Last night.

Opposite Shannon Airport

The Stop Trump Peace Camp,

Peace activist Johnny Keenan (him what was on the ‘telly) writes:

Will Griffin Of The Peace Report and former American soldier talks about his experiences at Shannon Airport…

Behold: a long exposure (taken over several nights earlier this year) of the constellation of Orion – not just three stars in a row, rather, a direction in space rich with impressive nebulae. To wit:

 Of the many interesting details that have become visible, one that particularly draws the eye is Barnard’s Loop, the bright red orange arc just to the right of the image center. The Rosette Nebula is not the giant orange nebula just to the left of the image center — that is larger but lesser known nebula known as the Meissa Ring. The Rosette Nebula is visible, though: it is the bright orange, blue and white nebula near the image bottom. The bright orange star just left of the frame center is Betelgeuse, while the bright blue star on the upper right is Rigel. About those famous three stars that cross the belt of Orion the Hunter — in this busy frame they can be hard to locate, but a discerning eye will find them just to the right of the image center.

(Image: Andrew Klinger)

apod

From top: The Dickin Medal; Paddy (left) a messenger pigeon who served with the RAF during the Normandy operations (right) in June 1944.

‘sup?

For the D-Day that’s in it.

Bebe writes:

Paddy the Pigeon was born and raised in Carnlough, County Antrim and joined thousands of other racing birds who were trained and drafted to RAF Hurn in Hampshire for military service.

Impressing military brass with his flying in the Air-Sea rescue units he was seconded to the United States First Army for undercover missions during the Normandy Landings.

In the face of poor weather conditions and the threat of German falcons, deployed to intercept Paddy and his comrades, he delivered his message to his home loft at RAF Hurn.

PDSA, Britain’s biggest veterinary charity, awarded Paddy the Dickin Medal, dubbed the animals’ “Victoria Cross”

After the war Paddy returned to Carnlough and lived out his days with his owner Captain Andrew Hughes, until his death in 1954.

Paddy’s medal is now owned by Kevin Spring, a former Irish Army Officer who bought it at auction for almost £7,000 in 1999…

D-Day: What happened during the landings of 1944? (BBC)

Sources:

Northern Ireland  Fancier Flies Away With Pigeon Medal (BBC News, September 26, 1999)

Wartime hero pigeon Paddy honoured with fly-past, September 24, 2010, BBC)

Paddy The Pigeon (Blackwatertown)

Undisputed Lightweight Boxing Champion of the World Katie Taylor asks during a press conference (with her manager Brian Peters, top) if Sports Minister Shane Ross – a lurking, photo-hungry presence at her arrival at Dublin Airport on Tuesday – is still behind her.

Previously: Give Him A Belt

Seskin Lane – Wide Open Space

A soaring multi-layered anthem that makes good use of the quiet/loud/quiet dynamic beloved by the likes of Snow Patrol, Seskin Lane’s first single from their forthcoming second album showcases singer Eoin Ryan-Anthony’s powerful arena-filling voice.

And the beautifully-shot video has the cinematic sweep of a bittersweet Oscar-winning melodrama.

Nick says: Watch this Space.

Seskin Lane

Yikes.

Previously: Fast And Luas

Irish Quiz Organisation tweetz:

This rebus puzzle quiz is adapted by Gary Stephens from the team quiz he set for the Dublin venue for last weekend’s World Quizzing Championships.

Can you indentify what novel, film, team, person, etc. each clue represents?

Find more clues here

Anyone?

Thanks Irish Quiz Organisation

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