Count John McCormack and ‘Shakin’ Stevens would be fairly polarised bedfellows musically. Yet during what has been a very emotionally challenging period, they both found their way to the forefront of thoughts. Two old houses. Two famous songs. Now read on…
Continue reading “Without the past we have no future”
Whenever a person passes to the great beyond, there’s a period of reflection. If one happens to close to the deceased, everything gets magnified. Personally, there’s been far too much of it over the last year or two. Those close to me will know the ones which have taken the biggest chunk out of the spirit here. Yet the battle endures.
Continue reading “Green shoots should stave off kneejerk reactionism”
Did you ever consider some of the phrases we all use, maybe in the course of a day, in a throw-away fashion that, well, we don’t afford a thought to? Lately, two have been to the forefront of thoughts here: the importance of not taking anything for granted in life and, from a more personal viewpoint, the realisation that things can – and sometimes do – go full circle in life.
Visitors to this space, or indeed sports aficionados of a certain vintage, might recall a time when Eurosport was the only such channel available with ‘mainstream’ television broadcasting. That is, if one was lucky enough to have ‘all’ the ‘normal’ television stations. Now read on…
Trying to stave off cabin fever due to a snow storm gives a body time to think. Too much of it in fact. Primarily, thoughts turned to the last time these wheels were housebound in such circumstances. Most poignantly, that the two lieutenants who did most to aid escapism in what I think was 2010 are now directing operations at a bar counter in the sky.
Continue reading “More Paul Brady than Christy Moore!”
When thinking back to my school days, it often occurs to me just how fortunate we were. Not just in terms of actual schooling but – equally as importantly from a personal perspective at least – that there was such a strong sporting ethos therein. It helped, of course, that Willie Lyons, who looked after sporting matters in the school (still does) was also involved in training the GAA club’s adult teams. The fact that Meath were at their zenith under Sean Boylan at the time was no hindrance either.
Continue reading “A big occasion under the Friday night lights”
The following statement may seem a little awry given the prevailing circumstances which dominate proceedings here, but, so much of our life’s path is shaped for us by those who have gone before. Thus, even though one is precluded from being actively involved on the farming side of things, per say, that an interest in and passion for such matters abounds can be taken as a given with both sides of the family immersed therein for generations.
Continue reading “Defying convention is not only accepted, but expected”
Whilst paying tribute to John Reilly a while ago, mention was afforded to the 1997 season. Specifically, that at the time our club had very talented underage teams in both codes. The thing was, as so many of our teams across different grades qualified for finals, the U-21 hurling decider against Boardsmill ended up being held over until the following year.
Continue reading “The direction may be right, but treading warily will be advisable”
RED JACK (NOEL MEADE) – Below
STONEFORD (NOEL MEADE)
KIRWANS LANE (NOEL MEADE)
NEXT DESTINATION (WILLIE MULLINS)
Continue reading “Horses to Follow 2017 / ’18”
It can be attested to all too easily, having an occupied mind can be essential. An idle mind can cause problems. It’s the type of thing that usually leads to the phenomenon known as the ‘silly season’. Now, obviously, in sporting terms, it besieges different disciplines at various times.
For example, during the two and a bit months of the off-season in soccer, transfer speculation becomes frenetic. All the top players are linked with moves to different clubs – usually Barcelona or Real Madrid or, lately, Manchester City – but in many cases nobody goes anywhere.
