Bewley’s Christmas window (featuring a miniature Bewley’s).
Harry Warren writes:
In light of Johnny Ronan claiming that he owns the magnificent Harry Clarke stained glass windows in Bewley’s Cafe Dublin. I wonder will he also claim that he owns the miniature versions on display as a backdrop to the beautiful sculptures by Paddy Campbell currently on display in Bewley’s Cafe front windows?
All pics by Harry Warren
Earlier: Hate To be A Pane
Stump – Charlton Heston
Continuing our series of underrated Irish music since 1960, BS contributor Vanessa holds a torch for lovable Cork eccentrics Stump, who were led by the late, great Mick Lynch (top second right).
Charlton Heston was a single from their 1988 album on Ensign Records A Fierce Pancake which received regular airplay at the time on the Dave Fanning Show on 2FM.
The video was directed by Tim Pope, one of the leading music promo directors of that time.
Nick says: … put his vest on.
The Contact Calculator (top) HSE CEO Paul Reid (above) and top with Anne O’Connor, Chief Operations Officer, HSE
This afternoon.
The weekly HSE covid briefing, Dr Steeven’s Hospital, Dublin.
Via RTÉ:
HSE CEO PAUL Reid told the briefing that the HSE has launched a “Contact Calculator“, available on HSE.ie, which he said will help people to think about the number of people they meet. He warned that people “will meet more people than they think” they will over Christmas.
Good grief.
Meanwhile…
The HSE’s Chief Operating Officer, Anne O’Connor has said attendances in Emergency Departments are increasing but are 15% below the number this time last year.
She said admissions to ED are increasing too, but are lower than this time last year.
Hmm.
HSE urges people to keep Christmas visits to ‘absolute minimum’ (RTÉ)
Dublin shoppers throwing around money at Christmas since Nineteen hundred and splash. 🎅🏽 pic.twitter.com/jyi308GNbG
— Photos of Dublin (@PhotosOfDublin) December 17, 2020
Year, anyone?
A solargraph taken at the University of Hertfordshire’s Bayfordbury Observatory featuring 2,953 light trails of the sun’s movement captured over eight years and one month. The apparatus comprised a pinhole camera made from a beer can attached to one of the observatory’s telescopes by student Regina Valkenborgh in 2012, then forgotten. Valkenborgh sez of it:
It was a stroke of luck that the picture was left untouched, to be saved by David after all these years. I had tried this technique a couple of times at the Observatory before, but the photographs were often ruined by moisture and the photographic paper curled up. I hadn’t intended to capture an exposure for this length of time and to my surprise, it had survived. It could be one of, if not the, longest exposures in existence.
Fancy having a go yourself?
Ross Breen – Merry Christmas At First Light
Have yourself a very synthful Christmas.
Kildare singer/songwriter Ross Breen (top) gets the keyboards out to deliver a seasonal ditty for our times that was written and recorded during lockdown.
Ross says:
“I come from a background of family and social life where gatherings with music are intrinsic to the enjoyment of Christmas. For many, music is a tie binding us together during this period. Art can unify when restrictions keep us apart.
“[the song] envisages the close of 2020, how we will be engaging with our families, friends and partners during this time, and how it will be different to what we’ve known before.”
Nick says: A bright new dawn.
This week’s The Kerryman
Paul Dunphy tweetz:
This has made my day. Did you all see this? Barack Obama followed a random man in Kerry on Twitter. When the man was asked did he follow back? He said ‘Didn’t want to give him the satisfaction’. MOST IRISH REACTION EVER. Superb local story…
UPDATE!
Fuck he followed me back pic.twitter.com/qpYowhvg4g
— Oscar Brophy (nee Qwerty Ahern) (@Brophyst) December 17, 2020
Yay!
He’s unfollowed me again, obviously heated debate happening in casa de obama pic.twitter.com/hqXfUMGSfc
— Oscar Brophy (nee Qwerty Ahern) (@Brophyst) December 17, 2020
Oh.
From top: Johnny Ronan, of Ronan Group Real Estate (RGRE), and Paddy Campbell, of Bewley’s before a window by the artist Jim Fitzpatrick among a number of panels in the Grafton Street café said to be worth about €2m.
This morning/afternoon.
“The works of art are decorative and ornamental, are not part of the building and did not form part of Bewley’s original sale of the premises to Royal Insurance in 1987. The artworks have always remained in the ownership of Bewley’s, and have been protected, maintained and insured by Bewley’s, consistent with such ownership.”
Statement from Bewley’s.
“It is not in Bewley’s gift to transfer ownership either between its group companies, as it has purported to do, or to transfer ownership to the state as Paddy Campbell has so generously indicated are his wishes.”
Statement from Ronan Group Real Estate (RGRE).
Anyone?/FIGHT!
Trouble brewing: Johnny Ronan’s firm claims it owns Bewley’s stained-glass windows (Independent.ie)
