Category Archives: This sceptred isle

What is Philip Schofield?

Living in Ireland most of my life, I seem to have missed out on the elevation of Philip Schofield to being a person of national importance in England. My memories of him are him being with a glove puppet, called, … Continue reading

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Cost the Earth Day

Earth Day? More like Cost the Earth Day. It’s about taxes and more taxes. If I drove around the country in a Toyota Hiace van that had a broken back light, and leaked oil so much that pressing on the … Continue reading

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In the tradition of Francis Urquhart

There is a moment in the television version of Michael Dobbs’ House of Cards when Francis Urquhart puts the new King Charles firmly in his place. Urquhart alludes to the fact that his family had come south at the beginning … Continue reading

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So near, and yet so far away

In 1981, the 1960s seemed a different world. Going to the Monsters of Rock Festival in Castle Donington in August of that year, AC/DC, the band at the top of the bill, seemed as far removed from the bands that … Continue reading

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ABE

There were celebrations in bars around Dublin this evening as Harry Kane’s penalty kick flew high over the French goal. The cheers at the final whistle were loud. This evening’s World Cup quarter=final result recalled and apocryphal story I heard … Continue reading

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