Irish Gurriers 'celebrate' the fake 'Halloween'

While decent traditional Celts on the Emerald Isle and in many other countries were celebrating Samhain (see my entry below), Irish gurriers - mostly tanked up with alcoholic drinks - were 'celebrating' the fake Americanised 'Halloween' in their own antisocial, violent and destructive way.

The estimated cost of damage caused during their outrageous and unacceptable 'Halloween' is expected to run into millions of Euros. This is just what we need in Ireland, as we are in economic recession and even the government is now very short of money!

The worst excesses of the antisocial behaviour took place in Dublin.
During a night of violence three buildings in the capital - a factory at Castleforbes Road close to the Point Depot, a number of derelict apartments in O'Devaney Gardens near the Arbour Hill in the north inner city, and the 'Western Inn' off Mountjoy Square - were set alight.
More than 50 cars were also set on fire and burned out all over the Dublin area, including in Lucan, Clondalkin and Cabra.

Dublin City Council estimate that the clean-up operation alone will cost them close to € 1 million.

The emergency services in Dublin dealt with fires as well as attacks on Gardaí (police officers) and fire officers throughout the whole night.
Two Gardaí were taken to hospital after they were injured following an altercation with a group of people in Dublin. The Gardaí were out on foot patrol when they were attacked by a group of people just after midnight on Dorset Street. Ten people were subsequently arrested at the scene.

In Sherriff Street, in the north of the inner city, a fireman was injured and a fire engine was attacked by a gang of youths as the emergency services tried to put out an extended bonfire there at around 9 p.m.
The fire officer received an eye injury and was later admitted to hospital, and the windscreen of the fire engine was smashed in the attack.

The Dublin Fire Service were called out to over 800 incidents in the capital during that night alone. Their headquarters reported 15 knife attacks on fire officers, and that 40% of calls related to assaults, many of them resulting in head injuries. The Ambulance Service received more than 500 calls.

Dublin's Lord Mayor Eibhlin Byrne (left) called for more stringent punishments for those who attacked the emergency services, a call also backed by Fine Gael's Justice spokesman Charles Flanagan.

Well, it is always the same. When bad things like these antisocial and criminal activities happen, some politicians come out and condemn them. That's alright.
But the same politicians and many of their colleagues who prefer to stay silent allow the conditions for this antisocial behaviour to exist in the first place. They do nothing to educate young people in the right spirit of November 1st, an no politician has ever even attempted to ban the sale of ridiculous 'Halloween' costumes and other related articles and items, including fire works.

The present government - in power now for over eleven years - has created a lawless Ireland without proper policing.
Feckless gurriers and other antisocial elements in our society are either ignored by the State and the Garda Siochana (police force), or treated with kid gloves. They know only too well that they get away with most of their violence and criminal damage, so they carry on with it at an ever higher rate of incidents.

The more gurriers see politicians, bankers and so-called 'celebrities' get away with (non-violent) criminal and antisocial behaviour, the more they are encouraged to carry on in their more brutal and aggressive fashion. The incompetence of our government is visible in many areas. But in no other field is it so damaging to the nation as a whole as in crime and law enforcement.
As much as the direct blame for the violence, vandalism and destruction has to be put on the perpetrators, a share of it must be laid firmly on the doorsteps of Government Buildings and Leinster House.

And another share of the blame also rests with parents, teachers and shops. If they would not allow and support the ghoulish subculture of 'Halloween' and promote instead the peaceful and spiritual traditions of Samhain, we would not have all these problems.

There has been not one incident at a Samhain celebration. There is no violence, no aggression and no hyping up of stupid people with lots of alcohol. Samhain celebrations are beautiful and reflect more than 5000 years of our Irish tradition. And - to mention that as well - not a single of the many Samhain bonfires got out of control. There was no call for the Gardai, fire brigades or ambulances from any of the numerous celebrations traditional Irish Celts held during the night.

Meanwhile, the Gardaí were called out to an incident at Bianconi Drive in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, where a bonfire got out of control.
Up to 30 youths were at the scene there, and four Gardaí were assaulted during the incident.
A female Garda was treated at Waterford Regional Hospital with a fractured eye socket and three of her male colleagues suffered lacerations to their bodies, but have since been released.

The Fire Service also reported bales of hay being dragged on to a road in Co. Monaghan and set alight.

In Northern Ireland several police officers were attacked with petrol bombs and fireworks in Crossmaglen, Co. Armagh during drunken and violent 'Halloween' night 'celebrations'.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) also says it believes a fire at a tyre depot on the Corrody Road in Derry was started deliberately.
The Fire Service of Northern Ireland said that its regional control centre in Lisburn received a call approximately every minute during the night.

This sort of behaviour has to stop, and I am waiting with great interest for the first politician who will call for a public re-branding of the day and night - away from the fake American 'Halloween' and back to our own traditional Samhain.

The Emerald Islander

Vacuum Cleaner caused Cutty Sark Fire

One has not to be a sailor or tall ships enthusiast to know the name Cutty Sark. This world-famous former British tea clipper - and the last existing ship of its type - has entered the realm of general knowledge a long time ago.

Built in 1869 in Dumbarton/Scotland and commissioned in February 1870, she was constructed as a fast three-master for the China tea trade. This trade was at the time intensely competitive and involved a race across the globe from China to London, with immense profits to the ship that arrived with the first tea of the year.

In the most famous race, against the Thermopylae in 1872, both ships left Shanghai together on June 18th, but two weeks later Cutty Sark lost her rudder after passing through the Sunda Strait. She arrived in London on October 18th, a week after Thermopylae, with a total passage time of 122 days. Her legendary reputation comes from the fact that her captain chose to carry on with an improvised rudder instead of putting into a port for a replacement. And though she was seriously disadvantaged, she was only beaten by one week.

Later the ship had a mixed history, carrying wool from Australia to Britain and sailing for some years for a Portuguese owner. Under the respected Captain Richard Woodget she did very well, posting Australia-to-Britain times of as little as 67 days. Her best run, 360 nautical miles (666 km) in 24 hours (an average of 15 kn or 28 km/h), was said to have been the fastest of any ship of her size. In 1916 she was dismasted off the Cape of Good Hope, sold, re-rigged in Cape Town as a barquentine, and re-named Maria do Amparo.

Then - in 1922 - she was bought by Captain Wilfred Dowman, who restored her to her original appearance as a three-masted fully-rigged ship and used her as a stationary training ship. In 1954 she was moved to a custom-built dry-dock at Greenwich and has been there ever since as a museum ship and tourist attraction. Hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world have visited her and admired her exceptional beauty.

Unfortunately this great ambassador from the past was almost destroyed in a fire last year. On the morning of May 21st, 2007 the Cutty Sark, which had been closed and partly dismantled for substantial conservation work, caught fire and burned for several hours before the London Fire Brigade could bring the blaze under control. Initial reports indicated that the damage was extensive, with most of the wooden structure in the centre having been lost.

Richard Doughty, chief executive of the Cutty Sark Trust, revealed the next day that at least half of the "fabric" (timbers, etc.) of the ship had not been on site, as it had been removed during the preservation work. The trust was most worried about the state of iron framework to which the fabric was attached. But at least the ship was not lost after all and could be restored again, although at the price of an additional £ 10 million, which brought the total costs of the ship's restoration to about £ 35 million.

Fortunately the project received a substantial financial boost by winning the 'Museum of the Year' award, and many donations - large and small - came in from private individuals. This included school children who gave £ 1 of their pocket money, and the Israeli shipping magnate Sammy Ofer, who donated £ 3.3 million. A further £ 10 million came from the British Heritage Lottery Fund and the full restoration of the Cutty Sark is now secured. Work is expected to be complete by 2010.

For more than a year the cause of the fire was not clearly established. After initial analysis of CCTV footage from the area suggested the possibility of arson, further investigation over the following days by Scotland Yard failed to find conclusive proof that the fire was set deliberately.

After a long forensic investigation it has now been established that the devastating fire was not caused by human hands directly, but by an overheated industrial vacuum cleaner, which was used by foreign contractors to remove waste from the ship as part of the renovation work.
The vacuum cleaner was left switched on for two days over the weekend, overheated and then caused an electrical fire.

Police said the vacuum cleaner did not have a vital cut-off switch that prevents overheating, because it had been adapted for a lower UK power voltage.
Detective Chief Inspector Dave Garwood, who led the inquiry, said that two private 'security guards' on duty at the site failed to spot the fire in its early stages. They could have reported it sooner and a fire marshal inspection before the weekend could also have helped to prevent it.

The two men, who had been dismissed after the incident, were - according to DCI Garwood - "vague and inconsistent" witnesses.
He also said that (mostly foreign) renovation workmen were responsible for dangerous practices onboard, including electrical equipment often left plugged in, debris not removed immediately and loose electrical connections.
It was also not clear if fire alarm tests were completed properly in the weeks before the blaze.

All this shows once again how dangerous - and in the end for more costly - the modern business practice of cost-cutting, employing cheaper foreign workers and 'out-sourcing' of specialist work to contractors can be. Had the restoration work been done by a dedicated team of UK experts, the wage bill would certainly have been higher, but the devastating fire would most likely never have happened.

The now revealed details of the incident also prove that the use of private 'security guards' does not guarantee or enhance security. Quite the opposite is often the case, as most of these so-called 'guards' have little education, almost no training and usually no experience in the security field. It is evident that the old phrase still stands: If you pay peanuts, you will only get monkeys.

However, the good news after all the trauma and devastation is that in two years' time the Cutty Sark will be on display again, probably more beautiful than ever. And that will be appreciated by many, including

The Emerald Islander

Reflections on the Weekend...

Having been away once more and thus unable to post entries on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, let me reflect briefly on the events that caught my attention and need a few words of comment.

Unbelievable Rise of Gas Prices

After the Electrical Supply Board (ESB), Ireland's largest supplier of electricity, announced a rise of consumer prices by 17.5% for August (see my entry from July 22nd), households and small businesses are now also facing a 20% increase in gas prices this autumn.
The 'Energy Regulator' has given the country's largest gas company Bord Gáis permission to increase their prices by one fifth from September 1st. Together with the rise of electricity prices this is an unbelievable act of daylight robbery, committed against a large number of Irish people and sanctioned quite happily by the government agency that is supposed to control the industry.

The Commission for Energy Regulation, as it is officially called, has also warned that a further increase of energy prices will be needed in January 2009, due to the sharp rise in gas prices on international markets over the past year. The regulator says that Ireland imports 90% of its gas from the UK, where the wholesale price has almost doubled in the past twelve months. The two price rises are apparently "an attempt to cushion the immediate consequences for customers".

How cynical is such a statement, at a time when prices for almost everything are spinning out of control and large companies squeeze consumers more and more, while incomes for ordinary working people are not rising in equal measure and many people are losing their jobs due to the onset of recession in Ireland.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul says it is "very concerned at the price increase, which will impact hardest on the most vulnerable". As usual the poorest are ripped off by large and weathy companies, whose profits have risen steadily and are passed on to their shareholders, many of which are not Irish.
The society expressed the hope that Bord Gáis will not include the Standing Charge in their price increase. It also called on the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Mary Hanafin, to tackle the issue of fuel poverty among those depending on social welfare payments.

Meanwhile Age Action has called on the government and the energy providers to "take steps to ensure that vulnerable older people are protected from rising fuel costs".
"This increase along with the recent increases in the cost of oil and electricity leaves many older people praying for a mild winter. They know if the winter is hash they will suffer", said Eamon Timmins of Age Action.

As things stand now, it is time for the government to consider active price controls for energy as well as the most basic and common food items. Otherwise we are running the risk to create in a very short time a large class of poverty-stricken people who are no longer able to afford the most basic items needed to survive and live a decent life. Apart from immense hardship this would cause for many, it would also inevitably lead to a rise in crime and disorder and all gains we have made during the 'Celtic Tiger' boom could disappear into thin air in a very short time.

The annual Climbing of Croagh Patrick

Yesterday, on Reek Sunday - the last Sunday in July - more than 25,000 Catholic pilgrims assembled in County Mayo for the annual mass climbing of Croagh Patrick, Ireland's 'holy mountain', which is situated 8 km from Westport.
Despite the drastic decline of the Catholic Church in Ireland, this traditional spectacle, which has its origins in the dark ages, still attracts large numbers of believers, and a good number of them climb the 764 metre high rocky mountain barefoot "to atone for their sins".

Under the leadership of the Catholic Archbishop of Tuam, Michael Neary, eleven Masses were celebrated on the mountain during the day, and hundreds of members of ambulance corps and mountain rescue teams were in attendance to look after people who suffered from exhaustion or injured themselves on the climb.
Thanks to their efforts there have not been any deaths for some years during the event, but in the past numerous people died during the irresponsible religious mass hysteria.

Irishman sentenced in Greece for starting a Brush Fire

Meanwhile a court on the Greek island of Crete has sentenced a 20-year-old Irishman to a suspended sentence of three months in prison for starting a fire by negligence.

The unnamed Irish tourist burned 500 square miles of brush and olive trees in Hersonissos, in the east of the island, on Friday by setting dry brush alight, the local fire department said. He was arrested by firemen soon afterwards.

Hundreds of fires have broken out in Greece this summer, many of them due to negligence and assisted by dry weather conditions. And often tourists, who don't know the country and have no understanding of the local conditions who are responsible.

Last year devastating forest fires left 77 people dead and burned 270,000 hectares of forest and agricultural land in Greece.

The Emerald Islander

Fire in Taoiseach's Washington Hotel

The Taoiseach's sleep was rudely interrupted earlier this morning when fire alarm bells rang out at about 4.30 a.m. local time in the very luxurious Mayflower Hotel in Washington, where Bertie Ahern and his party - including Senate leader Donie Cassidy - are staying at present, ahead of the Taoiseach's address to both Houses of Congress later today.

After the alarm sounded, members of the U. S. Secret Service escorted the Taoiseach from his suite on the tenth floor down to the street, where he joined about 600 other guests who gathered slightly puzzled and half asleep on Connecticut Avenue in front of the Mayflower, one of the most exclusive and luxurious hotels in Washington (with the cheapest room costing $ 400 a night).

Early speculations that the alarm was a hoax to interrupt Bertie Ahern's sleep were proven wrong, and Pat Kenny's suggestion that someone in the Irish party might have lit a cigarette in his room against the rules also turned out to be incorrect. Apparently an electric generator on the eleventh floor - one above the Taoiseach's suite - caught fire and caused minor damage.
Shortly after 5 a.m. local time the "all clear" was given and everyone was allowed back into their rooms. This gives Bertie about five more hours to rest and get ready, as he is due on Capitol Hill shortly after 10 a.m. local time.

The Emerald Islander

Wexford Deaths and Fire treated as suspicious

Gardaí have confirmed that they are treating the death of a family in a house fire in County Wexford early today as suspicious. (see my entry from this morning)

Tonight they said that Dermot and Lorraine Flood, whose bodies were found along with their two children in their burnt-out home in Clonroche, Co. Wexford, had "injuries other than those sustained in a fire".

Speaking outside Enniscorthy Garda station, Superintendent Kevin Donohue from the Garda Press Office said that all four family members had injuries from the fire. He added that the bodies of 41-year-old Dermot Flood and his 38-year-old wife Lorraine had also "other injuries". What those injuries are and how they were caused will only become clear later, once the post-mortem examinations have taken place.

According to a report by RTÉ News both adults suffered apparently gunshot wounds.

Superintendent Donohue said the bodies of the two children, six-year-old Mark and five-year-old Julie Flood, did not have injuries other than those sustained in the fire. He also confirmed that a shotgun was located in the house and said that it was "licensed to a member of the wider family".

The Superintendent said it was not clear yet whether or not there was third party involvement in the deaths, but at the moment Gardaí were not looking for anyone else specifically.
He confirmed that the bodies of Lorraine and Julie Flood were found in their upstairs bedrooms. Mark Flood's body was found on the landing and Dermot Flood was located in a downstairs room. The technical examination of the scene will continue for a number of days, he added.

Meanwhile the bodies of the family have been removed from the scene and are being taken to the Dublin City Morgue in Marino. Post-mortem examinations will take place tomorrow morning at 11 a.m.

The fire in the two-storey house on the Enniscorthy road was spotted by neighbours of the family in Clonroche just after 5.30 a.m. this morning. At least one neighbour entered the house to attempt to rescue the family, but was beaten back by flames and smoke.

Family of four dies in Co. Wexford Fire

There is some sad news at the start of the weekend. A family of four has died early this morning in a house fire in Co. Wexford. A couple in their 40s and their two young children, a boy and a girl aged 7 and 8, all died in the blaze in Clonroche on the main Enniscorthy Road.

The alarm was raised shortly after 5.30 a.m. this morning by a man from a neighbouring house who discovered the fire.
The Enniscorthy Fire Brigade arrived a short time later at the two-storey house (photo).

The bodies of the parents and the two children were found inside and remain at the scene for the time being.
Post mortem examinations will be carried out later today and Gardaí have begun an investigation into the cause of the fire.

(For an update see my later entry above)

Woman died in Tramore House Fire

A woman in her late forties has died in a house fire in Tramore, County Waterford. The blaze was reported at 11.50 p.m. last night at a house in Herons Hill, Knockenduff. Attempts to rescue the woman failed and she was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after 1 a.m. this morning.

The woman is understood to have been living in Tramore for a number of years. A man in his forties was taken from the same house to Waterford Regional Hospital (left), where he is being treated for minor burns and for smoke inhalation.

Four Gardaí were also taken to hospital and treated for smoke inhalation, and three of them have since been released.

The cause of the fire is now under investigation and Gardaí are carrying out a technical examination of the house which was extensively damaged in the fire.

The Emerald Islander

Fire devastates Roberts-House in Waterford

A major fire has devastated the former house of the famous architect John Roberts in the inner city of Waterford last night. The blaze, which was reported around midnight, did destroy much of the old three-storey building on Cathedral Square, opposite Christchurch Cathedral, right in centre of the most ancient part of the city. The old Roberts-House, which bears a blue plaque in memory of Waterford's great architect, has stood empty for some time, as the area is due for re-development. The adjacent buildings to the left and right are also unoccupied at the present time and might have received some minor damage.

Three units of Waterford City Fire Brigade attended the scene and brought the fire under control. There has been no damage to Christchurch Cathedral, but the Fire Brigade cordoned off the area for the time being and will keep a watch in place, to prevent the fire from reigniting.

The burned-out building used to be the family home of John Roberts (1712-1796), who during the 18th century designed and built most of Waterford's famous landmark buildings, such as City Hall and Theatre Royal, the Bishop's Palace (now motor tax office), the house of William Morris (now seat of the Chamber of Commerce), and of course (the Anglican) Christchurch Cathedral and the Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. Waterford, Ireland's oldest city, is indeed the only place in the world where the same architect designed and built two cathedrals (using different styles) for different religious faith communities.

Last night's blaze, whose cause is at this time unknown, was the second major fire in Waterford's inner city in less than three weeks. On the 6th of the month an even larger and more devastating fire had engulfed and destroyed a commercial building on Thomas Street. (for details see my entry from March 6th)

The Emerald Islander

Major Fire in Waterford

A major fire, which has meanwhile been brought under control, devastated a commercial building in the city centre of Waterford tonight.

About fifty fire fighters from Waterford, Wexford and Kilkenny were called to the blaze, which broke out at around 6 p.m. this evening in an interior design business on Thomas Street.
The premises of the company, which specialises - among other things - in the design and installation of kitchens (and stores therefore a significant amount of wood) have been seriously damaged.
But fortunately no one was injured by the fire.

Thick black smoke was hanging over the city and caused poor visibility along the Quay.

The Fire Service says it will keep an eye on the building overnight, to make sure it does not re-ignite.

Gardaí have set up traffic diversions and Thomas Street is blocked from the Quay up to Barker Street. So is the adjacent middle part of Barker Street, and motorists are asked to avoid the area.

The Emerald Islander

For an up-date see the Comment section below