The presence of these Brazilians in our midst is sure to bring many long-term benefits to the country.
Imagine the beautiful children that will result from the mixing of our races!
There is also the dividends that will accrue to the successors of Brian Kerr (Ireland's soccer manager). For on Saturday I attended a local soccer match to watch as an indigenous Gort team was beaten 8 nil by itsBrazilian counterparts! A generation of 'Ronaldo O'Briens' are waiting in their prams!!
So are they being accepted? On the whole, I believe so.
Some people such as Frank Murray, a Portuguese-speaker community organiser, are coordinating some excellent integrationist programmes. I myself will be organising a series of evening IT classes for Brazilian adults designed to promote 'electronic' communities or eNeighbourhoods and closer social interaction.
Of course, some local young people feel that these relatively good-looking Brazilians are here to steal their boyfriends and girlfriends. There are also stories 'doing the rounds' that tell of lonely old farmers being seduced by sexy young Brazilian girls into marriage and signing over the deeds of their farms! Supposedly a few of their cousins are not too happy with on-folding events!!
Sleepy Rural Town Rocks to the Samba Beat!
What a sight! Down-town on a Saturday night oozes excitement and emotionality. Brazilian men wolf whistle as the girls in tight figure-hugging clothes strut their stuff, provocatively smiling as they nonchalantly stroll pass their ogling admirers. Children saunter up and down on bikes as their parents gather in groups outside their front doors laughing and talking loudly as they share the latest scandals and news stories with their neighbours. Someone turns on a CD radio and two girls dance in rhythm to the samba beat.
Early Monday morning the town square is still populated with crowds of people. This time the scene is of dozens of men armed with lunch boxes waiting quietly in groups in anticipation of being collected by pick-up trucks for casual work in the fields and building sites of the surrounding area. Not everyone is successful though and, after a few hours of fruitless waiting, the unlucky ones slowly wander home. Yet they will return the following day to once again re-commence the process.
But these scenes are not from some backwater village in central Brazil. This is Gort in the rural heartland of Co. Galway in the west of Ireland.
Through personal contacts, I have developed good friendships with many of the Brazilians who now constitute 33% of the town's population and who have injected a real 'tropical buzz' into Gort.
The Brazilian invasion began over 5 years ago when Duffys, the owners of the local meat processing & animal slaughter factory were forced to travel to Brazil to recruit workers. They were finding it increasingly difficult to secure local staff for this physically demanding and dirty work.
The new arrivals came from poor communities in central and southern Brazil. As the months and years rolled by, the families of the male workers followed with the result that they have now transformed the social and cultural landscape of a Gaelic countryside. Signs in some of the local shops are now in Portuguese and the local Catholic Church hosts has a monthly mass in the language. I went to one religious service last Tuesday- it was so musical, expressive and interactive that I find myself spiritually uplifted.
This year the newcomers held their second annual 'Rio carnival' which was an outstanding success. The Brazilian women spend lots of time knitting and sewing up sparkling dress wear for the parade's participants.
Recently, the south Americans opened two shops (Real Brasil & Tabor Brasil) on the main street selling food and other domestic produce.
Early Monday morning the town square is still populated with crowds of people. This time the scene is of dozens of men armed with lunch boxes waiting quietly in groups in anticipation of being collected by pick-up trucks for casual work in the fields and building sites of the surrounding area. Not everyone is successful though and, after a few hours of fruitless waiting, the unlucky ones slowly wander home. Yet they will return the following day to once again re-commence the process.
But these scenes are not from some backwater village in central Brazil. This is Gort in the rural heartland of Co. Galway in the west of Ireland.
Through personal contacts, I have developed good friendships with many of the Brazilians who now constitute 33% of the town's population and who have injected a real 'tropical buzz' into Gort.
The Brazilian invasion began over 5 years ago when Duffys, the owners of the local meat processing & animal slaughter factory were forced to travel to Brazil to recruit workers. They were finding it increasingly difficult to secure local staff for this physically demanding and dirty work.
The new arrivals came from poor communities in central and southern Brazil. As the months and years rolled by, the families of the male workers followed with the result that they have now transformed the social and cultural landscape of a Gaelic countryside. Signs in some of the local shops are now in Portuguese and the local Catholic Church hosts has a monthly mass in the language. I went to one religious service last Tuesday- it was so musical, expressive and interactive that I find myself spiritually uplifted.
This year the newcomers held their second annual 'Rio carnival' which was an outstanding success. The Brazilian women spend lots of time knitting and sewing up sparkling dress wear for the parade's participants.
Recently, the south Americans opened two shops (Real Brasil & Tabor Brasil) on the main street selling food and other domestic produce.
First Day Back at School- Joy & Trepidation!
Summer Holidays are over as School Reopens
Photo shows(L-R) Shane, Cepta & Daire just before we travel to school for the first day of the new school year.
One of the major red-letter days in the annual calendar of both parents and children, the first day back is always greeted with a mixture of trepidation and joy.
In the background, you can see construction work taking place at our house(we decided to add on an extension).
Photo shows(L-R) Shane, Cepta & Daire just before we travel to school for the first day of the new school year.
One of the major red-letter days in the annual calendar of both parents and children, the first day back is always greeted with a mixture of trepidation and joy.
In the background, you can see construction work taking place at our house(we decided to add on an extension).
Renville - One Day After the Clean Up!!
This photo was taken a day after the Galway County Council undertook a clean up of Renville!
The roadside bags (upper left of photo) represented the rubbish gathered by the county council staff.
Somebody forgot the seashore!
The roadside bags (upper left of photo) represented the rubbish gathered by the county council staff.
Somebody forgot the seashore!
Why is the owner of this ramshackle boat allowed to leave it in Renville public carpark?
Why is the owner of this ramshackle boat allowed to leave it in Renville public carpark?
Originally uploaded by Speedie1.
The county council found out who owned, But in spite of the threat of court action, the wealthy owner from nearby Oranmore has done nothing to remove this big piece of junk
Renville- Ireland's most litter-strewn bay?
This rubbish was collected by the local authority after 2 months of lobbying by yours truely.
But they gathered it on a Thursday and left it onsite until the following Tuesday!!
Notice where they dumped it - right up against one of their own signs stating "No Dumping"!! Can you believe it?
Furthermore, it was only a fraction of the rubbish strewn across the area (See next photo)
Yet they told a few week later that the job was done!!!
But they gathered it on a Thursday and left it onsite until the following Tuesday!!
Notice where they dumped it - right up against one of their own signs stating "No Dumping"!! Can you believe it?
Furthermore, it was only a fraction of the rubbish strewn across the area (See next photo)
Yet they told a few week later that the job was done!!!
Ireland's most Litter-strewn Seashore?
ren4
Originally uploaded by Speedie1.
Ireland is famous for its scenery. It the country*s primary asset in promoting Tourism, our most important industry since the 1950s.
And there is no more pictureseque location in the country than Galway Bay, celebrated in song and verse for centuries.
But sadly, the massive built development that has been taking place in our country for the last decade is destroying our God-given natural beauty. We are ‘killing the goose that lays the golden egg’.
I would be the first to admit that the government-imposed plastic bag levy and Galway City Council’s introduction of a radical pro-recycling waste management domestic waste system have been positive eco-friendly initiatives. But the overall picture is depressing. Our lakes are being polluted with fertilsers; wetlands and bogs are being drained; hedgrows (Ireland’s tropical rain forests) are being ripped up; our fields are being covered over with tarmacaden and houses & our air is being filled with toxic pollutants.
Look at the attached pictures of Galway Bay. The location is Renville near the holiday village that I manage. It must be the most litter-strewn seashore in Ireland and it is permanently covered by appalling levels of rubbish. This is because the direction of the ocean’s currents leads to the depositing of all sorts of waste material from the city and environs at this particular shoreline.
Renville itself is now host to a cluster of quality leisure activities - golf club, sailing club, holiday homes, hotel , a fine public park and the location for the new Marine Institute.
But in spite of months of personally lobbying the county council, I have had little success in solving the ongoing waste crisis.
I regularly help in voluntary cleaning actions. But the task is too large for a small number of individuals to solve. It is the council’s responsibility to provide at least a weekly cleaning service in this popular leisure destination. However, due to a government embargo on local authorities staff recruitment, there are not the human resources available to implement such a policy. The local Community Warden tries his best but has a very wide geographical brief. It took me two months of persistent lobbying to get a council cleaning crew out last June. But the rubbish collected was only the tip of the iceberg and was left on site for four days beside a Council ‘No Dumping’ Sign before it was collected! Part of the shore wall had previously being broken down to allow equipment onto the seashore. But an unsightly mess left behind was never repaired.
Furthermore, a large derelict boat was removed from the sailing club area last year and dumped in front of the park. In spite of the best efforts of the Community Warden, the craft is still there despoiling this beautiful public amenity.
The person that owns it is a wealthy millonaire living locally! The personification of selfishness.
Over the last few months, I have being forced to cancel field trips by schools to the seashore because of this appalling waste vista. Something needs to be done soon to preserve this unique heritage and natural environmental area before it is too late.
This week, I wrote an article on the topic for a local newspaper. Hopefully this may embarass the council into action
Influential & courageous British politician dies
Really sad to hear that the former British politician Mo Mowlan died today.
Mo was the British government's Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the historical 'Good Friday' agreement was signed between the main Irish nationalist and 'Unionist' parties. She was the most energetic, dynamic and radical politician ever to hold this post and her presence was vital in making the agreement happen.
She was a true friend of Ireland and was sympathetic to the aim of a United Ireland.
On a personal level, she was witty, irreverent, straight-talking and blunt much to the annoyance of many civil servants and old style politicians.
A BBC correspondent summarised her persona when he told the story today of the circumstances around one interview he had with her in Government buildings. She just strolled into the room, waving her wig around in her hand & saying, "Well Douggie, have you got a comb handy"! When he gave her his comb, she started to brush her wig and then asked him to proceed with his questions!!!
Many in Britain hold that she was the most popular politician of her generation.
Sad to say, she was finally pushed out of the British cabinet by people like Tony Blair & Peter Mandelson who felt threatened by her popularity and left-wing stance.
In that sense, she was from the same stable as other British Labour politicos such as Clare Short, Tony Benn & Ken Livingstone (all of whom were pro-Irish nationalist) and the late lamented Robin Cook (who died last week).
I'll miss her
Mo was the British government's Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the historical 'Good Friday' agreement was signed between the main Irish nationalist and 'Unionist' parties. She was the most energetic, dynamic and radical politician ever to hold this post and her presence was vital in making the agreement happen.
She was a true friend of Ireland and was sympathetic to the aim of a United Ireland.
On a personal level, she was witty, irreverent, straight-talking and blunt much to the annoyance of many civil servants and old style politicians.
A BBC correspondent summarised her persona when he told the story today of the circumstances around one interview he had with her in Government buildings. She just strolled into the room, waving her wig around in her hand & saying, "Well Douggie, have you got a comb handy"! When he gave her his comb, she started to brush her wig and then asked him to proceed with his questions!!!
Many in Britain hold that she was the most popular politician of her generation.
Sad to say, she was finally pushed out of the British cabinet by people like Tony Blair & Peter Mandelson who felt threatened by her popularity and left-wing stance.
In that sense, she was from the same stable as other British Labour politicos such as Clare Short, Tony Benn & Ken Livingstone (all of whom were pro-Irish nationalist) and the late lamented Robin Cook (who died last week).
I'll miss her
Graffiti all over City Hall!!
If I had a hat, I would surely take it off to honour James Harrold, Galway City Council's Arts Officer.
His present exhibition in the grounds of City Hall has taken what was (& still is) subversive art and placed in the corridors of power. Well done James!
Galway is known as the 'arts capital of Ireland'. This is due to the efforts of a dedicated few such as James who still have to win over an establishment that is quite conservative, philistine and spartan even on issues of culture and arts. For instance, just look at the horrible buildings that have been erected in our city over the last few decades. Horrible!!
James (or JC to his old college buddies such as myself) is like a breath of fresh air that puts colour into what can otherwise be a very grey city.
Earlier this year, he came to the rescue of one of my 'Fionn' primary schools that wanted to make a 3D model of their science project on the theme of the 'waterways of Galway'. He funded the hiring of two artists that supported the children in their creation of a beautiful large scale model of our urban canals & rivers. We hope to have the completed sculpture on display at the official opening of the new museum in early 2006. Then the 'world and his mother' can have a birdseye view of Galway and understand why it is the 'Venice of Ireland'.
So to put the rumours to rest once and for all- My ceiling was actually painted black and covered with a moon, stars and the gory face of a huge female vampire. The bedroom walls on the other hand were painted sky blue populated with some nice clouds. Contrasts!!
JC - you would have been proud of my artistic endeavours!
Alas, these wonderful mural creations of mine failed to charm the ladies though!
Finally, I was inspired to write this blog when my colleague Ina recently showed me photographs of some excellent street graffiti in London. So my attitude was, what London has so have we. Even though ours is on a much less grand scale.
Still.
His present exhibition in the grounds of City Hall has taken what was (& still is) subversive art and placed in the corridors of power. Well done James!
Galway is known as the 'arts capital of Ireland'. This is due to the efforts of a dedicated few such as James who still have to win over an establishment that is quite conservative, philistine and spartan even on issues of culture and arts. For instance, just look at the horrible buildings that have been erected in our city over the last few decades. Horrible!!
James (or JC to his old college buddies such as myself) is like a breath of fresh air that puts colour into what can otherwise be a very grey city.
Earlier this year, he came to the rescue of one of my 'Fionn' primary schools that wanted to make a 3D model of their science project on the theme of the 'waterways of Galway'. He funded the hiring of two artists that supported the children in their creation of a beautiful large scale model of our urban canals & rivers. We hope to have the completed sculpture on display at the official opening of the new museum in early 2006. Then the 'world and his mother' can have a birdseye view of Galway and understand why it is the 'Venice of Ireland'.
Mirrors on a Student's Bedroom Ceiling?
While I am on the subject of our esteemed Arts officer, I remember someone telling me in a pub a few years back that JC had mentioned that I use to have mirrors placed on the ceiling over my bed during my student days.So to put the rumours to rest once and for all- My ceiling was actually painted black and covered with a moon, stars and the gory face of a huge female vampire. The bedroom walls on the other hand were painted sky blue populated with some nice clouds. Contrasts!!
JC - you would have been proud of my artistic endeavours!
Alas, these wonderful mural creations of mine failed to charm the ladies though!
Finally, I was inspired to write this blog when my colleague Ina recently showed me photographs of some excellent street graffiti in London. So my attitude was, what London has so have we. Even though ours is on a much less grand scale.
Still.
Students of the Rainbow Coalition
African and Brazilian students of the DERI Internet classes pictured with my colleague Ina & yours truely at the launch of our Community Outreach programme at Galway University.
Guest speaker was government Minister Eamon Ó Cuiv, grandson of the great 1916 republican veteran Eamon de Valera. Ó Cuiv is a politician that I admire greatly for his sense of vision and community (though I have serious differences with him on certain issues such as 'once-off housing' in rural areas).
Being so politically correct, Ina decided to wear a symbolic 'black & white' dress for the occasion.
As you can see, I tried to follow 'suit'!
Guest speaker was government Minister Eamon Ó Cuiv, grandson of the great 1916 republican veteran Eamon de Valera. Ó Cuiv is a politician that I admire greatly for his sense of vision and community (though I have serious differences with him on certain issues such as 'once-off housing' in rural areas).
Being so politically correct, Ina decided to wear a symbolic 'black & white' dress for the occasion.
As you can see, I tried to follow 'suit'!
My African Refugee IT Students
In spite of my previous comment, I still got certain things completed satisfactorily. So all was not lost.
Particularly enjoyable was my morning Internet class with the African refugees from the Eglinton (Hotel) Hostel. At long last, I finally found a suitable summer venue for the DERI Online Social Networking classes.
The Galway Centre for Independent Living (GCIL) has a fine IT suite.
The lesson went really well. The majority of the participants found that they finally cracked it & they were laughing & giggling. The girls were emailing, setting up communities, surfing, creating their own topics... It was really great and I broke into a permanent smile! Tess (Kenya) was playing the keyboard as if it was a piano; Adenike (Nigeria) was printing out some interesting posters from websites; Catherine (South Africa) sent her first ever email! Magret (Zimbabwe) & Ana (Angola) were flying. Only Miranda (Cameroon) had serious problems- she lost her password and couldn't get into Orkut. But, as I told her, there is always next week.
However I did have one major embarrassment. At the last session, I took photos of all the girls to be inserted this week onto their individual web profiles. But what happens?
Everyone of them came into class with dramatically altered appearances. New hairstyles that made the photos look totally unrecognisable.
Women!!
But I promised to call out to the hostel next Monday for a new photo shoot. Still the girls were warned not to undertake any major facial surgery for at least another 4 weeks.
I have to say that the OSN classes are making a big difference to the lives of these students. It is helping them break the drudgery of their everyday Galway existence & to enjoy life a lot more. Many of them were previously stuck in the hostel 24/7, not getting a chance to get out and do something productive. Now thanks to the Internet classes, they are making friends at home & abroad as well as learning new practical technological skills.
So next week, our online friend Padraig O'Beaglaioch will help them establish sporting activities. He tells me that he is so exicted about the prospect of helping them organise multi-cultural sport games. But I told him that he always gets that way around women!
Disorganised & Anarchic- Its Getting me Down
Had a really frustrating day yesterday. Got only a fraction done of what I planned. This is becoming an ever-growing problem for me. Others say that I have too much on my plate being involved as I am in so many diverse things. However I blame my inability to plan my working day better. I get sidetracked too easily & cave into sudden requests from others for meetings etc. There is no excuse- It is like going out with the best looking woman in the world & then letting your eyes wander. Totally illogical, stupid & silly!!Anyway, tomorrow will be the first day of the rest of my life and I will rigidly keep by my pre-written schedule tomorrow. That's a public (i.e. Internet) promise!
Horror behind the Beauty
The 'Jennie Johnson' docked this week in Galway Harbour. A replica of a 19th century sailing ship, she is truly a thing of beauty. With majestic masts & sails dominating the skyline, ornately carved metal fittings gleaming in the sun & a hull gently creaking as its lolls in the water, one could almost imagine the ship's Victorian-era crew happily singing a sea shanty in unison as they unfurled its rigging.
However this stunning creature is a representation of something much more sinister from one of the darkest moments in our nation’s history.
The Jennie Johnson is a replica of the infamous 'coffin ships' that transported hundreds of thousands of starving Irish to the shores of America during the Great Famine of the 1840s. Thousands died in the Atlantic crossings as a result of the unsanitary conditions on the ships. Unscrupulous ship owners decided to make a killing out of the desperate peasants that poured into the ports of Ireland seeking escape from a famine that left one million dead. Once they paid their fare, the passengers were squeezed into cramped holds, given subsistence in the form of rotting food & contaminated water and provided with little if any onboard medical assistance. Dysentery and typhus killed many while others drowned as overcrowded ships capsized in the violent oceanic storms. The transatlantic voyages normally took 3 months to complete. Sadly too many emigrants never had a chance to fulfil the dream of a life in the United States or Canada as they were tossed overboard to a watery grave.
Galway Races 2005 - A Mass of Humanity
Up to 40,000 at the Galway Races on one day.
Over 150,000 visited the 7 day festival.
It is truely an egalitarian event with all sectors of society present- from the very rich to the very poor.
It offers a taste of what Celtic tribal gatherings must have been like thousands of years ago
Over 150,000 visited the 7 day festival.
It is truely an egalitarian event with all sectors of society present- from the very rich to the very poor.
It offers a taste of what Celtic tribal gatherings must have been like thousands of years ago
A really Good Day for Ireland! and...
Today was a really good day!
a) For myself personally- I was honoured to have an article published in the prestigious daily ‘Irish Times’ newspaper on the Primary School Science project that I manage. Known as ‘Fionn’, the programme equips and trains teachers and children to produce their own annual science documentary. More details tomorrow!
b) For Ireland- the IRA announced an end to the 36 year 'Armed Struggle'. As a long-time democratic Irish republican, I have to congratulate Gerry Adams & Martin McGuinness for their decisive leadership in bringing this campaign to an end.
Let us hope and pray that the so-called Loyalist (drug-dealing) gangs also disarm; that the Unionist politicians break down their elitist 'Fortress Mentality' to engage with their fellow Irishmen & women i.e. Irish Republicans & that the British government push bring through much-needed social and political reform. Because for Peace to take root and grow, the nourishment of Justice must be provided.
Today was a really good day!
a) For myself personally- I was honoured to have an article published in the prestigious daily ‘Irish Times’ newspaper on the Primary School Science project that I manage. Known as ‘Fionn’, the programme equips and trains teachers and children to produce their own annual science documentary. More details tomorrow!
b) For Ireland- the IRA announced an end to the 36 year 'Armed Struggle'. As a long-time democratic Irish republican, I have to congratulate Gerry Adams & Martin McGuinness for their decisive leadership in bringing this campaign to an end.
Let us hope and pray that the so-called Loyalist (drug-dealing) gangs also disarm; that the Unionist politicians break down their elitist 'Fortress Mentality' to engage with their fellow Irishmen & women i.e. Irish Republicans & that the British government push bring through much-needed social and political reform. Because for Peace to take root and grow, the nourishment of Justice must be provided.
Machine Locusts Over Galway!
Like a swarm of tropical locusts the helicopters descend out of the skies over Galway during Race Week. Then, as suddenly as they appear, they vanish after 7 days of feverish activity. Never to be seen or heard of for another year.
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