A stunning macro image of sand from a Mallorca beach by Cologne-based photographer Ole Bielfeldt – a colourful composition of minute but highly detailed fragments of coral, quartz and shells of which Bielfeldt sez:

Although to the naked eye this looks like very clean natural sand, pieces of micro-plastic, as seen in the last image, can be found when viewed under the microscope.

More of his tiny universes here and here.

colossal

This morning/afternoon.

Dublin Commuter Coalition’s Chairperson, Kevin Carter, said:

“This judgement has the potential to make delivery of cycling projects even more time consuming and difficult in the future. It’s imperative that we urgently reduce our dependence on cars if we are to meet the target of halving our emissions by 2030. Local authorities and state agencies are in the process of rapidly expanding cycling infrastructure using the €360m/year of funding allocated to walking and cycling projects by the government. We call on Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan TD, to introduce legislative amendments to empower local authorities to use the funding urgently and efficiently as originally intended.”

Meanwhile…

Kristin Hadfield, a resident of Strand Road and member of Dublin Commuter Coalition said:

“I was looking forward to cycling to work, around Sandymount, to shops, etc., but simply do not feel comfortable to do so on non-segregated lanes, and I know many people in the area who feel the same. This is such a shame for Sandymount residents and, really, for active travel across Ireland.”

Meanwhile…

Kevin Baker, chairperson of Dublin Cycling Campaign said:

“We’re bitterly disappointed by this outcome. It is a lost opportunity to trial an amenity which would have enabled people of all ages and abilities to safely and comfortably cycle along the seafront on Strand Road.”

“We’ve seen a similar amenity in neighbouring Dún Laoghaire, the Coastal Mobility Route, become an overwhelming success over the past year. It has enabled more people to cycle and it has reinvigorated the coastal communities through which it passes, including Blackrock, Dún Laoghaire and Sandycove.”

“Strand Road is a vital missing link in a coastal cycle route around Dublin Bay. Dublin Cycling Campaign will continue to engage constructively with all stakeholders to find a safe and attractive cycling solution on Strand Road, which remains a hostile environment for anyone who wishes to cycle there.”

Meanwhile…

Dublin City Councillor Catherine Stocker, of the Social Democrats, said:

“The Social Democrats are strongly of the view that Dublin City Council needs to stay the course and appeal this decision. Strand Road is predicted to be below sea level by 2050. Opposition to measures that reduce carbon emissions is misguided and does a disservice to the local community.

“Moreover, this kind of safe, segregated infrastructure is vital to ensuring increased cycling uptake from women and children. The proportion of women who cycle in our city compared to men is only 27pc, according to the last census, and the numbers of children cycling to secondary school is now at only 2pc, according to information provided in recent months to the Oireachtas Climate Action Committee. Blocking the Strand Road cycle lane is a regressive move which ill serves our city.”

Anyone?

Just launched.

‘Gaspers’.

A five-year journey to bring justice to the issue of contaminated air on aircraft, by lawyer and consumer advocate Frank Brehany,

Frank, whose father was a Tuam adoptee and will be known to readers for his activism on behalf of Mother and Baby Home survivors, explores science, technology and the ‘very essence of what it takes to bring regulation to protect people’s health’ in this, his first book (available at link below).

In fairness.

Gaspers (Amazon)

Hy-Brasil.

A phantom island.

Or was it?

Yes, it didn’t exist.

Or did it?

Stop that.

Largest Early World Map – Monte’s 10 ft. Planisphere of 1587 (David Rumsey)

Thanks Bebe


The Director Of Provision Shites On As The Tractor Runs

there’s no place like home
says I, the Director of provision
the heat that beats down along the equator is cruel
but the rain in Ireland can be crueller, you say I’m some fool
that I do believe in God but I’m afraid of rainbows well weather
is natural or unnatural depending on whether it makes good Turf

there is nothing and I mean nothing, that can bate the Turf
you won’t find the likes when ye get home
lads, and it’s all because whether
or not ye have the means of provision
the likelihood of becoming the fool
who goes back through Judges decision is cruel

t’is close it’s highly likely your cruel
entitlement to my country and my Turf
would make me take it out on you don’t fool
yourself I’ll give you a scaldin’ you can carry all the way back home
be that bus, plane or shipwreck, feck provision
I’ll give you breakneck, hightide, Godspeed weather

whatever you decide will weather
your face to leather and the cruel
-ty of the direct provision
of neglect will burn a hole the Turf
couldn’t even dream of. Go home.
that golden neon turning in the hearth is making a fool

of you, seducing you, using your fool
-hardy head to lead you to expect a fair-weather
friend in court, but us, we who are Home
we have known an eight hundred year occupation of Cruel
we turned bitterness to shame from those who ruled, Turf
was the only thing that was our own Our only provision

was kept at anything worthless, so provision
in our ears sounds like ‘’shirtless’’ or fool
maggot, blight, dirt. Yurt a Mhac, the Turf
is what has turned us into monsters, the weather
is the only God who answers us now, so hear cruel
exactly as it’s meant the only emotion still in us, not on us, home.

let me turn my Turf to the God of leaving cert weather
and the other provision, petrol or diesel fool?
You have asylum sucked at the wrong teat and entered into a land called Cruelty, go home.

beam

beam is a 26 year old woman from Galway. A new poet and a recent MA graduate, beam is working on her first collection after being published on Spilling Hot Cocoa Over Martin Amis. Recent work includes: ‘surviving the pandemic and several disappointing sourdough loaves’. You can find more of her poetry @personalbeam on instagram.

Previously: beam on Broadsheet

RollingNews

This morning.

The first walk-in Covid-19 vaccination centres, operating over the bank holiday weekend, open today.

Via RTÉ

Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Damien McCallion [HSE’s National Director and Lead for the Vaccination Programme] said an aim of the walk-in centres is to encourage more uptake of vaccines when people may not be in their home county, and can avail of the vaccine elsewhere.

“You can go to any clinic, it is for the Pfizer vaccine and opens today with all times and centres listed online,” he said.

He said if people avail of a vaccine while on holidays this weekend, they will be offered a second dose closer to their home address in the weeks ahead.

Clinics will work to designated times, and 16-17 year olds do not require parental consent to be vaccinated.

First walk-in Covid-19 vaccination centres open (RTÉ)

RollingNews

Meanwhile…

Um.


Klubber Lang – There, There

Ever wondered what the bastard son of The Fall and the Pixies would sound like?

Wonder no more. Dublin post-punk tyros Klubber Lang – named for Sylvester Stallone’s nemesis in Rocky III – rock the joint with this visceral groove, while today its follow-up, Sleep Well, is released as a single.

The band are: Ciaran McGoldrick (vocals and bass); Ciaran Tallon (guitar, ex-Revelino); Fin O’Leary (drums, ex-Mexican Pets); Ronan McHugh (keyboards, producer).

The video was directed by Rory McDonald.

Nick says: Lang time no see.

Klubber Lang

‘sup?

This morning.

Carlosfandango writes:

There’s no way I’m going out in that. Miss Lette’s first decision of the day.

Arf.

Meanwhile…

Ruff.

Broadsheet.ie