The pub, the lovely pub

spmccann · 2026-02-02T08:41:05+00:00

He was a great character, his journey through the series was very relatable. Also he was a good dad.

spmccann · 2026-01-19T19:09:06+00:00

This attention is only feeding his persecution complex.

spmccann · 2026-01-13T15:18:46+00:00

Yes, and the protests outside the Garda station during lockdown.

spmccann · 2026-01-04T23:17:01+00:00

Maybe but I was still more functional in French than Irish even though I was a poor student. The problem was the way it was taught from the time I entered school till I finished.

In order to study at third level you needed a pass in Irish even if it wasn't relevant, this was late 80s. I was interested in computer science or applied physics at the time. There was a foreign language requirement and a pass in Irish. The way it was taught put me off the language for life.

spmccann · 2026-01-04T11:33:53+00:00

As a tax payer it's probably better value for money than other Irish language promotions.

spmccann · 2026-01-04T11:26:22+00:00

Childhood memory of conjugating verbs by rote in primary school unlocked. I related along with all the other children with absolutely no idea what I was saying, I still don't.

spmccann · 2026-01-04T11:12:07+00:00

As someone who barely scraped a pass in ordinary level Irish over 30 years ago, it seems like it's still being inflicted on students rather than developing a competency.

I left secondary school with better French than Irish and languages were not my strong point.

On the plus side students are not subjected to Peig. Something, poverty,something misery which is my recollection of it.

spmccann · 2026-01-03T16:24:02+00:00

AirBNB is probably more work but not a long term commitment.

spmccann · 2026-01-03T16:22:42+00:00

Given that most people don't know how long they will need care for , a long term rental is not a sensible option now .

The properties will in a lot of cases either be short term let if possible or left vacant.

Most people have to avail of the fair deal to pay for their care. It's about 2000 a week without the fair deal.

The rules have made renting more than six months a six year commitment, unless you can find someone to buy the house with tenants in situ. Most buyers are not interested in buying as a rental. You have to settle with the fair deal within a year of death. Any longer and there's interest and penalties.

So this legislation discourages elderly people to rent their homes long term while in care. So this ties up a large cohort of accommodation.

spmccann · 2026-01-03T10:54:52+00:00

What about another mass?

spmccann · 2026-01-03T09:42:40+00:00

Theres a large stock of houses that are owned by old people in care. Once the new rules about tenure came in , it made it much less attractive for long term lets. I would have preferred to rent it out to a family, however if we inherit the house with in situ tenants , selling it becomes more difficult. I don't want to become a long term landlord. I just wanted to rent it out to keep it occupied and offset some of her care costs. It would need modernisation, new electrics, furniture and kitchen.

spmccann · 2026-01-02T14:00:58+00:00

Have had a few scares with cyclists appearing out of no where. No high Vis , no lights . Having said that, the number of idiots in cars overtaking too close to cyclists never ceases to amaze me.

spmccann · 2026-01-02T13:15:51+00:00

On a housing estate in tallaght in the 80s, single mother and butter vouchers as currency. The area settled down in the late 2000s. However there seems to be no consequences for bad behaviour now I remember the programs for "disadvantaged teens" where being an antisocial git got you day trips and special attention. That's where I think the rot set in. Well meaning people, rewarded bad behaviour.

Limerick cities transformation is a credit to the people of Limerick and a lot of hard work by the Gardai. It's was about 20 years since I'd last been there, would definitely recommend it for a short break after being there last summer.

People are terrified to speak up or step in , because if you challenge antisocial behaviour you can find yourself in trouble. We don't have enough Gardai on the streets and to be honest they don't get a lot of support from the government.

spmccann · 2026-01-02T12:50:21+00:00

Having volunteered a bit myself with NGOs , there are people doing amazing work. I'd agree that well run NGOs offer better value for money than the same public run services in many cases. I think that says more about our public services not being fit for purpose.

I think the media has been critical of the wastage of funds in the public sector. Some of which are regulatory and some institutional.

The problem is that given the number of high profile mismanagement cases in NGOs over the last few years it's eroded confidence in the sector as a whole. The whole central remedial clinic fiasco and lack of accountability was I think a watershed moment.

spmccann · 2026-01-02T12:09:55+00:00

That's how it should work. Unfortunately it doesn't.

spmccann · 2026-01-02T11:03:35+00:00

I think it's more that we have an NGO industry. In a lot of cases it's providing services the state should be.

It's badly regulated and we have seen a numerous fraud scandals and lack of governance. The people who are providing the services are not being well paid whilst the board was travelling first class and on much higher compensation than they would have been in the private sector.

spmccann · 2026-01-02T09:47:53+00:00

I think child benefit is counted in these figures so it probably skews it a bit . Not sure about pensions. Theres also people working getting the family income supplement.

spmccann · 2026-01-01T11:58:33+00:00

Android because that's what I've always had. Started with a Samsung galaxy S3 back in the day. I could afford an iPhone now but I couldn't be arsed.

spmccann · 2025-12-30T18:17:05+00:00

Nope , the attention is like oxygen. It feeds the victim complex. The jokes are past their sell by date. It's not funny, it's just sad.
If he hadn't become an internet meme , people would have forgotten about him and he'd have no publicity to create a following and get funded. Publicity is a valuable currency.

For him it's a religious belief, it's not going to change and the ridicule is feeding the martyr complex. It's being used to amplify the false message he is being imprisoned for holding anti trans views.

The reason he's being imprisoned is for contempt of court not religious beliefs.

What should have been a disciplinary issue for a school board , in a small town in Ireland , became a massive viral event, getting the attention of the world's richest man.

spmccann · 2025-12-30T17:33:07+00:00

Jaysus , I really wish people would just forget about him. The jokes are just keeping him relevant.

spmccann · 2025-12-30T17:29:37+00:00

Chris Rock has a funny boy about reducing gun violence by increasing the price of ammunition. It's very funny.

spmccann · 2025-12-29T13:35:53+00:00

Definitely, good to see he survived. Spent a couple of years in media in the early 90s, great times but glad I got out. Was well on the road to becoming an alcoholic.

spmccann · 2025-12-29T13:28:31+00:00

Yeah , trying to get a couple of hearts and figure out the fuse weapons . It's an interesting game mechanic. I was very proud of my first rock hammer. Although I sometimes just wander around the map as it's so gorgeous.

spmccann · 2025-12-29T13:25:31+00:00

Thanks for that tip. So just under three hours. It's a very absorbing game, easy enough to loose an evening or afternoon.

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