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Post by Séamus on Jun 12, 2019 8:14:02 GMT
A World War II-time reflection from a non-Irishman: "There lay it all as sleek and chic, as femininely capricious as only yachts can look, shiny,bright,elegant, a forest of immensely tall masts,the flags a-flapping gently. White predominated, but there were others a canary yellow; many with blue hulls from the lightest madonna cloak hue to the deepest royal. The only sound was long drawn-out plaintive cry of the seagulls as they wheeled above. Otherwise nothing was to be heard but the soft lapping of the water or the rhythmic plashing of an oar,as yet another skipper boarded his craft and white or red sails spread their triangles against the sky. Round the wide mouth of the Carrigaline River reigned all the contentment of a holiday. The oars stood a golden brown of thick sheaves in the gold-strewn fields. Shadowy roads careered along the rich mosaic pattern of the good earth up into cool woods and ambled out again past rose-hung cottages. Crosshaven itself had it's rows of red-roofed,white-washed little houses draped like garlands over and around it's green promontory. For some moments,which one will ever remember for their incredible glory, a rainbow firmly planted the base of it's triumphal arch right in Crosshaven village,where every window glistened with brilliant stardust,where every wall shone in a root of green,pearly and orange fantasia." Summer Yachting by Kees VanHoek ,who obviously wasn't doing much of the actual sailing. I think the Olympic medals won by Annalise Murphy and the O'Donovans at the last games were a bit too-long-in-coming-between-drinks considering the watersport tradition in Ireland.
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Post by Séamus on Jun 19, 2019 9:05:07 GMT
A North Cornwall MP has reportedly brought up the fears of many Cornish people that wrasslin,a centuries-old Cornish wrestling sport, will become extinct. "Wrestlers,who wear distinctive canvas jackets and throw their opponents flat on their backs, regularly compete against Breton rivals" Perhaps Clannad's classic Rince Briotánach would make a good background to this?
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Post by Séamus on Jul 3, 2019 11:46:16 GMT
Perhaps some of Wimbledon's inflated wallets (and perhaps egos) should take stock of an historical account of Kerry's first (and at time of publication- 1977- only) hurling All Ireland victory in 1891. At the time the champion clubs of each county obviously went on to represent their county nationally. "It is interesting to note that the Kerry players- 21 formed a team at that time- had to pay their own travelling expenses to Dublin. Sixteen shillings. The Ballyduff team wore their everyday long pants and played in their bare feet,while Crossabeg(Wexford) were,as a writer of the time put it 'tastily dressed'. Ballyduff's jerseys were of a greyish colour with a gold band. On their return home there was a tremendous reception for the Ballyduff players. A brass band under the leadership of John Nolan and a huge crowd met the team at Lixnaw Railway Station on Monday evening and there was a triumphal procession to Ballyduff. That night there was a touchlight procession through the village and bonfires blazed brightly in the surrounding hills." cf.years of glory Barry/Horan
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Post by Séamus on Jul 13, 2019 7:26:20 GMT
Isn't it strange that an Irish captain brings England to it's hightest point in the Cricket World Cup in decades ? But good luck to Eoin Morgan on tomorrow's final against New Zealand. Australian captain Justin Langer apparently took a NewAge 'earthing' approach,making his players sit in a semicircle and walk barefoot across the field the day before their disastrous semifinal loss to England. Hopefully for them,a different preparation for 2023.
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Sport
Jul 13, 2019 8:37:23 GMT
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Post by kj on Jul 13, 2019 8:37:23 GMT
Morgan's mother is English and says he's had a British passport since birth. I suppose he's prime material for the O'Tooles of this world who will doubtless laud him as a model with which to beat Irish nationalism.
On a sidenote, I played cricket for my university so I have nothing against the game! Samuel Beckett played cricket for Trinity and Joyce was also a bit of a fan, apparently.
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Sport
Jul 20, 2019 11:40:36 GMT
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Post by Séamus on Jul 20, 2019 11:40:36 GMT
Tour de France it isn't,but Royal Mail has reportedly issued a £1.60 postage stamp to highlight bog snorkelling as part of a rare traditions set. They've marked Llanwrtyd Wells in Wales as the centre rather than anywhere in Northern Ireland- and perhaps it is (Derry however did get a jersey for it's Halloween parade- an unlikely boast for a city known for it's staunch Protestants). To 'bog' you'd have to like getting muddy for little material reward I'd imagine, daresay Geraint Thomas will stick to what he's best at.
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Post by Séamus on Aug 14, 2019 8:36:39 GMT
Cricket Australia,the sport's national governing body,officially decided last week to allow any professional transgender players entry into the team they identify with. Hypothetical at this stage,I assume the same level of ability is required. A man named Tom Wills is believed to be the Australian colonies' original champion. I'd been reading an account of him recently - the fact that he played with Cambridge team and at Lord's during the Victorian era when cricket was considered an upper-crust sport is seen today as quite a feat. "Tom had,by then,become the most notable amateur cricketer in England,playing for both Kent and the Marylebone Club and on occasion,after spending time playing in Ireland,for a United Ireland XI" He also founded the first aboriginal cricket team,but is mostly remembered today as the inventor of Australian football- as a winter pastime for cricketers! Was there any connection between the Irish game developing at the same time? The writer I alluded to claims that Wills wanted the rugby-shaped ball from the start (Jim hayes,Australia's most unbelievable true stories) but this is a journo writing an entertaining read, the earliest drawing of an Australian rules game,made into a postage stamp once, distinctly shows a round ball. Gaelic football is considered more disciplined- he definately envisaged a more polite game than today's AFL as he decided that taking part in rugby was a no-no for off-season cricketers,who should protect their limbs from rough conduct. Unfortunately Mr Wills suffered from lifelong depression and ended his own life in an asylum in 1880, even though usually kept under restraint at that stage Vale,also: Bjorg Lambrecht,rare death in professional cycling
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Post by Séamus on Aug 15, 2019 1:48:17 GMT
Cricket Australia,the sport's national governing body,officially decided last week to allow any professional transgender players entry into the team they identify with. Hypothetical at this stage, Addendum "Most cricketers are happy to hear the sound of leather on willow. But not the players from Earley Cricket Club in England. They have become the first team to turn completely vegan and that includes shunning the traditional leather cricket balls. The Berkshire club is testing vegan cricket balls made using a rubber covering. Chairman Gary Shacklady,33,who turned vegan five years ago,is confident that adopting a solely plant-based lifestyle will give the team the edge over their opponents. The traditional teas served during matches have been animal product-free for two years and have been well received. However,players are still getting to grips with the switch to vegan cricket balls. 'it does behave like a leather cricket ball but it bounces more and it's more difficult to grip,' Mr Shacklady said,'but we're enthused by it' "(cf wa newspaper) Not sure if 'getting to grips' was an intentional pun. Quote from Mr Shacklady was ambiguous to say the least. I wonder do they understand the environmental impact of rubber plantations,especially on low-level islands ?
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Sport
Aug 16, 2019 1:54:38 GMT
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Post by Séamus on Aug 16, 2019 1:54:38 GMT
Cricket Australia,the sport's national governing body,officially decided last week to allow any professional transgender players entry into the team they identify with. Hypothetical at this stage, Addendum "Most cricketers are happy to hear the sound of leather on willow. But not the players from Earley Cricket Club in England. They have become the first team to turn completely vegan and that includes shunning the traditional leather cricket balls.etc "? I read something shortly after, showing the other side of the sports-cultural coin,about 2019 women's Wimbledon winner Simona Halep "the champion was presented with the Romanian Patriarchate's highest distinction during a private ceremony at the patriarchal residence in Bucharest. Simona received the patriarchal cross for laypersons from Patriarch Daniel after winning her second Grand Slam title. 'I have never refrained from professing my faith in public',said the winner...(who) makes the sign of the Cross in the orthodox fashion on the tennis court" (cf Catholic weekly) In a way I'm glad it wasn't the Australian Open she won- in the light of their opposition to Margaret Court I don't think they could handle that. Reminiscent of times when bishops sat with the GAA teams in their official photos. Do the moderns realise now that that trophy design came from an ancient chalice?
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Sport
Aug 27, 2019 0:52:21 GMT
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Post by Séamus on Aug 27, 2019 0:52:21 GMT
Morgan's mother is English and says he's had a British passport since birth. I suppose he's prime material for the O'Tooles of this world who will doubtless laud him as a model with which to beat Irish nationalism..etc...
Congratulations to Rory McIlroy also. Glad to hear how uninterested he is in the FedEx money (!)
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Post by Séamus on Sept 3, 2019 12:02:18 GMT
I was unaware until recently of the existence of London-Irish Rugby team. A 'Wallaby' (the World Cup and international Australian team) will reportedly join them soon as part of semi-retirement,33year old Sekope Kepu (obviously from Polynesian or Melanesian background like about a third of Australia's professional rugby players). I suppose,like Glasgow Celtic and the London team once led by the Mr Maguire of the Cup,London-Irish evokes memories of a diaspora who found a strong focal point in sport when adapting to a new society. Rather tragic week or so for sportsmen, and -women in particular, two lady jockeys were killed wihtin days through horseback accidents in Australia and there were also the high profile cases of Jessi Combs and Formula One racer Anthoine Hubert,whose friend dedicated his eventual Belgian Grand Prix win to. (Not often that you see in print that the "Monegasque" won,despite their current monarch being married to an Olympian. Perhaps I don't notice motor sports enough) RIP
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Sport
Oct 10, 2019 11:58:37 GMT
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Post by Séamus on Oct 10, 2019 11:58:37 GMT
While the success of Japan in the Rugby World Cup thus far is bound to begin much discussion on how much advantage a host country has,I was struck by a timeline published in Britain to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Chamberlain government's declaration of war on Germany,as it shows just how much sport can be a measure of sorts of the normality of any functioning society: "(Sat.Sep2). Despite gathering war clouds,a full programme of football fixtures kicks off. In the Division One (now the Premier League),Arsenal trash Sunderland 5-2,while Grimbsy beat Preston 2-0. Blackpool make it three wins from three,beating Wolves 2-1 to top the league table. But their hope of a first title seccess are dashed as the season is abandoned when war breaks out. It will not return for six years" Looking at the back of the same journal I noticed that the six teams mentioned were now in four different league levels. Arsenal seems to currently be the most successful,third on the Premier table at time of publication. A piece from a Jesuit, who wrote about Mexico during it's anti-clerical 1920-30s,describing Catholic clubs started in universities during a lull in persecution, ties in also : "these clubs were places of study,of recreation...athletics encouraged. I stepped into one of these clubs once just as a group of students was setting out for an all-night hike to the top of Popocatepetl,17,794 feet high,to be on the summit in time to say their morning prayers at sunrise. The glow of the morning sun was in the eyes of each of them as I was introduced to them and I felt that in some ways this was the most important work for religion being attempted in Mexico " (Mexican martyrdom, Wilfrid Parsons SJ )
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Post by Séamus on Nov 5, 2019 2:06:07 GMT
Good luck to the nine-or-so Irish horses competing in today's Melbourne Cup. The first non-antipode winner was from Ireland in the 1990s(a recent newspaper's historical overview included a file photo.) And congratulations to South Africa's Springboks,Rugby champions- on Australia's biggest racing day it might be worth mentioning that Queensland was one part of the world that the late-apparteid-era team were welcome to play, Joh BjelkePeterson obviously taking the same 'live and let live' line on the matter as Thatcher did. And,thirdly,congratulations should go to Lewis Hamilton coming second in the US Grand Prix, which seems to mean that he becomes Formula One champion again,proving that vegans can still do it well- but considering that his reasons for giving up animal products were reportedly ecological I'd wonder how he got from Britain to Texas or,for that matter,what the car runs on?
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Post by Séamus on Dec 29, 2019 7:17:49 GMT
Congratulations must go to Michail Antonio,shooting West Ham United's solitary goal against Crystal Palace on St Stephen's day,despite crashing a Lamborghini into someone's property during Christmas dinner while dressed as a snowman the night before. I think I'd have missed the adequate sleep,but,then, I'm not a sportsman. It's the snowman bit I'm curious about. If Mary Poppins can't be 'as lucky as lucky can be...when I shake hands with you' by getting ash on her face in case it offends non-caucasians where do we place an Afro-Englishman who wishes to wear a snowman-head? And good for him completing a full 90 minutes too... 'when thes ardly no day nor ardly no night there's things alf in shadow and alfway in light's
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Sport
Jan 3, 2020 12:38:20 GMT
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Post by Séamus on Jan 3, 2020 12:38:20 GMT
Shortly before Christmas, England lost Martin Peters- part of their '66 World Cup winning side. As he was reportedly a transfer record in Britain at one stage (£200,000 in the early '70s) some might see him as the beginning of an era of higher commercialism,though he seems,however,to have been relatively worth the price. The fact that he battled Alzheimer's will prolong the debate concerning the connection between this and football. And members of both Ireland's and Australia's codes might agree that using one's head when there's a perfectly good set of arms is dangerously foolish of a sport. Some already remark that,although not dangerous,it's certainly foolish of rugby players to throw something backwards to make it go forwards. A long-retired member of Australia's international rugby league team (Ron Coote,75,same generation as Peters) has made unfortunate news also,losing his house in the bushfires currently devastating eastern Australia that are causing Bernie Saunders,Greta the Great and Bette Midler to take unfortunate interest in the country's PM's perceived lack of emission-control(!). Unlike several others (including a young man named Patrick)Mr Coote and his wife survived,the latter by jumping into water before rescue by a jetski. One country that we assume keeps it's identity intact throughout today's globalisation-challenge is Japan. I was surprised,then, to read their player list for a current tennis tournament:Yoshito Nishioka,Go Soeda,Toshihide Matsui and Ben McLachlan. Really? Really. New Zealand-born Ben apparently has a Japanese mother which entitles him to reside in and represent both nations. Most amazing thing there since"Kaze no koe,tori no seazuri,kanashii uni,yorokobino umi(the voice of the wind,the song of birds,a sad sea,a joyful sea)" cf Sumiregusa,Enya.
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