Yearly Archives: 2011

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp09lk_kZCU

Queenie, who during the 1950s and 1960s became known as the ‘world’s only waterskiiing elephant’, has died.

Queenie was put down earlier this week at the age of 59 after her health deteriorated, according to the theme park in south Georgia where she spent her retirement from performing.

The elephant was just six months old when she was bought in a New York city pet store in 1953 by her former owner Liz Dane.

Soon after Dane began training Queenie to water ski at a Florida theme park, where the animal performed to music several times a day for 15 years. She also played the harmonica.

Queenie, the waterskiing elephant, dies (Guardian)

We were too busy building decking to look after it.

Taken on June 1 by Poache, of this parish.

Built in 1735. Home of the famous Christmas Raid The fort is in the south-eastern part of the park, close by a wooded ridge. It’s mentioned in a jingle by Jonathan Swift:

“Now’s here’s a proof of Irish sense
Here Irish wit is seen
When nothing’s left that’s worth defence,
We build a Magazine.”

And, according to AbandonedIreland.ie:

During the Easter Rising, “thirty members of the Irish Volunteers and Fianna Eireann captured the Magazine Fort. They took guns and withdrew, after setting fires to blow up the magazine’s ordinance; but the fuses burned out before reaching the ammunition and little damage was caused.”

Those volunteers should be happy now.

“This weekend we will be gigging at the Kilkenny cats laughs (Friday, on yokes), Ballybunion (2 shows, Saturday, not on yokes but hash) then flying to Monaghan in a helicopter on Sunday to play Flatlakes festival (On yokes).

Rubberbandits on Facebook.

Photographed launching Limerick’s Pig ‘n’ Porter Festival (July 15-17).

(Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland)
Thanks Emily O’Callaghan

Taken yesterday in the ‘Water’s Edge’ garden at the Bloom show in the Phoenix Park.

From left, Micheal Martin, ‘Waters Edge’ designer Oliver Schurmann and Gary Graham, Bloom boss.

If the Celtic Tiger miracle had continued we would all have one of these.

Damn you, Lehman Brothers!

(Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland)
It’s literally ‘alive inside’
CGI artist’s impression

Did you know a 6-year study showed that people over 55 with low vitamin D levels are 60% more likely to suffer from substantial cognitive decline than those with adequate levels of the nutrients.

Jus’ sayin’.

Archives of Internal Medicine

Meanwhile, here’s how things looked from space at 9am today. What? No clouds:

Three Day Forecast (Met Eireann)