Al's Blog from the Bog

Many of you will have heard about the report, published a few days ago, into the abuse of children in Industrial Schools in Ireland during the 20th Century.

The report, a massive work that has taken nine years to compile, documents the enormous scale of the abuses – every type imaginable – inflicted on both boys and girls by the, supposedly Christian, people responsible for their education and welfare. It documents the awareness of the abuses, some might say collusion, of both the Irish State and the Catholic Church. What the report does not document, thanks to a High Court ruling in 2004, is the names of the guilty parties.

Much has been written and broadcast about the report, by people far more qualified to comment than I am. Indeed, the abuses are not really news. These appalling abuses have been widely recognised for some considerable time, but the report brings together many of the stories of the victims and highlights the scale of the tragedy. It is important for all of us to be aware of what happened, in the hope that a blind eye is never again turned towards such dreadful crimes.

Read more about the abuses committed by the Catholic Church in Ireland by clicking this link.

miscellaneous, national politics, politics Ireland, life, politics

11:46 AM Mar 10th from Tweetie
Went to bed with wind, woke 3am in pain which was excruciating by 7am. Got lift to dr; given morphine. On way to A&E with poss. pancreas…

11:47 AM Mar 10th from Tweetie
…or gallbladder problem. Feel a bit high but still some pain.

11:52 AM Mar 10th from web
@filce: My God. Hope you get a speed diagnosis, resolution and recovery. My best wishes to you.

11:55 AM Mar 10th from web
@ray888: all the best – get well soon

12:11 PM Mar 10th from Tweetie
@filce @ray888 thanks very much, means a lot. Just about to arrive at A&E. More later…

1:44 PM Mar 10th from Tweetie
Blood & urine taken. Am on trolley in A&E waiting for test results. Excellent service so far, no complaints.

4:24 PM Mar 10th from Tweetie
Just arrived Ward B, my home for tonight. ECG ok, blood & urine ok, blood pressure a bit high. Currently gallbladder and stomach suspected.

4:26 PM Mar 10th from twhirl
@cbkerndter: what happened?

4:32 PM Mar 10th from Tweetie
@cbkerndter woke up last night with bad stomach pain – I mean really bad. Dr this morning, morphine & straight to A&E. More tests tomorrow.

4:33 PM Mar 10th from twhirl
@cbkerndter: outch wish you well

4:44 PM Mar 10th from web
@filce: Well your day has sure changed. I think, given events, you are in the best place. Hopefully they’ll be news soon.

4:45 PM Mar 10th from web
@filce: ‘blood pressure a bit high’ – lol – why would that be?

6:29 PM Mar 10th from TweetDeck
@finkeegan: Sorry to hear you had such a painful experience!

7:49 PM Mar 10th from Tweetie
V. excited, just had another shot of morphine: I relish the blissful release heading my way. Thanks, all, for your messages.

8:08 PM Mar 10th from web
@Andiepowpow: Sorry to hear you’re ill Al. Hope you feel better soon. Hope that Morphine doesnt make your nose too itchy x

11:30 AM Mar 11th from Tweetie
Still in hospital awaiting ultrasound scan. Better night last night, thanks to intravenous drugs, but still plenty of pain.

11:57 AM Mar 11th from twhirl
@jellyjumper: hopefully you will be better soon. greetings from Achill

4:08 PM Mar 11th from Tweetie
Ultrasound says…twins! But seriously, I have gallstones. Don’t know what happens now – hopefully it involves food & water.

4:10 PM Mar 11th from web
@sineadailillhi: my dad had gallstones last year, got them out with simple keyhole surgery, was home the next day and is great now

4:28 PM Mar 11th from web
@filce: Glad it’s gallstones and nothing more sinister. Been thinking about how you’re doing on and off all day. Must of been scary.

4:45 PM Mar 11th from TweetDeck
@finkeegan: Well, pain aside, at least they are benign and removable. So that is good news, right? *googles “how avoid gallstones”*

4:57 PM Mar 11th from web
@ray888: hopefully the passing of gallstones, will be a lot less painfull than a man giving birth to twins

11:52 AM Mar 12th from Tweetie
Still in hosp, awaiting ‘official’ diagnosis. Thanks for all your kind and supportive messages. Will reply individually when I get home.

4:43 PM Mar 12th from TwitterBerry
@Yuyis: hope you get well soon……. Take good care…. )

2:34 PM Mar 13th from web
@filce: How are you doing today? Did you get a proper diagnosis in the end? Hope you’re comfortable and all that.

4:43 PM Mar 13th from Tweetie
Diagnosis official (gallstones). Am allowed to eat now – w00t! Might be released Sunday. Feeling much better, and promise to eat my 5-a-day!

10:54 AM Mar 14th from Tweetie
“I’m coming home, I’ve done my time…” paroled early for good behaviour! Feeling so much better. Will miss the hospital food, of course.

11:35 AM Mar 14th from TweetDeck
@Lifelists: Alistair Steger-Lewis……You have been evicted, I’m coming to get you!!!!!!!!!!!

miscellaneous illness, life, twitter

have you seen this man?

JP Grealis has been missing since November of last year and his family and friends of would greatly appreciate any help or information in finding him.

JP (James Patrick) Grealis from Tonragee, Achill, Co Mayo, Ireland
Nationality: Irish
Date of Birth: 14/03/1984 (24 years old)
Hair: Red (curly/wavy)
Height: approx.1.75 meter/ approx 5’ 9’’
Build: Slim build with broad shoulders
Clothes: Generally wears T-shirts, jeans, hoodies etc (he has a habit of walking with his sleeves pulled down over his hands)
General Information: Smoker, works in construction industry, likes to socialize

JP was working in the Netherlands when he went missing in November 2008. He last phoned home from Breda on the 23rd October, 2008. He was last seen in the Dutch city of Eindhoven during the 1st week of November 2008. It is thought he may have travelled to Rotterdam in November. He may, of course, have left the Netherlands so the search extends to Belgium, Germany and other European countries.

If you have any information regarding JP, please contact:
his sister Clare at 00 353 (0)87 2393993 or clare.grealis@gmail.com
the Irish Police on 00 353 (0)98 20830
or the Dutch Police on 00 31 (0)79-345 8882 (case number 08261250 for Dutch Police).

Thank you for your help

miscellaneous achill, help, missing, netherlands, people

The ‘F’ series of QI started on Friday evening on BBC1 and, for the first time, was followed by ‘QI XL’ – an extended edit of the same show – on Saturday on BBC2. I had been eagerly awaiting the new series and it didn’t disappoint.

I decided to watch both versions of episode 1 so that I could see how much had been added in the XL edit, but from now on I shall stick to the longer version. Not only was there more of the playful banter, there was also more substantive content. I was particularly interested in the proclivity of German authorities for collecting underwear. These collections apparently make up a ’smells database’ of possible dissidents and undesirables, and hence I assume we are talking about dirty underwear. Fascinating. I wonder how many applications there are for the post of curator.

It makes me wonder what the future holds for the regular ‘half-hour’ show? I would happily sit through an hour long version of shows like QI and HIGNFY, and it seems there is plenty of material to stretch them. Perhaps the ‘40 minute’ version will become the norm, as portions have grown in so many areas of life, unless the schedulers deem it impractical.

As I grow older I find less and less tv appeals to me, so welcome back to a quality show.

miscellaneous BBC, entertainment, lifestyle, tv

Welcome 2009. Welcome, me, to 2009. I remember an early maths class, maybe I was 8 or so, in which we had to work out how old we’d be when the year 2000 arrived. From the perspective of an infant it was quite impossible to imagine being such an age – my parents weren’t that old. Blimey, I’m so old now. But alive I still am and, thanks to an extraordinary bit of common sense that hit us 3 months ago, my life expectancy has improved. Now, if I could just lose a bit of weight to complement my (on their way to being) tar free lungs…
Read more…

miscellaneous lifestyle