Susan Hated Literature

Well now, it really has been a while, hasn’t it. I promise, one day I’ll stop starting all my posts in this manner. But that day it not today. Not today… I’ve made an August resolution that I’ll post more regularly. I’m hoping for at least twice a week. My fingers are crossed but god only knows what reality will bring.

It’s a bank holiday weekend over here, so no work till Tues. I was home in Sligo, but came down today for the match. Sligo V Louth in the All-Ireland hurling final^[1] And we won. W00t! After all we aren’t much of a hurling county, and after the disappointment of the football this year. Reduced to the Tommy Murphy cup and losing to… I think it was London. London! That’s not even a county.

But not only did we win today, but it was a good entertaining game as well, so yay!

We’re moving at work this coming week, so I’ve big plans this weekend. Mainly involving sleep and relaxation Up early to let the movers in from Tues. Early to start and probably not too early to finish as it is exam time. Yes, yes, I know. It is ridiculous to be moving a college library during exam time. Speak not to me, I agree totally.

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As I mentioned, I headed up to Sligo on Friday. And then on Sat. took a quick trip off to Galway^[1] to watch Brother #5 play rugby. Connacht v Ulster, U-20’s. We spotted the Ulster team first, and the first words out of de mudder’s mouth was, “they’re huge” and she was hoping that the brother wouldn’t be playing from the start. He’s only 17, and a small 17 as well.

He didn’t start, but got playing around 20 minutes from the end. But the game was over by then, Connacht lost. The final score was Connacht 6 - Ulster 27. They scored 5 tries, converted 2 and then got the luckiest drop goal ever. Yer man kicked the ball, it was half blocked by a Connacht player, and then bounced off the bar and over. I know I’m biased, but I don’t think the score was a fair reflection of the way Connacht played. Although Ulster did deserve their win. They had good quick hands, and their #14 was constantly waiting for the ball to put him through for a try. The big difference was probably the tackle. Connacht just weren’t putting in the hits.

After the match we headed into Galway city itself for a bit of wandering and shopping. Have to say I’m not all that impressed with the square. How much money was spent doing up Eyre Square?

We did, however, make it home in time for the football. Ireland v Germany. And another loss for Stan’s team. And he even managed to get himself sent off. Bit unfair really, not as if he kicked the ball at anyone. Germany deserved the win, we just don’t seem to have enough good players at the moment, but they were lucky in manner of that goal. I’d say that Shay would’ve had it covered had it not been for that deflection.

Today, the first Sunday in September saw the All-Ireland Hurling^[2] final. We did have it on on the telly, but didn’t watch much of it as Brother #1 brought the gasur over and we were entertained by him as insisted on walking all over the shop. As he is only 8 months he, of course, isn’t walking, so instead he’ll grab your fingers for support and then wander.

And, as it is Sunday it is

Luna Nina time:
1. Wiggle ::
2. Face ::
3. Adjustable ::
4. Room ::
5. Easy ::
6. Store ::
7. Maid ::
8. 9 pm ::
9. Challenge ::
10. Debt ::

Continue Reading »

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You know what the worst thing about having four days off in a row is? Yup, that’s right, it is the coming back to work. Having that Sunday evening feeling on a Tues. But, on the other hand, I do only have three days of this working week left, so that’s nice.

While I was home I went off to watch brothers #4 & #5 play hurling. Well, #5 wasn’t supposed to play as he’d already played a senior football^[1] that morning, and would be playing another the next day, and the hurling was a league match and not all that important. But he ended up playing half the match.

But Sligo isn’t exactly known for its hurling ability^[2] And the local area isn’t among the top flight even in Sligo, but the team they were playing is. When we arived at the pitch, after around 30 minutes drive, there were the two teams. The ref. Brother #5 had been asked to be linesman, as he wasn’t supposed to play. And a crowd of, oh, 4. All mothers. All from our side, despite it being an away match.

A loss was expected. And a loss what what we got. 5-20 to 3-12. Maybe. I’m making this score up because by the end no one knew what it was. Even before half-time we had to shout and ask the ref what the score was.

Still, all of our team had to wear helmets, which means that they were all under 21, while the other team were tossing their helmets aside 5 minutes into the game cause of the heat. And I think they may even have won the second half. Which, of course means that they were really well beaten in the first half.

In other news, there is none.

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Seems that the kerfuffle over the New York hurling win is growing. See they were supposed to lose, like they do every other year, but on this occasion they defeated Derry. So they should be playing Antrim in Ulster in their next match.

But they have a problem. They don’t want to fly to Ireland because they may have visa problems if they then try and get back into the States.

So the GAA are have postponed the match while they try to sort something out. Antrim don’t want to go to America. Their players will need^[1] to take time off work and Antrim GAA will have to cough up money to pay for accommodation and travel.

And, maybe it is the conservative authoritarian side of me but if I’m being brutally honest I say fuck New York. If they are fielding illegal immigrants then it is their own look out. Why should Antrim have to rearrange their schedule in order to accommodate law breakers?

Maybe I’m being harsh, but I can’t help but compare attitudes to the Irish living illegally in American versus the attitude to immigrants who’ve come here to Ireland.

And what is all this about the Ulster champions not being involved in the All-Ireland. Few question to any GAA heads; First of all is this true? Second of all, why? It can’t just be because Ulster^[2] hurling is shite can it?

And while I’m talking about sports, pop over to the Hogan Stand and vote in the poll, just remember you DO want to see Munster in Croke Park. It’d be deadly.

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EDITED cause I am a total div who put down that a goal is worth two points, when in fact it is three. Which i totally know. I mean, duh! Of course it’s worth three points. What else would it be worth?

Bank holiday tomorrow, but I’ll be working. Exam time means those students need the library open. They’d better come in. Was quite empty on Friday, maybe due to the good weather, but I was still surprised there weren’t more around studying.

Long term readers will know I’ve an interest in [tag]show-jumping[/tag], and this week saw the FEI World Cup^[1] competition. And Ireland’s [tag]Jessica Kuerten[/tag] ^[2] was tipped by many to win, but that was before she decided to leave her top horse at home due to the Quibell’s dislike of airplanes. The competition in Kuala Lumpar ended today with Jessica taking second place behind Germany’s [tag]Marcus Ehning[/tag].

Today also saw the National [tag]Hurling[/tag] League final between [tag]Limerick[/tag] and [tag]Kilkenny[/tag]. It’s only the league, so not really the big competition, but I tuned in anyways. Cheering for Limerick, of course, as thats where de mudder is from. But as all the teams presumably want to peak for the Championship is wasn’t the greatest of matches. Still, [tag]Henry Shefflin[/tag] more than deserved his Man of the Match award, and Kilkenny deserved their win^[3] Then again they didn’t really score much more than Limerick, it just so happened that they scored three goals^[4] whereas all Limerick’s were points. Its the first hurling match I’ve watched in a while, but that Lucozade ad with Ronan O’Gara is totally correct, them hurling boys have some skill.

In yet more sports news that Brother #4, may be heading for South Africa with his [tag]rugby[/tag] team. They’re picking names out of a hat for a summer tour, I think, so he’s pretty hopeful. And Brother #5 was playing in the [tag]Connacht[/tag] U18 final today. Don’t know how they did yet, but the opponents Ballinasloe were favourites. No results on the Connacht rugby site^[5] which really needs to be updated more.

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So Clare hurling is in an uproar. Still.

For those of you that don’t know^[1] there has been a bit of a kerfuffle in the county of Clare recently. Clare is a hurling^[2] stronghold. Hurling is an Irish game, played with a sliothar^[3] and a hurl^[4] and the scoring of goals and points^[5]

A short while ago Clare held an awards ceremony. Where they celebrated their players of the past. Only not everyone was happy. Not everyone got an award.

Enter Ger Loughnane

Now Ger will be well known to any of you who watch the GAA on the telly^[6] what with his outspoken comments and mini rants and raves that are so entertaining in a telly pundit. But Ger is also a hurling great. And he is from Clare. But (you can see where this is going) he didn’t get an award. Instead his arch-nemisis got one. Some priest called Fr. Harry Bohan. He is a Clare selector, but I know nothing else about him, I’m not a huge hurling-follower.

Okay, so all that is the background. Clear is it? As mud? Good.

Now, after the awards ceremony Ger was on the phone to the Clare County board chairman Michael McDonagh. I enjoyed In Fact, Ah’s description of this so I’ll quote it here:

To let off some steam, Loughnane telephoned the County Board Chairman Michael McDonagh to make known his displeasure about the awards. He said he used colourful terms to describe his annoyance (this can be most definitely read as fucking him out of it from a height). Loughnane made the call on speakerphone and forgot to hang up properly. He then called his friend Colum Flynn on his mobile, the team doctor who was being accused of all sorts by the team management at the time, to console him. He did so by detailing how he’d imagined shooting a certain person’s head (Fr. Bohan his arch enemy) that was on top of an oil can while out hunting.

Heavy breathing emanating from the speakerphone alerted Loughnane to the fact that he failed to terminate the call to McDonagh who happens to be a Garda. Unbelievably, McDonagh reported the matter to the Gardai.

Jayzis lads, it is like the Roy Keane affair all over again, only instead of an Irish footballing civil war we are going to have a Clare hurling civil war.

Let’s hope that the Irish Blog Awards don’t suffer such a fallout.

And I haven’t even mentioned the Welsh rugby saga. looks like the sporting world is going insane

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Well, I’m back. Bit later than I thought, but I stayed an extra day because I got a bit of a cold and didn’t want to be on the train with a runny nose and watery eyes.

You may remember that I was cheering for Galway when they played against Kilkenny, well, Sunday was the All-Ireland Hurling Final, and Galway were playing Cork. I said I was still cheering for Galway, but I’ll admit to being a little conflicted.

I do like Sean Óg O hAlipin, and Diarmuid O’Sullivan is also a favourite of mine, and both play for Cork. Still, Cork won last year so I would have preferred if Galway were crowned champions this time round. It wasn’t to be, Cork were, quite simply, the better team. Any time it seemed that Galway might gain the upper hand Cork simply lifted their game, and never looked like losing.

I suppose Galwegians can take some comfort from their victory in the minor final.

And yesterday, when I should have been off shopping, I was instead at home watching the final Battlestar Galactica dvds. It is quite good, no Firefly but entertaining and well-written.

Also went for a driving lesson when I was home. Drove over to Coney Island^[1] and back, then the brother (#3) had a bit of practice, and finally the sister, although because she is only 9 she didn’t have to work the pedals. Went okay, I only conked it out once when I forgot to put my foot on the clutch when starting off. Need a bit of practice at changing gear though.

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