Marking Time

Every year on the last Sunday in July pilgrims from all over come to Mayo to climb Croagh Patrick. I wasn’t there today but here’s a photo I took last October when the weather was a lot better than it is today. Croagh Patrick is the mountain on the left. You can just about make out the church at the summit where mass will be celebrated all day today. It was built in 1905, 100 years ago this year (larger version).

Wandering around Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Roscommon and Mayo…

Glencar Waterfall, County Leitrim

If Western leaders made al-Qaeda into something it isn’t, by talking it up as ‘the greatest threat facing humanity today’, which is apparently seeking nuclear weapons with which to launch a new ‘holocaust’ on the West, then so too have some in the anti-war movement. They have given these bombers far more credence and coherence than they deserve, describing their actions as strikes against America and Britain for those states’ military interventions in the Middle East. The pro-war lobby has made al-Qaeda into an overblown terrible threat, while the anti-war lobby has made it into a kind of resistance movement. It is neither of these things; both sides are stamping their own worldviews on to a loose, disparate gang of nihilists, and it is precisely the emptiness of al-Qaeda and its actions that allows them to do that.

Brendan O’Neill

I guess it’s the natural human tendancy when faced with apparently random acts of evil, to try to put some meaning and coherence on them. It’s the hope that perhaps something can be done, that we can somehow regain control over the situation.

However, I agree with Brendan O’Neill that we are overdoing it with the deeper meanings and motivations. The 11th September attacks in America, and the Madrid and London bombings do not seem to me to be motivated by any tangible politic end (although, as O’Neill points out, many have used them to promote political goals). They seem to me to have more in common with the extreme sociopathic behaviour of mass killers such as those involved in the Columbine school shootings and any analysis of their motives is likely to lead (and has led) to similiar erroneous conclusions to those made in that case.

All of which means that the solution to stopping further outrages of this type is far more difficult than anyone would like to admit.

Kilimer - Tarbert

Tarbert power station, County Kerry, across the Shannon from Kilimer, County Clare.

Des Bishop’s latest project sees him travelling around to disadvantaged areas of the country giving young people the chance to put on comedy shows. He seems to be learning alot by getting out there to the places where few politicians dare (or care) to tread. He makes an acute observation on ASBO’s:

A quick word on ASBOS. Surely it is areas like Knocknaheeny where they are intended to help. Well most people I talked to in Knocka did not even know about them, and those that did thought they were an awful thing. They feel it avoids the real issues of why there is so much anti social behaviour in the area. The reason I brought it up was while I was in Knocknaheeny with no trees in sight that arrogant crusader Michael McD made a comment about all the people giving out about the ASBOS who go back to their leafy suburbs and don’t have to deal with the real problem. I don’t think he lives in Darndale or even Ballybrack so what the hell is he talking about. He needs votes to keep him in the Leafy Suburbs and the people in the Leafy suburbs are the ones that vote. ASBOS are for them. ASBOS look good in the papers. If McD went to the suburbs with no leaves in them he would be attacked, and it would not be by youths, it would be by people who have been ignored since the 1970’s and are sick of politicians who don’t care about their real needs. So Michael, go back to your leafy suburb please, or do the warm up for me in my next gig in Southill, Limerick. Bring your ASBOS though because you will be in danger.

Des Bishop

Michael McDowell is the one who needs an ASBO slapped on him. Him and his ilk are responsible for the introduction of many laws that are anti-social and anti-society. He leaves many Fianna Fáilers in the ha’penny place when it comes to the depths he’ll stoop to get a few votes.