Anti-Abortionists to Support the Big Match ?

from agnes in charlies in kerins o'rahillys;

Croke Park has a big match coming up - and a Rugby match at that. But the GAA will not have international rugby or soccer matches for much longer. Alternative sources of income will have to be found.

Why not have the Pro-Life Lobby sponsor the half-time entertainment? The idea comes to me because CBS have allowed an anti-abortionist group to advertise during the Super-Bowl. Such an ad costs millions of dollars. It features a wonderful athlete Tim Tebow, god love him. The doctors wanted his mum to have an abortion, but she didn't - hence Tim. Read all about this wonderful piece of mankind here.

So, I fully recommend that Youth Defence get in there quick - imagine the half time show we could have! It's not as if the GAA has too many scruples when it comes to sponsorship.

Enjoy Drinking Non-Sensibly. It's Better That Way

Dublin Speed Limit is the Bleedin Limit

from agnes in ashes, camp;

The amount of money spent on denying people to use cars is unbelievable - €40 million on the Road Safety Authority - see previous note. And now town and city councils are getting in on the spending. How much of Garda expenditure is car related? Not counting other Government departments.

For fuck's sake. If people are being injured and killed in towns and cities it's because;

a) Pedestrians Jay walk.

b) Pedestrians get pissed.

c) Pedestrians don't look.

d) Pedestrians ignore traffic lights

e) Pedestrians ignore zebra crossing rules.

f) Pedestrians don't use footpaths.

g) Pedestrians don't wear hi-vis clothing.

h) Pedestrians are soft and don't have built-in air bags (politicians excepted).

But who get's the blame? Motorists. Because Motorists are seen as a never ending source of revenue.

Vote Vote Vote.

Protest. Protest. Protest.

Suicide is Cheaper than Death by Car Crash

I make no apologies

from stockie in spillanes in the maharees;

This country really needs a shake-up. Take driving (you could take smoking if you wish - see grandad). We can't drink, phone, speed, go slow. We pay road tax, VRT, VAT, duty and god knows what else. We have insurance, NCT tests.
We have the RSA, the Road Safety Authority.

How many deaths on the roads in 2008?

279

How much did we spend on the RSA?

€40,421,757.00

Road safety is easy. And it is a revenue earner - big big time revenue earner for the lazy state.

Let's look at suicide. Here we have NOSP - National Office for Suicide Prevention. You will note that this is an Office. Not an Authority.

How many (known) suicides in 2008?

424

How much did we spend on the NOSP?

€5,097,601.00

Either we put the NOSP in charge of road safety and save both both money and lives, or we just leave Gaybo alone. In any case I will be accused of playing with figures and not understanding the complexity of the situation.

I don't give a flying fuck. People, especially men, are killing themselves. On a grand scale.

But there is no financial return in investment in suicide prevention. It's also not sexy.

In the meantime rural pubs are dying. Customers are kiling themselves. All very dramatic.

Depression is a cruel master.

Propaganda and Drink Driving Limits

from agnes at the bar in godley's, fenit;

So they are at it again. How in god's name can I sit in every night talking to meself while drinking canned draught arthur g. and a few small ones. I'll be on me arse in no time, and may well set fire to settee once more.

Look at the official stats from the CSO. 285 deaths with motor vehicles. How many were drunk or had just the one? Does it matter? If they were all piss heads it still represents 1% of the deaths in 2006.

How much money is spent each year in preventing the other causes of death? You can guess the answer. What budgets are set aside for PR, advertising, staff in the other areas? What 'celeb' is running any other agency to promote that particular cause?

1%. And how many of that 1% fell asleep at the wheel. Sneezed and lost control. Got blinded by headlights. Died because there was no road sign. Died because of road conditions. Bald tyres. Faulty Brakes. Junior in the back was causing a rumpus.

Still 1% ? 285 died because of drink? I don't think so.

I am not in favour of drink driving. I do want at least to be able to have a couple of pints over an hour or two and drive home. As I said before, out here there are no Luas, Dart, Arrow, DrinkLink, Bus or taxi. If you count €40 round trip fare to my local as a taxi service then you must be Sean Fitpatrick.

Vintner's Victory

Thumbs Up from Jackie and Fan

from seanie in tatler jacks;

So where is the Drink-Driving Limit bill now? Gone. Lily-livered Brian Cowen can't even bring this bill in. At least we can now legally piss this countries future up against the wall.

We have been listing TD's clinics/pubs see Drink Limit tag). Surely there can be no connection with Clinics/Advice Centres and the kicking to touch of the bill? To quote one TD (no stranger to a pub himself) "I was going to vote against this even if the Government came down tomorrow, it's the poor fella that calls in for a pint and a half on the way home from the likes of Castleisland or Kenmare Mart, that's who I'm looking out for." Jackie Healy-Rae in the Kerryman.

Don't get me wrong. I'm happy that the drink-driving limit has not been changed. Life in rural Ireland has enough threats to it. It's weak, non-principled useless TDs that drive me to drink.

Slainte.

Local TD at Your Local Pub (3)

from agnes in john benny moriarty's in dingle;

Drink Drive Limit Drives Me Up The Walls

Stockie and myself are still stuck in Dingle as I think that the guards might get him after his pint and BnP (see this).For my part a few small powers have killed my chances of driving, not that I could as I never learned to drive - damn all cars around here in the fifties.

We blame the politeecians.

I officially give up on this list (see list 1 and list 2). If you want to know more about politicians and their clinics, just look it up yourself. Why?

The countryside is being killed stone cold dead by stubborn, single-minded TDs who don't even have to drive themselves! One drink. One drink and I am a murdering bastard. Wipe out innocents in Limerick with guns and there's no problem. One drink. One drink.

I give up compiling my list because I got as far as Eamon O Cuiv and his list of clinics. Pubs, Pubs Pubs. Not all are pubs I admit, but why edit such a wonderful declaration. A declaration that the pub is the centre of social interaction in rural Ireland.

Want to see the list? Here it is, verbatim. Don't worry if you don't understand Irish, this is (almost) a list of pubs.

Eamon O Cuiv Clinic Venues


Constituency Office, Kirwin House, Flood St. Galway City
At home, Corr na Móna, Co. Galway
Regan's, Maigh Cuilinn
Tí Hughes, An Spidéal
Tigh Bhiddy Ned, Indreabhán
Tír na nÓg, Indreabhán
Ionad Pobail/Community Centre, An Caiseal/Cashel
Tí Mhóráin, Cárna
Tí Chadháin, Cill Chiaráin
Tí Mháille, Rosmuc
Hurney's, Tullykyne
Hollorans', Collinamuck
Kinneavey's, Rosscahill
Boat Inn, Oughterard
Kings, Roundstone
Keoghs Ballyconneely
J.C's, The Square, Clifden
Joyces’, Cleggan
Keane's, Oranmore
Egan's, Coshla
Clarkes' Corrandulla,
Regan's, Clonboo
Molly's, Letterfrack
Coynes' Tullycross,
Hamiltons, Leenane
Burkes, Clonbur
Tí Phádraig Mháirtín Beag, An Droim
Hooker Bar (Tigh Jack), Eanach Mhéain, Béal an Daingin
Réalt na Mara, An CheathrÚ Rua
Tí Sé, Ros-a-Mhíl

It's your round, Noel Dempsey.

Local TD at Local Pub (2)

from stockie in dick mack's;

Enoying another pint and a drop of the craytur. That will put me over Noel Demsey's mad limit. How do I get home from here ? Only 2 drinks, not even a drag, I'm stuck. Where is my Kerry Luas, my Kerry Dart, my Kerry Arrow, my 16a bus, my friendly local taxi driver?

So here is another instalment in our list of Local TDs in local pubs, only FFers this time. Please note that Mary Hanafin has 'Advice Centres', not Clinics.

Barry Andrews (FF)
The Wishing Well, Blackrock
Aine Brady (FF)
The Village Inn (Manzors), Clane
Johnny Brady (FF)
Old Darnley Lodge Hotel, Athboy
Pollard Arms, Castlepollard
O'Shaughnessy's, Delvin
McHugh's Pub, Raharney
Martin Cullen (FF)
Furlong's, Passage
The Tavern, Waterford
John Curran (FF)
Silver Granite Pub, Palmerstown
Frank Fahey (FF)
J. Conneely's, Clifden
Mary Hanafin (FF)
The Igo Inn (Lounge Section) (naturally), Ballybrack
Maire Hoctor (FF)
Damer Court Hotel, Roscrea
The Arch Bar, Thurles
Foley's Bar, Templemore
Liam O'Riain's Pub, Ballina
The Bit n' Bridle Bar, Killenaule
Pat Hough's Bar, Lorrha

I have not stopped at FF. More to come.

Meet Your Local TD at the Local Pub (1)

from stockie by phone from freddie's;

A Tale of Two Harps

There I was sipping a pint in Freddie's in Caherdaniel when it came to my attention that this wonderful hostelry also serves as clinic for our former Ceann Comhairle John O'Donoghue. I looked up some of our TD websites to see where they might hold such clinics. I had to stop at five - 5!! Look up your local man's site and see where he/she might be, waiting to meet happy constituents.

All over the country pubs are closing and these boyos give absolutely no help in keeping these social centres open - even though they use them as social centres themselves.

It costs me €20 to get a hackney home from my local if I forget to bring the jammer with me. And as for smoking? See Grandad for some views on that.

John O'Donoghue's Clinics
Ballyferriter, Donal Keane’s Bar
Annascaul, Falvey’s Bar
Catherdaniel, Freddie’s Bar
Kenmare, Jim O’Shea’s, The Commercial
Glenbeigh, Mary McCarthy’s Bar
Milltown, Michael O’Shea’s Bar
Brandon, Mullaly’s Bar
Ventry, Paudie O’Shea’s Bar
Sneem, Riney’s Bar
Maharees, Spillane’s Bar
Castlecove, Staigue Fort
Castlegregory, Tadgh Óg’s Bar
Keel / Boolteens, The Anvil Bar or Murphy’s Bar
Killarney, The Arbutus Hotel, College Street
Waterville, The Bayview Hotel
Beaufort, The Beaufort Bar
Dingle, Tom McCarthy’s Bar

Seamus Kirk's Clinics
Clogherhead, Lobster Inn
Ardee, Malone's
Carlingford, Taafe's Castle
Dundalk, Central Bar

Willie O'Dea's Clinics
Shanahan’s, Mungret.
Greenhill’s Hotel, Ennis Rd.
The Track, Garryowen.
The Spotted Dog, Janesboro.
Tail Race, Parteen.
Ahern’s Bar, Kilteely,
Miller’s Bar, Oola.
Scobie’s Bar, Hospital.
O’Dwyer’s Bar, Pallasgreen.
G. Barry’s Bar, Caherconlish.
Weigh Inn, Ballysheedy.
Buckley’s Bar, Doon.
Noel Foley’s, Murroe.
Shannon Bar, Castleconnell.

Mary Harney's Clinics
Kenny's Pub, Lucan
Green Isle Hotel, Rathcoole

Richard Bruton's Clinics
Grainger's Coolock
Kitty Kiernan's, Collins Avenue
Kilmardinny, Lorcan Avenue