Northwestrambler's Blog

New Irish President

northwestrambler — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 18:28:47 +0000

So after all the talks and debates, we have a new Irish President, Michael D Higgins. Out of all that did run, he either got peoples number 1 or a lot of number 2′s. It will be interesting to see what direction he takes the presidency. He has also been someone who loves the arts, and a big campaigner for human rights, a very well spoken man, and has the nice quality of been able to add a little humor when he talks. I really hope that he will help push forward Ireland on the international scene when he gets a chance. At this moment in time with all going on in Ireland, banks failing, government looking for more powers, high unemployment and emigration, people struggling to survive, Europe not letting us write of bad loans to their banks and a number of other things that a few years ago seems impossible, it may well be good to have a man who is passionate about life, arts and protection of the most vulnerable, representing Ireland abroad. Someone who will sell Ireland to the world, show that while the country went though terrible times, the Irish spirit is still there, bubbling away under the surface, waiting for the day to come where it can burst back onto the International stage.

Busy week

northwestrambler — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 17:09:08 +0000

This week started off with me cycling into work, first time this year, and nice to get into the mood for cycling again. Sadly, had not been cycling the previous week as I was recovering from a chest infection. The joys of air con buildings, they help spread infections around. Monday and Tuesday were fine, but on Tuesday night I woke up at about 5 am with a terrible pain in my lower back and it running all the way up my shoulder. Not a great feeling, let me tell you. After about an hour it seemed to die down, however, I still was not feeling the best. Drove to work that day and during the day still had a little pain at the base of back. On way home from work, decided to called into the doctor. He did a few tests and it turns out I now have a kidney infection. He thinks that my chest infection must have got into the blood and then infected my kidney. I have to like how he is I was very unlucky for that to happen, and then add, if this does not clear up with antibiotics I will have a series of tests to go though, X-rays blood tests and the like. Hers hoping my luck improves. On plus side it did mean 2 days off work, and so a long weekend Just now waiting for Monday to see if things have cleared up. If not, it could be a much longer break from work. Was happy I left my laptop at work on Wednesday, stops me from working from home when I should be resting.

Today I had to go and get my car its full medical, or NCT. This is where cars older than 3 years must get tested every 2 years to make sure they are safe for driving. Now some of the tests seem a little useless but am sure they there for a reason, other than making money Thankfully my car passed with flying colours. Just in time for the upcoming GAA league campaign where no doubt I will be around the country seeing how well Sligo get on. On down side with the price of petrol now almost 1.50 a liter, it is costing €60 to fill it, I might have to start driving at a very slow pace to get maximum efficiency out of the car.

New Start for Ireland ?

northwestrambler — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 13:31:11 +0000

Been in Ireland at the moment, is a little strange. We have a Prime Minister who does not want to step down, even though rest of the country would like it. We have been bailed out by the IMF/EU due to problems caused by our banks, and to a certain degree each and every Irish person who thought the good times would last for ever, and kept taking the money the banks were giving out. It was not uncommon during the boom times to hear stories of people who went in looking for a mortgage for one value and the bank to go, sure we will give you and extra few 10 of thousands. I remember when I first bought a house just before the big boom started and it was 3.5 times your salary. This started been increased rapidly, along with overtime, bonus and share holdings all been taken into account so that the bank could give bigger mortgages. People took out loans from Credit unions to come up with the deposition on a 100% mortgage. The whole idea of looking after money was gone. Salaries shot up trying to match the high living standard we now had, and people like me, out of Uni in their early 20′s at the turn of the Century had it all, jobs, work, travel, more liberal Ireland.

Now a few years on, 2011 looks a different Ireland, we no longer are the big spenders, more the careful, looking after our money, looking for value and now demanding things are done. While a lot of people still talk of doom and gloom, there is no doubt Ireland is in a much better place than the early 1990′s. One of the things that I guess really brought it all home to me was my year away working overseas. When you see the true horror of war and violence and the pain and suffering it leaves on families, it does in some way have an effect on the view you have. It would be great if this is the year following on from the last 2 years of doom and gloom, that Irish people do take that look inside themselves and start to push forward again. Look at the hope that is out there, try and do something for oneself, rather than expecting others to solve the problems. We need to start to knuckle down, and build on our success again, learn the lessons, put in places laws that help prevent such recklessness and at the same time change old laws that do belong in the past, remove them once and for all. I can think of no better time to do a full route and branch reform of Ireland as now. Time will tell.

Catching up again

northwestrambler — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 17:11:36 +0000

Well it has been an age since I last posted on my Blog. Decided to try and keep it up to date a little more, with updates once a week at least. Will see how that goes This weekend, was down at the wedding of a good friend of mine, Aidan. The wedding was down in Tipp, all went very well, nice ceremony, good meal after and plenty of music and chatting was done into the early hours of Saturday morning This was only my second civil marriage, for friends reading abroad, most Irish weddings still take place in the Catholic Church. There is a move now towards more people having weddings away from the Church as the have opened up rules in Ireland, where you can hold a civil marriage. Is great to see.

Rest of weekend has been spent, looking at what I can do to help out with St Vincent De Paul, and my work there each Tuesday evening. Thinking of ways of sharing information with all the volunteers and other groups in the area. Looking at google docs as a option, will see how that goes. Think it is important to be able to have all the information in one place and allow people to update and correct it as things change. I have to say, am really enjoying the volunteer work with SVP, it has given me a view on a side of Dublin I did not really know about. It was there in the background under my radar. One can see the effects the economy is having on people who are just about getting by. While a lot of people talk about all the benefits people get, you can see it not always the case. The life is very different, with other challenges. Would recommend people all to try it for a few weeks, even to get another view on the other side of life in Ireland.

Lost passport

northwestrambler — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:09:04 +0000

My trip to Memphis had one down side. I lost my passport, not sure where it got lost but not a nice feeling when you know it is gone.
First port off call was to the consulate in Chicago and find out the procedures. I had to report it lost first at police station, then get all my paperwork together. As I was born in London this made it more complicated, as I have to prove how I got Irish passport. Mam is getting all the documents on her side, her and dad birth cert, their marriage cert and my birth cert. At the moment my birth cert has to come from London so just waiting on that.
Once all in place, they have to be taken to the local Garda station, have them write a letter to confirm all is correct sign and stamp it.
Then it is all faxed over to Chicago office where I drop in a form along with the faxed documents. All going well I should then have it in time before I due to leave.
I had to change my holiday plans and now going back to chicago a few days earlier so I can get it all processes. Thinking while in Chicago may explore up that part of the country.
On the plus side we were booking accommodation as we went so not a massive problem to change mid way. Guess south Carolina will have to wait for another trip to the US.

USA Part 2

northwestrambler — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:01:11 +0000

Last few days have been interesting. After leaving Chicago we drove on to Memphis. Ronan decided he would prefer to fly to New Orleans, he already had been to Memphis. Ray and I headed off on the long drive down, stopping off along the way in the usual road side stop offs and seeing one or two local towns along away. That night on arriving in Memphis we headed out for a bite to eat and a few drinks.
Next morning it was off to see graceland, I not a massive elvis fan, but as in Memphis had to go check it out. The house was much smaller than I thought it would be. Everything was well laid out and you could see the organisation of the tours has been well refined.
After that took a spin out off Memphis to see what it was like away from it all.
The next part of the trip will be onto New Orleans.

Usa, first few days

northwestrambler — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 00:50:44 +0000

As I write this, I am out in a great steak house called Gibsons, said to have some of the best steak in Chicago. Ronan and Ray opted to stay in the pub for a third night, so I took a break and checked out the fine eating here in the city.
My first few days were spent seeing some of the many sights, Ronan was kind to fill us in on many of the different buildings. The weather is nice here, quiet hot, but after my time in PNG, do nit find it as has as usually I did. This may change as I go further south. There is no doubt when it comes to food, the portions here are massive. After my dinner tonight I was unable to finish all the potato and had to opt for a small dessert, with some nice earl Grayson tea to wash it all down. This place lives ups to it’s name of the best steak in Chicago.

People in the US have been friendly and chatty so far. Looking forward to the start if my tour tomorrow. Now must sign off and enjoy my sorbet and tea

First trip to US

northwestrambler — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 11:19:54 +0000

After all my travels around the world, I have finally decided to make a trip to the US. My first time to see this vast country. I am starting my trip in Chicago, hire a car and head down to New Orleans, stopping off along the way. Always had a great interest in the deep south, looking forward to seeing it; the French quarter and how the city has recovered from Katrina over the years. A few days here, then head out east to South Carolina, find out about places around the Civil war, experience some of the small towns along the way. After that, a trip to Nashville, where if the days work out, will get to meet up with a good friend of mine from PNG, Charlye is returning to the US in early September after a number of months working with Handicap International in Cambodia.

After my tour around these areas, it is back to Chicago, and to spend a day catching up with a lot of my relations who all moved there many years ago. Many of them I have only seen once or twice. This I am looking forward to, as I am working on the family tree, so will give me a great chance to catch up and to fill in a lot of the blanks along the way.

I have got my Iphone unlocked(all legal, Vodafone were able to help me out), so now just looking to see who is the best deal in the US with a data package and Sim only. Will be handy, can use it over there and not have the big data roaming charges. Anyone with any tips would be very welcome.

I wonder will I have a few questions at immigration over my many visas especially the one from Eritrea, seeing as it is on the US list of unfriendly countries. could make for some interesting conversations. I not had the best of luck with immigration questions in the past, A list of the items below.

1. South Korea => When I arrived in South Korea for the world cup in 2002, there was a big worry over hooligan’s from England. I have an Irish passport, but was born in London. I was asked how long I was staying, and I said not sure, which was true, as it depended on how well Ireland would do. Not the best answer to give. This followed a series of other questions about why I was there, why I had Irish and not English passport, why did I not know when I was leaving, why did I not know how I was leaving. After a while of giving answers to all of the above I finally got to enter.

2. Russia => On my last day in Russia, I had checked in at the airport, got my seat on the flight and luggage all checked in to Dublin, was all set, or so I thought. As I walked though the immigration desk, handed in my passport and I notice the security person is looking a lot at my visa. Then she picks up the phone, and start talking away in Russian, she hangs up looks at me and back at passport, then picks up phone and more talking in Russian. I was thinking this is not a good sign. She hangs up the phone and asks me to stand aside, someone will come to talk to me. That is never a good sign. Have her explain to me, that while my visa had the correct dates, and my passport is in order, there is no mention of am I male or Female am on the visa. Dublin embassy had forgot to type m on the visa. I had to wait for 30 minutes while they decided what to do with me. In the mean time, had someone from the airline come over to me, to explain the whole process of what would happen, and her advice to me was to pary they let me go, or it could be over a week before I got to leave, due to visa process and delays. After 30 minutes or so, which felt like hours, I was called forward and let to go, they decided as Dublin has made the mistake and not me, they were making an exception and letting me leave. I thanked her, and quickly left

Eritrea => In Eritrea, when you arrive you fill in a form to declare all your money you take in, and when you leave you have to have this form showing any money you exchanged in the country. No problem I thought have it here , and it was all correct. I filled in the document, signed it and that was it. Until I got to the last step of security. Here you count out your money and it has to match your total on the form. I had made a silly mistake of subtracting my totals. mixed up my starting balance with my final balance. Not good, it is a serious offence if you leave money in the country not accounted for. I was trying to explain that the money there did match if they let me subtract it correctly, but they were not buying that. One supervisor came over and then another. A lot of talking, giving out and questions. I kept trying to point them at the form, but that was not best move. In the end the head of security came along and he looked at the form, and noticed that I had made an innocent mistake. He told me , never make a mistake like that again, and let me go.

New Volunteering work

northwestrambler — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 18:58:33 +0000

Having been back in Ireland after my year away, I was thinking it might be nice to try and continue doing some volunteer work, but this time at home. I had heard a lot about the St Vincent de Paul, and all the good work they do around the country. As a result I decided why not give it a try and see if I can help out in some way.

A few weeks ago I went along to an open day, where they were recruiting for new volunteers. A number of the different groups around Dublin were in, telling about the work they do. It was very interesting hearing their stories and what they do. After this meeting I felt, yes, this is something I can do, and would love to give some of my time to. As a result of this, I talked with one of the group leaders and signed up for a group based not to far from where I live.

I guess for any of you who do not know about St Vincent de Paul, I should give a little summary, this is taken from their website (http://www.svp.ie)

“The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a direct service non-profit organisation whose work primarily involves person-to-person contact with people who have a variety of needs. In addition to direct assistance, we try to promote self-sufficiency, enabling people to help themselves. Any assistance offered by the Society is given in a non-judgemental spirit of compassion, based on the need of the individual or family.”

Every Tuesday from 7 to about 10 PM we meet and help out where possible. The first hour is a discussion on the people we visited the previous week, and to look at new requests that have come in looking for assistance. Once this is done, we divide into groups of 2 and go around and visit a number of people. Sometimes it is just people like someone to talk to, other times it may be helping out with vouchers for food, clothes or maybe help with some bills.

For me, it has been a great few weeks so far, the people I work with are all very friendly, and the people I have met going out visiting have all been very welcoming. I guess it shows how even living in Dublin for over 10 years, there is a whole part of society and their problems I never experienced. Sure, I was aware of them, but seeing it first hand, and some of the stories people have had to cope with, does highlight there is a lot of help still needed. With the recession in Ireland, people who previously never were in financial trouble now have a whole new world of problems to deal with. I am starting to see lot of the good work the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) does for people.

Sligo Win

northwestrambler — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 19:52:36 +0000

Last Saturday was a great day out. Sligo were playing in the Division 3 National Football league final against Antrim. The match was played in Croke Park at 7 pm. Nice here for the long evenings as it was still nice and bright, with the floodlights coming on as the light went down. For all those who know me and my support of Sligo football, this was a big event. It is not every day Sligo get to a final. I know, it is only division 3, but it is good for a team to get on a winning streak. Helps build the confidence. With a Stadium that holds 82,500, and only about 10,000 or so at the game, it felt empty. Funny how 10,000 people can seem so little. It was great that the GAA decided to play the game at headquarters, helped raised the profile of the match a little.

The day started off around 12 pm, picking up a friend of mine, Brian from the train station, he came up from Sligo for the game. Next few hours was spent calling people, texting people , friends and family from home, to see when everyone was about for the game, and where best to meet up. First stop was a pub called Quinns, this is a big favourite stop on GAA match day, and in my younger days often was here every thursday night. It has not changed at all in the 11 years been going to it, am sure it been the same longer than that

Here I met up with Ray for a quick chat, and a drink, then it was time to meet up with my sisters, who were coming for the game. I headed off down to Jury Hotel, just across from the Stadium, and in there for a few pre match drinks, catch up on the news. Another friend Aidan joined us here, he is a Roscommon man , but a big GAA fan like myself. He has travelled all over the country with me going to matches on cold wet spring days. With everyone now all a little excited, and a confidence air around we headed into the Stadium. My sister, the accountant, never someone to miss up on a chance to get back some money, used her student card to save herself €10. I think she will survive the recession the best

The game had a nice flow to it, some great football played by both sides, with Sligo out in front for most of the game. The struggled to pull away, usually just a gap of 2 points, before half time we got a lead of 4 points. Thinks looking up. With Antrim coming back into it game early in the second half, was worried Sligo may have committed too much early on, however after an Antrim goal, Sligo raised their game and scored 4 points without reply. This now gave Sligo the advantage, and from here, the game was all over. With the final whistle going, it was all over, we had won I even had got caught on the TV cameras.

After the match, was time to head back to the pub, for some post match analysis. Met up with a few friends from home back in Jurys, and it was all talk for the next 2 hours. Great to see so many people around. With the analysis all talked out, it was then time to join other friends in town who were not GAA fans in town for the night. Somewhere around 2 am finished up, with a happy feeling off been Division 3 champions