Monthly Archives: March 2012

In what might be seen as the first salvo in an inter-generational war, Friends of the Elderly has called for the scrapping of transition year.

The organisation…described the senior cycle “gap year” as “self-indulgent” and “a luxury we can’t afford” and said it should be replaced with a community service year.

 

Scrap ‘Self-indulgent’ Transition Year, Urges Elderly Lobby Group (Ronan McGreevey, Irish Times)

Which prompted Declan to write:

– Speaking as a 27 year old who did transition year and is now a tax payer left paying off the debts incurred by the auld ones – I’m a bit annoyed. How about we take away the vote from them and the travel pass. They obviously made a fuck of it the first time time so why give them a self indulgent second chance.

 

FIGHT!

Cross Patrick or Bridget’s cross?

YOU decide.

Both St. Bridget and St. Patrick are patron saints of Ireland, but each had very different methods of converting people to Christianity from paganism during medieval times in Ireland. The main reason for the differences in their approach was due to their difference in origins and target audience. St. Patrick’s approach was more aggressive and was aimed towards people in the druid class who were advisors to kings. St. Bridget’s approach, which was gentler and welcoming to the Irish people, was directed toward commoners who continued to follow pagan rituals until her influence. Although their methods varied, it is evident that St. Bridget’s approach to conversion yielded greater results than St. Patrick’s, because it did not impose religion on the people, but instead moulded their previous pagan beliefs into a genuine and devout acceptance of Christianity.

 

The Conversion to Christianity in Medieval Ireland: St. Patrick vs. St. Bridget (Medieval List pdf)

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lSfNnfP64w&context=C4589e79ADvjVQa1PpcFN52h6lftemgSZUYpl2GJlt3SL7H7qYZhI=

 

 

 

Alternative Miss Ireland (Facebook)

Meanwhile

And, backstage, Emily O’Callaghan (gone all hipster on us), a ghostly Darragh Doyle and ‘Other Guy’.

And the final line-up:

 

 

Stephen O’Farrell writes:

I was walking down Fifth Avenue, New York, to see the parade for the first time and spotted a tiny St Patrick’s Day gay protest, (the LGBT community are still not represented in the parade ). I thought the first picture I took from my phone of the protest sign was nice (see pic 1). Then I decided to grab a sign and join in ( see pic 3).

After chatting to the other protesters it turned out I was the only one at the protest who was actually Irish and gay! The rest were  just passing by and decided to grab a sign and join in :-)  Thought that was charming.  Oh and that red-headed girl (pic 2) was from the Netherlands. Here’s to firsts!