just been 1 year, but I know there's a bit of unrest there).
Kerry - Eamonn Fitzmaurice - Manager since 2013 championship. (I think he's okay, even if Mayo beat them. Haven't heard rumblings in Kerry and they know they don't have a stellar team at the moment).
Tipperary - Peter Creedon - Manager since 2013 championship. (Should be okay. Good progress made this year. If personal circumstances are ok, he'll stay on).
Limerick - John Brudair - Manager since 2014 championship. (Another first year man, so should be okay on that basis. Stayed in D3 and won a couple of qualifier games)
Clare - Colm Collins - Manager since 2014 championship. (Again, should be ok. Ran Kerry reasonably close, got promoted from D4 and showed well in qualifiers)
Waterford - Vacant
Connacht
Sligo - Pat Flanagan - Manager since 2014 championship. (Not sure what Sligo lads think, but I suspect he may be offered the Offaly job).
Galway - Vacant
Mayo - Vacant
Roscommon - John Evans - Manager since 2013 championship. (Hard to know this one from outside. Long trek to Kiltoom or wherever they train. What's the roscommon vibe?)
Leitrim - Vacant
London - Paul Coggins - Manager since 2011 championship. (Might be time to change there. Didn't come close to repeating last year's heroics this time around).
Ulster
Fermanagh - Pete McGrath - Manager since 2014 championship. Confirmed for 2015
Antrim - Liam Bradley - Manager (second time around) since 2014 championship. (Beat Fermanagh, got trimmed by Donegal and beaten by Limerick. Probably ok because it's year 1 again).
Tyrone - Mickey Harte - Manager since 25 B.C. . (Probably on his way out. The greatest manager of his generation, but it does look to be getting stale in the Red Hand county).
Derry - Brian McIver - Manager since 2013 championship. (Should be okay, but the league performance didn't translate. What do our Derry lads say?)
Armagh -Vacant
Down - Vacant
Donegal - Jimmy McGuinness - Manager since 2011 championship. (Another lad who might be thinking of pastures new. This is his 4th championship, and it must be tough with the family and the Celtic job. Win 2014 and he's proven his bounce back ability after 2013. Lose, and what more can he do?)
Monaghan - Malachy O'Rourke - Manager since 2013 championship. (You'd imagine he'd be ok. Ulster final again this year, and a good run to the quarter finals at least. A good run against the Dubs and surely he'd be grand)
Cavan - Terry Hyland - Manager since 2013 championship. (Cavan seem to be coming, but it's not there yet. Is Hyland the man to bring them on?)
Leinster
Louth - Vacant
Meath - Mick O'Dowd - Manager since 2013 championship. - (In trouble after a poor end to 2014?)
Dublin - Jim Gavin - Manager since 2013 championship. (Assuming he'll stay if he wants to.)
Wicklow - Harry Murphy - Manager since 2012 championship.
Wexford - Vacant
Carlow - Vacant
Kildare - Jason Ryan - Manager since 2014 championship. (Assuming he's okay).
Laois - Tomás O Flaharta - Manager since 2014 championship. (Assuming he's okay).
Offaly - Vacant
Westmeath - Vacant
Longford - Jack sheedy - Confirmed for 2015
Munster
Cork - Brian Cuthbert - Manager since 2014 championship. (Probably okay as it's just been 1 year, but I know there's a bit of unrest there).
Kerry - Eamonn Fitzmaurice - Manager since 2013 championship. (I think he's okay, even if Mayo beat them. Haven't heard rumblings in Kerry and they know they don't have a stellar team at the moment).
Tipperary - Peter Creedon - Manager since 2013 championship. (Should be okay. Good progress made this year. If personal circumstances are ok, he'll stay on).
Limerick - John Brudair - Manager since 2014 championship. (Another first year man, so should be okay on that basis. Stayed in D3 and won a couple of qualifier games)
Clare - Colm Collins - Manager since 2014 championship. (Again, should be ok. Ran Kerry reasonably close, got promoted from D4 and showed well in qualifiers)
Waterford - Vacant
Connacht
Sligo - Pat Flanagan - Manager since 2014 championship. (Not sure what Sligo lads think, but I suspect he may be offered the Offaly job).
Galway - Vacant
Mayo - Vacant
Roscommon - John Evans - Manager since 2013 championship. (Hard to know this one from outside. Long trek to Kiltoom or wherever they train. What's the roscommon vibe?)
Leitrim - Vacant
London - Paul Coggins - Manager since 2011 championship. (Might be time to change there. Didn't come close to repeating last year's heroics this time around).
Ulster
Fermanagh - Pete McGrath - Manager since 2014 championship. Confirmed for 2015
Antrim - Liam Bradley - Manager (second time around) since 2014 championship. (Beat Fermanagh, got trimmed by Donegal and beaten by Limerick. Probably ok because it's year 1 again).
Tyrone - Mickey Harte - Manager since 25 B.C. . (Probably on his way out. The greatest manager of his generation, but it does look to be getting stale in the Red Hand county).
Derry - Brian McIver - Manager since 2013 championship. (Should be okay, but the league performance didn't translate. What do our Derry lads say?)
Armagh -Vacant
Down - Vacant
Donegal - Jimmy McGuinness - Manager since 2011 championship. (Another lad who might be thinking of pastures new. This is his 4th championship, and it must be tough with the family and the Celtic job. Win 2014 and he's proven his bounce back ability after 2013. Lose, and what more can he do?)
Monaghan - Malachy O'Rourke - Manager since 2013 championship. (You'd imagine he'd be ok. Ulster final again this year, and a good run to the quarter finals at least. A good run against the Dubs and surely he'd be grand)
Cavan - Terry Hyland - Manager since 2013 championship. (Cavan seem to be coming, but it's not there yet. Is Hyland the man to bring them on?)
#72
General discussion / 100 Years ago today
July 28, 2014, 11:18:24 AM
28th of July, 1914. Austria declares war on Serbia following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and weeks of political maneuvering from Britain, Germany, France, Russia and Austria-Hungary. This is the catalyst for the First World War, and millions of deaths across Europe and beyond.
Austria issues manifesto and declares war on Serbia at noon: refuses proposals of mediation or Conference: has no quarrel with Russia.
Russia says mobilisation of Southern Corps will be announced tomorrow, but she has no aggressive intentions against Germany.
Russian Ambassador at Vienna wires to M. Sazonov that Austrian general mobilisation order has been signed.
Kaiser wires to Tsar he will use his influence with Austria.
Germany conciliatory, but throws responsibility of possible war on Russia.
Austria issues manifesto and declares war on Serbia at noon: refuses proposals of mediation or Conference: has no quarrel with Russia.
Russia says mobilisation of Southern Corps will be announced tomorrow, but she has no aggressive intentions against Germany.
Russian Ambassador at Vienna wires to M. Sazonov that Austrian general mobilisation order has been signed.
Kaiser wires to Tsar he will use his influence with Austria.
Germany conciliatory, but throws responsibility of possible war on Russia.
#73
General discussion / Star Wars - Kerry Style
July 28, 2014, 10:13:45 AM
I see scenes from Star Wars Episode VII are being filmed this week (I think ) on the Skelligs. I'm down there this weekend, I wonder will there be much buzz around the place. No truth to the rumour that Declan O'Sullivan is being lined up for a role as a droid, due to his unusually long arms, but Kieran Donaghy is getting the Jar Jar Binks uncoordinated jokester role. Jack O'Connor as a Sith Lord is also thought to be likely.
Rumours about Gooch are just unfair.
Rumours about Gooch are just unfair.
#74
GAA Discussion / Dermot Hogan, Offaly U21 Hurling Manager - RIP
July 25, 2014, 11:02:21 AM
Brutal news out of Offaly last night. The lad had only just had a tough year over the U21 hurlers after getting the job very late in the day, but by all accounts he was proud and delighted to do the job. Tragic for his family, friends club and county mates.
******************
Offaly GAA was plunged into mourning last evening with the news of the untimely death of U21 Hurling Manager Dermot Hogan (Age 45) from Coolderry, following an accident while working at his home. Offaly County Chairperson, Padraig Boland in offering his heartfelt sympathy to Dermot's wife and family, said that "Dermot's positivity towards Offaly hurling was infectious, and remarked how following his first year in charge of the Offaly U21's (2014) Dermot had learned a lot and was really looking forward to the Challenge ahead in 2015". He went on to say that "while Dermot's loss to Coolderry and Offaly hurling will be huge, it pale's into insignificance when compared to the loss that will be felt by his wife Marie and family and our thoughts and prayers are with them at this extremely sad time"
Dermot Hogan was appointed Manager of Offaly U21 hurlers in 2014 following an impressive record with his club Coolderry, having managed them to Minor success in 2008 while also steering the Coolderry men to the Offaly U21 title in 2010. Hogan was also a selector with the Offaly Minor hurling team in 2013.
Dermot is survived by his wife Marie, daughters Lisa, Rachel and Ciara, parents Kieran and Margaret, brothers Kevin and Eugene and a large circle of relatives and friends.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dilis.
******************
Offaly GAA was plunged into mourning last evening with the news of the untimely death of U21 Hurling Manager Dermot Hogan (Age 45) from Coolderry, following an accident while working at his home. Offaly County Chairperson, Padraig Boland in offering his heartfelt sympathy to Dermot's wife and family, said that "Dermot's positivity towards Offaly hurling was infectious, and remarked how following his first year in charge of the Offaly U21's (2014) Dermot had learned a lot and was really looking forward to the Challenge ahead in 2015". He went on to say that "while Dermot's loss to Coolderry and Offaly hurling will be huge, it pale's into insignificance when compared to the loss that will be felt by his wife Marie and family and our thoughts and prayers are with them at this extremely sad time"
Dermot Hogan was appointed Manager of Offaly U21 hurlers in 2014 following an impressive record with his club Coolderry, having managed them to Minor success in 2008 while also steering the Coolderry men to the Offaly U21 title in 2010. Hogan was also a selector with the Offaly Minor hurling team in 2013.
Dermot is survived by his wife Marie, daughters Lisa, Rachel and Ciara, parents Kieran and Margaret, brothers Kevin and Eugene and a large circle of relatives and friends.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dilis.
#75
General discussion / Obesity in England. What's going on?
July 24, 2014, 01:45:17 PM
Just back from a very enjoyable break in Devon, as recommended by a couple of lads on the holiday thread, but one thing struck me over there. The amount of morbidly obese people is unreal. I'm a good few years removed from svelte myself, but good Jaysus this was woejus.
Remember I've lived in America in the past, so I've seen the problems some people have over there, but I have to say, on a proportional basis, this was worse.
I know in Ireland we have a lot of people deemed 'overweight', but we are not a patch on what I saw over in England. I was talking to a lad who had just been in Blackpool as well, and he said the same thing to me before I said anything at all.
What's going on over there?
Incidentaly entrepreneurs, massive market for womens Mumus and those little buggy/scooters for huge people.
Remember I've lived in America in the past, so I've seen the problems some people have over there, but I have to say, on a proportional basis, this was worse.
I know in Ireland we have a lot of people deemed 'overweight', but we are not a patch on what I saw over in England. I was talking to a lad who had just been in Blackpool as well, and he said the same thing to me before I said anything at all.
What's going on over there?
Incidentaly entrepreneurs, massive market for womens Mumus and those little buggy/scooters for huge people.
#76
General discussion / Sports 'Calls' as our American friends call them
July 03, 2014, 04:17:30 PM
Came across this site searching for something about Joe Frazier, and there's some class calls in here. It covers things like Secretariat winning the triple crown, Maradona's goal v England in 86, the good goal 
, A hobbling Kirk Gibson with his home run into the evening in 1988, Foreman's knockdowns of Frazier (hence the find), The Stanford Band on the field etc. Great stuff.
I always like Michael O'Hehir's comment in 1982. "Is there a goal in this game?" just before Offaly find Seamus Darby with a pinpoint ball that Tommy Doyle unfortunately misjudged
, A hobbling Kirk Gibson with his home run into the evening in 1988, Foreman's knockdowns of Frazier (hence the find), The Stanford Band on the field etc. Great stuff.I always like Michael O'Hehir's comment in 1982. "Is there a goal in this game?" just before Offaly find Seamus Darby with a pinpoint ball that Tommy Doyle unfortunately misjudged
#77
General discussion / Crime Stats - Is society actually getting safer?
June 24, 2014, 11:17:28 AM
I thought I'd take this to a new thread, as I didn't want to sidetrack a thread about a video in a church or something like that. Anyway, Hardy made a point about the fact that a more secular society is not more dangerous or immoral than a religiously controlled society. Obviously it would take a lot of analysis to make that sort of cause and effect judgment, but it did spark a question about crime rates in recent times. The news and the newspapers seem to tell us we are on the verge of Armageddon, but are we? To try and baseline the discussion, I've gone to the CSO, and pulled some of their quick tables on reported crime for the last 10 years. It was some interesting reading. I was particularly interested in the Public Order offences. From the table below, which is the one in the link, it appears as if we had a steady growth in this sort of offence until 2009ish, and has been a more or less steady fall since then. To me, I'm wondering has that anything to do with people not having money to spend on alcohol and drugs, as much as some sort of collective 'seeing of the light'. But I'd be interested what other people think. Is crime reporting largely a sensationalist exercise designed to make people buy papers and be scandalised, or is there something really bad going on? Or are our Gardai getting on top of things? Or are people just too broke to get drunk and fight now? Apologies for the formatting.
Public order and other social code offences
http://www.cso.ie/Quicktables/GetQuickTables.aspx?FileName=cja01c18.asp&TableName=Public+order+and+other+social+code+offences&StatisticalProduct=DB_CJ
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
13 Public order and other social code offences 47789 55482 56616 60583 61820 57351 54941 49060 43862 36379
131 Disorderly conduct 38231 42433 47236 51197 53419 49469 47346 42137 37359 30789
132 Trespass offences 1565 1842 2355 3002 3675 3793 3786 3580 3335 2947
133 Liquor licensing offences 6687 9684 5708 5036 3844 3285 2826 2341 1919 1364
134 Prostitution offences 219 84 107 109 136 93 205 228 148 120
135 Regulated betting/money, 317 373 417 538 415 452 429 299 294 325
136 Social code offences (n.e.c.) 770 1066 793 701 331 259 349 475 807 834
Public order and other social code offences
http://www.cso.ie/Quicktables/GetQuickTables.aspx?FileName=cja01c18.asp&TableName=Public+order+and+other+social+code+offences&StatisticalProduct=DB_CJ
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
13 Public order and other social code offences 47789 55482 56616 60583 61820 57351 54941 49060 43862 36379
131 Disorderly conduct 38231 42433 47236 51197 53419 49469 47346 42137 37359 30789
132 Trespass offences 1565 1842 2355 3002 3675 3793 3786 3580 3335 2947
133 Liquor licensing offences 6687 9684 5708 5036 3844 3285 2826 2341 1919 1364
134 Prostitution offences 219 84 107 109 136 93 205 228 148 120
135 Regulated betting/money, 317 373 417 538 415 452 429 299 294 325
136 Social code offences (n.e.c.) 770 1066 793 701 331 259 349 475 807 834
#78
General discussion / Lingerie Football League on Setanta Sports
June 15, 2014, 10:10:54 PM
I'm not sure if it's a serious sport, or a piss take, but it's on Setanta Sports right now. You're welcome.
#79
General discussion / D-Day. June 6th. 1944.
June 06, 2014, 11:22:55 AM
Today is the 70th anniversary of one of the most important military operations in history, as the Allied Forces launched Operation Overlord, and renewed the western front against Hitler, which finally gave the Nazi leader too much to bite off, as he was already struggling to deal with the Soviet Bear on his eastern front.
D-Day is obviously very famous and lauded in story and movie, not to mention brilliant programs like Band of Brothers, but I think it's very poignant to see old, old men visiting Omaha, Juno, Gold, Sword and Utah beaches and remembering their fallen comrades.
It's only right we also remember the Irishmen who fought in the various armies of the Allied Force, of course many joined the British Army, but there were many in the American and Canadian armies as well. They did their duty and put their lives on the line in a good cause.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jun/06/d-day-landings-70-years-anniversary-live
http://www.dday-overlord.com/eng/commemorations_normandy_2014.htm
D-Day is obviously very famous and lauded in story and movie, not to mention brilliant programs like Band of Brothers, but I think it's very poignant to see old, old men visiting Omaha, Juno, Gold, Sword and Utah beaches and remembering their fallen comrades.
It's only right we also remember the Irishmen who fought in the various armies of the Allied Force, of course many joined the British Army, but there were many in the American and Canadian armies as well. They did their duty and put their lives on the line in a good cause.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jun/06/d-day-landings-70-years-anniversary-live
http://www.dday-overlord.com/eng/commemorations_normandy_2014.htm
#80
General discussion / Question re NI and the Middle East
May 21, 2014, 11:51:13 AM
I was just looking at a post on facebook there from LAD, and it brought to mind a question I'd been meaning to ask here for a while. It showed a loyalist area (Cluan place I think?) festooned with UVF flags, Union Flags and the Israeli flag. At various times around Belfast and nationalist gatherings, I've seen the Palestinan flag flown. I don't think I've ever seen the situation reversed, where an Israeli flag flew at a Nationalist gathering, or a Palestine flag at a Unionist event.
Now I'm not aware of any historical reason for this, so forgive my ignorance. I always thought that the Nationalist/Palestine link might be out of sympathy/identification with a similarly occupied people, as Nationalists would see it, but I am unsure as to why the Israelis would be a cause celebré for the Loyalists/Unionist hardliners. Is it because they are the 'opposite team' to the one supported by the Nationalists (apologies if that is trite), or is there some connection through religion/the lost tribe of David etc etc?
Now I'm not aware of any historical reason for this, so forgive my ignorance. I always thought that the Nationalist/Palestine link might be out of sympathy/identification with a similarly occupied people, as Nationalists would see it, but I am unsure as to why the Israelis would be a cause celebré for the Loyalists/Unionist hardliners. Is it because they are the 'opposite team' to the one supported by the Nationalists (apologies if that is trite), or is there some connection through religion/the lost tribe of David etc etc?