Say cheese!

A total of 58 Cork charities have received over 18 tonnes of cheese this week as the Government’s free cheese scheme is rolled out around the country. In Cork, the voluntary organisations collected the cheese at Orchard Warehousing, Cobh Cross and Colso Enterprises, Togher.
The President of Saint Vincent de Paul in Cork, Brendan Dempsey, said there is much demand in Cork for the free cheese, saying he already has a list of around 65 to 70 people that are looking for it.
“People are delighted to be getting the cheese. We have had an incredible amount of people calling in to see if they can get it. I have a big list of clients that are looking for the cheese.
“Of course people will be embarrassed. People are always embarrassed when they ask for help, but people have to ask or help when there are children going to bed hungry, and there are plenty of children going to bed hungry in Cork.”
Mr Dempsey said that he has spoken with many people around Cork who are under pressure to save money that are looking forward to their free cheese.
“I met one family who have to survive for the rest of the month on €120. That’s €120 for a mother, father and child. When I called over to them they were eating dry pasta. “In the last few months, I have never seen as many grown men coming into Saint Vincent de Paul crying. We’ve had to put tissues in our rooms. People are under huge amounts of pressure. Some people may scoff when it comes to the free cheese, but some people really will appreciate it.”
However, Sinn Fein councillor, Henry Cremin blasted the scheme, saying that he was “fuming” when he first heard of it.
“I thought it was a joke when it came out a few weeks ago. A few people called me as well and asked if the Government was serious.
“What they should have done was give out hampers or reinstate the Christmas bonus. If they did that, the money would be going right back into the local economy. People don’t hold on to their Christmas bonus. They spend it.”
Cllr Cremin also said that not everyone who was given the cheese would get the full benefit of it.

Say cheese!

Party Politics the most important thing to FF

I remember being told as a kid that Fianna Fail was a true grassroots party. Then why are party members from all across the country trying to dictate how voters in Donegal South West? Just about every Fianna Fail member that I'm friends with on Facebook have adopted a  Brian Ó Domhnaill twibbon on their profile picture.
 Not only this, I've seen regular updates from these people reminding us mere mortals to tell our friends in that constituency to vote for him. What difference does it make to them if a FFer in a county hundreds of miles ago gets elected or not?
This is typical of Fianna Fail. They're far removed from their grassroots beginnings and are now only interested in party politics. It's this attitude, on top of an abysmal recent track record, that will lead the party to failure in 2011's General Election. 
I have a fiver on Sinn Fein's Pearse Doherty.

Party Politics the most important thing to FF

London Bombing victim lashes inquest

Five years ago, 32-year-old Ben Freeman was nearly killed in the 7/7 London bombings. Now living in Cork City, Mr Freeman says the Coroner’s inquest into the attack, which started this week, is not enough. Mr Freeman, who lives with friends in Glasheen, has resided in Cork for the last six months. He says the only way there will be justice for the 52 people that died will be if the British Government can explain why information it held at the time was not acted upon. “The only way forward is to get a public inquiry into what happened that day. The Government said it was Al-Qaeda, but I don’t know. It’s said the Government, MI5 and MI6 that knew about the group and I want to know why it wasn’t stopped.” Mr Freeman was a victim of the Aldgate tube bombing and said that he wasn’t even supposed to be on the train. “I just barely missed the train before that. The only reason I missed it was because I was getting a thank you present for my workplace after I was made permanent there. It was a busy tube. Seven people were killed and everyone that as on it was taken to hospital.” Mr Freeman doesn’t have clear memories of the attack and suffered memory loss afterwards. “I remember getting on the train and a guy with a blue backpack pushing past me. Then I remember a rush of air and crawling to the floor. I thought I had just fallen over. “I remember finding that someone was on top of me. I later found out that it was because of this man that my injuries were not as bad as they are. He lost both of his legs, an arm, an eye and had a lot of internal damage. He is still alive though.” Mr Freeman spent the next three and a half weeks in hospital. He still suffers from nerve and muscle damage in his left arm, has pins in both his legs and a limp. The attack has also had a psychological impact on Mr Freeman’s life. “I don’t do crowds. I get very nervous when I’m in a group of large people. I didn’t have a problem with crowds before the attack, but I guess I associate large crowds with the busy tube. “I’m not great with public transportation. I’m okay with the buses around Cork, but I just can’t stand trains or tube systems. I guess that’s another reason I decided to move to Cork; there’s no tube system.” Despite the fact Mr Freeman still has injuries from the attack, he says he is grateful that it wasn’t as bad as it could have been. “I’m grateful that I wasn’t any taller. If I were a few inches taller, then it wouldn’t have been my arm they got, it would have been my heart. I’m also so grateful to that man who fell on top of me, or else my injuries would have been so much worse.” Mr Freeman said his move to Cork was one of the best decisions of his life. He is now studying Architectural Drafting in St John’s College, something he wanted to do since he was 18-years-old. “London was just too difficult to live in after the bombings. I had a lot of friends in Cork and that’s what I needed. It’s also not as as big or as fancy as London, which was just what I wanted. “Cork is my home now. I’m slowly getting my life back how I pictured it would be when I was younger. I feel like I am a Corkonian now.” Below is footage of the underground train that was bombed in Aldgate.

London Bombing victim lashes inquest

UCC FG story makes it onto Broadsheet.ie

I just noticed that one of my stories has made it onto Broadsheet.ie. Quite happy with that since I'm a big fan of the website. You can see the whole article here.

UCC FG story makes it onto Broadsheet.ie

Google Street View hits Ireland

Yesterday, Offices across Ireland ground to a halt so that they could see if they could find their houses on the all-new Google Street View Ireland. With the tool, you can travel across nearly every road in the country and see if you can spy into other people's houses.
Of course, if you're not happy with the idea of other people staring into your house, then you can ask google to delete your houses image by going to www.maps.google.ie, finding your house and then clicking 'report a problem'.
Perhaps this man who was caught urinating against a wall in Cork would consider reporting a problem. You can be sure that more of these pictures will crop up over the following weeks.

Google Street View hits Ireland

Bertie Ahern's new shame

Here's the advertisement for the 'News of the World' that will surely haunt him for the rest of his life.
Controversy in a pantry!

 

Bertie Ahern's new shame

Suspicion surrounds Sheehan file

Cork Senator Jerry Buttimer has claimed that the release of a Garda file on fellow Fine Gael politician and Cork South West TD, PJ Sheehan, is highly suspicious given its timing, just days after Brian Cowen was accused of being hungover on national radio. The Cork South Senator was commenting on revelations that Deputy Sheehan threatened a garda after she stopped him driving out of Leinster House under the influence of alcohol during July.

Senator Buttimer said the timing was unusual, as it followed reports that there may be a leadership battle in Fianna Fail.

“I think it’s suspicious that this file was out in the public domain at this time, when the incident took place three months ago. The same thing happened earlier in the year when Trevor Sargent’s private letter became public after the situation with Willy O’Dea. I’m not pointing the finger at anyone and I’m not going to elaborate on it, but I am calling on the Garda Commissioner to look into this situation and see how it happened.”

Senator Buttimer said that he was not aware of the incident until Sunday and that drink driving should never be condoned.

“PJ Sheehan has been a good public representative, but we can not allow or tolerate drink driving. It’s time we had a debate on the use of alcohol. I am not going to give PJ a lecture. He’s a grown man and he knows what he has done. I can only comment.”

It is reported that 77-year-old Deputy Sheehan told the garda that “when we get into power you will get nothing” and that she would be “in trouble over this.”

Since the incident came to public knowledge, Deputy Sheehan has resigned from his position as Deputy Spokesperson on Agriculture and has made a public apology.

“I wish to offer a full and unreserved apology for my behaviour on 8 July in the environs of Leinster House. This behaviour was totally out of character in my 30 years in politics. In particular I offer my deepest apologies to the Gardaí on duty that night who were carrying out their duty in exemplary fashion.
“I also deeply regret the embarrassment this incident has caused the Fine Gael Party, its Leader, my colleagues in the Party, my constituents in Cork South West and my wife and family. I intend writing a letter in the morning expressing my deep personal apologies and regrets to the Gardaí in question.”

Fellow Cork South West TD, Jim O’Keeffe said that concerned citizens have come to him about the situation.

“A number of people have expressed the concerns to me about the situation, but most of these people would have been Fine Gael supporters. The response seems to be more sorrow than anger though. It is very unfortunate that this has happened towards the end of a long career in politics. It was inappropriate behaviour but I am glad he has apologised.”

Party Leader, Enda Kenny spoke of the situation at his recent visit to the Ploughing Championships, saying that it was an embarrassment to the party.

“This should never have happened and was completely out of character for the deputy involved."”

Alcohol Awareness Ireland and the Road Safety Authority would not comment on the incident when contacted.

Suspicion surrounds Sheehan file