Monday, October 30, 2006

It's a fecking brilliant world

From today's Irish times. It's the "sex attack" bit I love.

Italy may skirt issue of special loo for 'Luxuria'
John Hooper in Rome



ITALY: The speaker of Italy's lower house of parliament has an unusual problem as he prepares to rule on the appropriate sanitary arrangements for its most singular member.

Wladimiro Guadagno, who prefers to go by his former stage name of Vladimir Luxuria, describes himself as "transgender" and, while he has never had a sex change operation, dresses and behaves entirely as a woman.

Since being elected to parliament in April, the actor- singer-turned-politician has been using the ladies' loos.

But last Friday, the sight of Mr Guadagno adjusting his skirt and preparing to freshen his lipstick proved too much for one of Silvio Berlusconi's supporters. Elisabetta Gardini said she felt as if she had been the victim of a "sex attack".

Peacemakers suggested that a third loo might be created for Mr Guadagno and his assistant, who is of a similar orientation.

But the spokesman for the Christian Democrat Party was adamant that "there are only two genders - male and female".

After a heated session, the house affairs committee dodged the issue by saying that an MP's choice of loo was personal.

© The Irish Times © Guardian Service

Saturday, October 28, 2006

So far, so... ok

International Rules Football Series 2006
Test 1
Pearse Stadium, Galway - 28/10/2006

Final score:
Ireland 48 - 40 Australia

This means we're eight points in front going into the second test. A poor game but a good result.

The second test is tomorrow week, 5th November in Croke Park. I'm going to the match with Garrett, Karl, Jim Snr. and my cousin, Patsy.

Patsy is in Rome at the minute (the tough life of a journalist) and I kept him updated on the match by texts. On hearing tonight's result, he said - Brilliant. Now let's bury them next Sunday.

A man after my own heart.

Saturday, October 21, 2006

Monday, October 16, 2006

Biodiversity

Bob put his bio on his blog - check it out here. Not to be out done, here's mine.

--

John Rogers simply is. And the world is a better place because of that.

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

It was a feeling that I didn't recognise.

My brother Jim has often said that if you come from Mohill, in Leitrim, in Connacht, in Ireland and you support Spurs... well, you soon learn to handle defeat. He was right, dead right. And then came last Sunday.

Cloone pitch. The forecast was wrong. A beautiful October Sunday. The 2006 Leitrim Senior County Final; Mohill versus St Mary's of Carrick.

In fact, for the first seventeen minutes, it was St. Mary's playing no-one. Mohill didn't register a score as Carrick hit 1-4.

We finally got going but it always felt like it was gonna be too little too late. Ten minutes to go or so and we were five points behind. Carrick's defence seemed to be impassable. We needed a goal.

We didn't get it.

Instead we hit six straight, damn near righteous points to no reply. The equaliser was greeted with a roar from my gut. The winner was near fatal and the final whistle...? I can't describe it. Relief? Joy? More like rapture. I dropped to my knees and cried.

--

Mohill 0-13, St. Mary's 1-9

My home town is a town of champions. The best in the county. Karl said he never saw Mohill play so well. Patrick said he saw tears in George Dugdale's eyes. As for me; I didn't get to see it. Unbelievable. History was made without me.

But what does it matter? I'll always have that memory of Shannonside and me screaming at the radio and then Trish holding me as I tried to figure out what the hell had just happened.

So here's to the Mohillians; we're heroes again.

Saturday, October 07, 2006

Summer's not finished yet

Country, province, county... and club.

A month ago my county lost in a final in Croke Park. Last night my province lost against Ulster. Just now, Cyprus gave my countrymen a lesson on how to play. What's a man to do?

There's still Mohill GFC.

Tomorrow in Cloone - barring more rain tonight - Mohill play St. Mary's of Carrick in the Leitrim Senior County Final. Mohill last won the senior title in 1971 and haven't contested a county final since three years later. Mohill were last in this position before I was born. Years and years of Mohillian dominance at under age football has never really come to fruition. Tomorrow's final is long overdue.

Nothing comes as close to home as club football. With the Leitrim team, I know all the names of course and I know some of the players to say hi. With the club it's different. I know everyone of them including the young guys (Murph is the old man of the team and he's two years younger than me). This means so much; it's easier to celebrate with men you grew up with and it's harder to handle when they lose. This is street football.

So, how will it go? Hard to tell. Carrick came through their semi-final replay by destroying Allen Gaels. Mohill's semi-final win against the Bors was last-gasp stuff. This was the match where Mohill put an end to the soft-centre myth; a myth that has held more credence in Mohill than anywhere else. Carrick have a bigger midfield and have come through an arguably harder journey to the final. Mohill are younger and faster. They may be inexperienced at this level but every Mohillian on the team has won county medals at one underage level at least. Many of them have played for Leitrim at all levels. When these players hit their rhythm, they play the most fluent football in the county.

But it's going to be tight and it's going to be tough - really tough if the forecast for tonight is correct and the pitch swims with water.Mohill need to dig deep. They must want to win more than oxygen. And they most never, never stop believing for sixty minutes and more.

I won't be at the game; I have to work. I'll be keeping track by phone and I can only hope, only hope.

Cyprus 5 Ireland 2

To the rest of the football playing world, all I can say is - Jaysus, look over your heads! Flying Saucers!

Sunday, October 01, 2006

Who said this?

'It is quite unacceptable that a member of Dáil Éireann and in particular a Cabinet Minister and Taoiseach, should be supported in his personal lifestyle by gifts made to him personally.' (Dáil Éireann transcript, September 1997)