Author Archives: Bodger

This morning.

Earlier…

Francis Farrell, 91, right, chatting to her daughter Pauline Corrigan at her doorstep in Dublin’s Liberties last month

This morning.

Health officials advised that over-70s should keep cocooning in their homes until August but were overruled by the Cabinet.

The National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) recommended that cocooning advice for older and vulnerable people should remain in place for the next three months. The advice was included in the original version of the roadmap for reopening the country.

However, after a debate at Cabinet, ministers decided to remove the recommendation from the Government’s ‘Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business’.…

Meanwhile…

Cabinet overruled Nphet on advice that over-70s should keep cocooning until August (Irish Independent)

Previously: “The Curve Has Been Flattened And Has Now Plateaued”

Rollingnews

How hairy?

This morning/afternoon.

Government Buildings, Dublin 2

Minister for Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, Paschal Donohoe and Minister for housing Planning and Local Government, Eoghan Murphy speaking  announce ‘a suite of measures to further support small, medium and larger business that are negatively impacted by Covid-19’ following a ‘special cabinet meeting’.

Such as barbers and male groomers.

HINT.

Photocall Ireland

From top: Stuart Shils, View of Ballycastle From The Bog Road; Randall Exon, The Nuns; Gwen Davidson, Skyline; Randall Exon, Gathering above the Bay

May 2.

Is Mayo Day.

Breda writes:

Happy Mayo Day.  ‘Mayo Landscape, Artists View‘ is a beautiful collection of 31 images created by artists who did residences in Ballinglen Arts Centre, Ballycastle, County Mayo over the years. It is presented with Mayo Arts Service, Mayo Arts Office, curated by artist Nuala Clarke with Úna Forde and Coordinated by Breda Mayock.

It serves as a journey of the landscape around the area…

Viewing Here

Thanks Robbie Harris

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at government buildings tonight

 

This evening.

At Government Buildings.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announced that the current Covid-19 movement restrictions will remain for another two weeks.

However, from next Tuesday, May 6, 2020, the 2km limit for exercise and non-essential travel will be increased to 5km.

Also from Tuesday, he said people who are “cocooning” will be able to go for a walk or drive within 5km, as long as they “avoid all contact” with other people.

The “plan to reopen the country” is a five-stage plan, involving three-week blocks, starting on May 18 with the fifth phase starting on August 10, he said.

He mentioned that “not long from now, some summer night, we will see our friends again” and that “in later phases” other workplaces, including pubs, cinemas and gyms, will open.

He said schools and colleges will reopen in September/October.

At the outset, Mr Varadkar said the “curve has been flattened and has now plateaued” before saying “we’ve not yet won this fight”.

At the end of his address, he said he’s received about 10,000 pieces of correspondence and “everyday” he tries to set aside time to read some of them.

He recalled letters he got from Jessica, a wheelchair user “who feels an enormous cloud of loneliness around her”; a letter from healthcare worker Anne-Marie who contracted Covid-19 at work who said her patients were like family; a letter from pensioner Phil who lives alone whose mental health is starting to suffer.

He also said he got a letter from Rachel, aged 13, who is worried about her grandparents and wondering when she’ll be able to go back to school. “Someone worried about her future but who ends her letter asking me to stay safe,” he said.

UPDATE:

Previously: “The Is The Calm Before The Storm”

“There’s No Fate But What We Make For Ourselves”

Meanwhile…

Previously: Locking Down Our Liberties

Rollingnews

Make the most of your 2km.

Keith Phelan writes:

Is the lockdown getting to you?

View your personal 2km Island and discover some interesting buildings from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage Ireland as well as historic sites and ship wrecks from National Monuments…on Isolation Island (at link below).

Isolation Island

‘Ready to Pour’ tipples now available for delivery to YOUR door

Thirsty?

Read on.

Sarah Corr writes:

 Box Burger and sister restaurant Platform Pizza in Bray have extended their delivery offering to include a selection of signature cocktails.

…transport your taste-buds with a delicious ‘Bray Bré’, a fruit infused ‘Drumstick’ or a classic ‘Espresso Martini’ as these pre-mixed homebound serves take the hassle out of cocktail making.

Enjoy a lil’ Margarita…Margherita, with fresh Italian cuisine from Dublin’s Sano Pizza and Doolally’s authentic taste of India just some of the new flavours also now available for delivery on Just Eat [at link below]

Other Bray-based takeaway restaurants are available.

Hic

Just Eat

Corporation Buildings off Corporation St (James Joyce Street), Dublin 1, circa 1960s

Dublin historian and author Terry Fagan, of the North Inner City Folklore Project, tweetz:

“I interviewed Dave, the man in the photo walking inside Corporation Buildings.

In the late 1930s at the age of 12 he got summoned to court and sentenced to two and a half years in Artane Industrial School, his brother John got 7 years. They couldn’t attend school, they had the scabies.

His story would make a great movie, events in Artane Industrial School and what happens when he comes home, to find his mother died. He ends up in India in the British Army, refused to shoot people rioting, went to prison.

Back home, his father is a broken man, he’s taking to drink, his wife is dead, his family is destroyed. Events get worse, he turns Dave away from the door.

Dave is walking the streets broken-hearted over John, the brother he left behind, asking round the neighbourhood did anyone see him. He was told he was sleeping on the streets. Dave knew not to look for him until nighttime.

After spending many nights going in and out of tenements with a candle calling out his brother’s name, he met a friend who said to him:

“I hear you’re looking for John, did nobody tell you, John died and is buried in a pauper’s grave.”

Dave was in shock. His friend offered to put him up in his house, knowing he had money from the Army.

Dave (left) with Terry Fagan

After spending all his money with him, his friend told him “sorry, you have to leave, the wife is giving out.”

Then one rainy night Dave made his way to the tenements on Sean McDermott Street [Dublin 1] and bedded down alongside other down and outs.

Morning time came, he was getting up, he tipped the man beside him to move and when the man turned around, it was his brother John. The pal who had told him otherwise was getting into him for his money.

All Dave had left from his army days was a watch. He took John to the pawn office and pawned it and gave him the money to buy a boat ticket to England.

Dave, John and his sister met with me in the Folklore Office and told me what happened to them, how their lives  have changed. It does not end there.”

More as we get it.

North Inner City Folklore Project

Thanks RC

Update: