A Near National Disaster In the 40’s, you would have thought Ireland was nearer Australia than Britain for all the majority of the residents of Britain knew about the place and, I’m afraid, when I was dispatched there by the Navy in ’42, I fell squarely into that category too. In fact I knew more… Continue reading Belfast,69 0n in order,The Troubles, The Irish Condition
Random Thoughts 47, DHSS
Addressing the rise in serious, Alphabet diseases in the DHSS. This is not, repeat not, a criticism of hospital staff, but of management and the Government. Recently I had a small surgical operation, and had to return to have the stitches out. At one point, the nurse attending me had a problem, and sought the… Continue reading Random Thoughts 47, DHSS
Belfast, ’69 on, in order, The Soldiers In Belfast
Any right thinking person had to be sympathetic to the young men who were sent over here, whether they wanted to come or not, to become potential targets for hidden snipers. That was not all, their living conditions were apparently appalling and they were not permitted to mix with the Town’ people, for obvious reason… Continue reading Belfast, ’69 on, in order, The Soldiers In Belfast
Random Thoughts, 46, ID Cards, Computer Fraud etc.
Recently I wrote about a young woman, who had a driving licence stolen, and presumably as a result of the information therein, criminals not only emptied her accounts at banks, they used her credit card accounts and opened other accounts in her name. This caused me to try to understand how this had come about… Continue reading Random Thoughts, 46, ID Cards, Computer Fraud etc.
Why The Idiotic Trends In Entertainment?
I can’t help being an irascible old so-and-so, because I am driven to it by coming across so many things I just don’t understand, and cannot see the reason for. Recently I accidentally came across a new version of Robin Hood on TV. I think probably all my life, as a childish romantic, I have… Continue reading Why The Idiotic Trends In Entertainment?
Random Thoughts 45, Westminster at Playtime
I simply could not believe the behaviour of our politicians, knowing they were in the public eye, acting like children in the playground, even worse than usual. There was a ‘Ya! Ya! Mine’s bigger than yours,’ element that I found absolutely absurd, throughout the whole debate during Prime Minister’s Question Time. After the Prime Minister… Continue reading Random Thoughts 45, Westminster at Playtime
Belfat, ’69 on, The Troubles, The Royal Ulster Constabluary, Part timers
I intended writing about the RUC sometime, but do so now, not as a rant, but to draw attention to the reports we had at the time of the Gulf War and currently of the two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, where my relatives and friends are being asked to fight without the proper means… Continue reading Belfat, ’69 on, The Troubles, The Royal Ulster Constabluary, Part timers
Belfast, ’69 on, in order,The troubles, The Royal Marines
The number of ironic stories attributable to the heightened atmosphere of the ‘Troubles’ are legion, this is just another. While you read what follows, bear in mind, if you will, that I was originally English, also Protestant, ex- Navy and a civil servant working in sensitive areas, and if I had been needed at the… Continue reading Belfast, ’69 on, in order,The troubles, The Royal Marines
Belfast, ’69 on, in order,The Troubles, The Farce at the Barrier
On the site of a large sewage works under construction in the 70’s I was telephoned from Head Office to be told that bombs were ‘on all the bridges’, this meant rail, road and river. I closed the site to give the men time to get home and tried to pick a route for myself… Continue reading Belfast, ’69 on, in order,The Troubles, The Farce at the Barrier
Belfast, ’61 on, The Period of the Troubles, James.
There is so much to Northern Ireland that is so enjoyable, so worthy, so beautiful, I must share it, but this inevitably means I have at some point, to mention those two incredible, euphemistic words, ‘The Troubles’, not in the context of politics, and rarely touching on the frustration and horror, more, about ordinary people… Continue reading Belfast, ’61 on, The Period of the Troubles, James.