Sunday, April 23, 2017

THE ROYAL BILE





When I heard that Everton Football Club had barred The Sun from their Goodison Park stadium, I was reminded of the story about a gentleman from (I think it was) Birmingham whose brother had recently moved to Liverpool.
Prior to getting on the train, he bought a copy of The Sun from the kiosk at the station.
After reading a bit of it on the train, he put it away in his bag.
He thought nothing of it until sitting in the pub he and his brother arranged to meet in, and getting fed up waiting for him to arrive, remembered his paper, and began reading the rest of it.
Soon after the barman walked over to his table with the pint of ale he had ordered, put it on the table, and then grabbed his copy of The Sun off him.
In front of his eyes, it was torn to shreds as the barman announced “Sorry we don’t serve The Sun in here”.

This wee anecdote in many ways sums up the Sun’s position in England.
As well as Liverpool, many people living in Mining communities also refuse to buy the paper, still reeling from those scurrilous attacks on Arthur Scargil more than twenty years ago.
It is still the highest selling paper in many parts of the U.K., but it looks as though The Daily Mail will overtake it.
The current circulation rate of the Murdoch Tabloid is 1,611,464.
While this seems Massive by Irish standards, it is actually almost 1/3 the average circulation of The Sun, reached in 1994, where it stood at  4,305,957.
The growth of the internet news portals has led to a sharp decline in younger readers, and at the other end of the age scale, The Daily Mail, and to a lesser extent The Express, have robbed it of elderly readers.

With ever decreasing sales, people who monitor the press in the U.K. have been accusing The Sun of plumbing ever greater depths in a desperate attempt to somehow shore up current circulation, never mind increase it.
Oh how the current editor Tony Gallagher wished another comedian would gobble up a hamster!

Anybody with even a hint of interest in the media and current affairs, knows all about how The Sun disgustingly portrayed the fans of Liverpool F.C., and the people of that city as a whole in the wake of the Hillsbrough disaster.

Picture from Independent.co.uk

in 1993, Kelvin McKenzie - who was editor at the time of disaster - made what many thought a ‘non apology apology’, saying he regretted having printed the articles about the Hillsbrough Tragedy, but trying to squarely blame others for him reaching that decision to do so.
The “Justice for the 96” victims campaign rubbished his Mea Culpa at the time, and last week referenced it again, to claim McKenzie was never sincere when he uttered the words he did, as his latest article proved.
There has rightly been a lot of anger over the article McKenzie wrote which compared Everton Midfielder Ross Barkley to a Gorilla, and made sweeping disgusting statements about the people of Liverpool generally.

Photo from Daily Telegraph

While many expressed bewilderment and shock that people could have undertaken to Sub Edit a piece, that the editor then OK’d for inclusion into last Friday weeks paper, I was not.
You see the editor of The Sun is Tony Gallagher, a man who used to be a Deputy Editor of The Daily Mail.
Due to his previous position, he would have a good insight as to what makes a Daily Mail reader tick, and what would lead them to buying a newspaper.
A lot of these people would be from Southern and Middle England, and view the bulk of the people in the Northern end of the country and work shy dole cheats.
In an effort to win back readers, it is quite evident to me, that McKenzie’s article was another attempt at out-Daily-Mailing the Mail itself.
I know a few very passionate Liverpool and Everton fans, and believe you me it truly IS something when they jointly express their anger and dislike of Murdoch’s Tabloid!

Regarding the Ross Barkley incident, and the article it sparked, I and 3 other classmates - as part of Podcast on football we did - discussed the whole thing at my kitchen table.
Unfortunately, it was myself and Hayden Moore who did most of the talking, with Seán Ivory, and Conor Byrne remaining rather tongue tied, claiming they didn’t have much to say on it :/

Here is he link to our chat:


Friday, April 7, 2017

Concerned parent speaks out over proposed cuts at his sons Special Needs school



Saint Augustine's School


Nestled in quiet Cul de Sac located just off Carysfort Avenue, Saint Augustine's School in Blackrock has been transforming the lives of people with disabilities since 1930.
Providing a range of educational, sporting and support services, the school has enabled many people who walked through it's doors to transition into adulthood, and live semi-, if not actual independent lives; Something their parents profess they never thought would have been achievable prior to their son or daughter entering the school.

P.E. Hall Saint Augustine' School


John is a parent who has a child attending Saint Augustine's.
He contacted me over grave concern he had regarding major changes planned to the services provided by the school, which he and other parents feel will seriously undo the great strides many of the kids in the school have made, especially those with autism.
So John agreed to be interviewed by me, and outlined what services the school currently provides, and which of these will be lost down the line, if the Saint John of God's Management team, and the H.S.E. have their way.

https://soundcloud.com/sean-heffernan-424205175/john-interview

Horticulture building at the school





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NB:  After the interview finished, John asked me to write the following:
John personally feels the Brothers of Saint John of God's services have been put in a very bad light, which he feels is unfair on them.
He wanted it said that it is the Management Team in Saint John of God's, and not the Brothers who are working with the HSE to "reform" (John says cut) services at Saint Augustine's School.
(The management team is a separate entity per se from the Brothers)
The brothers are shocked at the plans for the school, and have tried to help the parents in their fight in anyway they possibly could)


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Wednesday, April 5, 2017

“B” is for Bohs… and Barry.



After purchasing my match ticket, I headed out into the stands, as kick off drew closer.
I’ve yet to have my dinner, so I ravenously head for the Pie hut to get myself a good feed.
As I walk along a loud voice erupts “SEÁN!”. 
I look around and coming towards me with arms outstretched is my oul mucker Barry Lenihan.
“You’re my REAL brother” he opines.
Barry is the unofficial Bohemian Football Club mascot.
No one gets the fans singing like Barry does; when he starts to rev up for singing, you can see the gleeful expectation on some of the fans faces.


Barry doing What Barry does best!


Sadly Barry is not able to take the half time penalty kick anymore.
Protocol schmotocal – this is one piece of Health and Safety/insurance lark I’d happily put a red line through if I could.
You should have heard the roar of the crowd when Barry hit the back of the net, often after the third or four attempt at trying to beat the Bohs reserve goalkeeper,doing his half time warm up.
It was great to see the sheer joy on Barry’s face, as he ran towards the fans, arms aloft in celebration.
At that point I would give him the cup of tea and Wispa bar (the name of it whispered by Barry in reply) that I got him.


A fans eye view of Barry in action.

Recently Barry was missing from Dalymount Park for a few months.
It turned out he was in hospital recuperating from major surgery on his leg.
When he came back, the amount of fans coming up to him well wishing him, and telling him how happy they were to see him back, was something else.
The affection people have for the man from Whitehall truly is something else.
Spend just five minutes in his company, and I guarantee you you’ll leave with a big smile on your face and feeling happier with the world.
It was a great sight that night to see people give a full throated “B” after Barry began the chant that is his Dalymount trademark.

L is for Lenihan…. And Legend..