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WARNING. Cringeworthy stuff below….

January 8, 2012 by Ciarán

Thanks (or not, I’m not too sure) to KBranno for pointing me in the direction of this video clip. I don’t know what to say about it only…. its car- crash stuff. Contained within is an uncharismatic blithering idiot trying to talk football while cracking juvenile jokes about Pat Butcher, kissing your mates Ma and the politics of slagging people of different races. Unreal stuff for a Sunday morning.

 

 

WARNING. View at your own discretion. CHTM! will not compensate for facial injuries caused by overt cringing.

Posted in Football Articles, Miscellaneous, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

History Ireland (January/February 2012)

January 7, 2012 by Donal

The latest History Ireland is just out and on the shelves.

Some features of interest to Come Here To Me readers would include Séamus Nevin’s look at Georgian Ireland’s property bubble. It’s a fascinating look at an eighteenth century collapse with an errie resemblance to today. “Pre-Union, an acre of Dublin land typically fetched more than three times its London equivalent. By 1820,however, its value had halved.”

Brian Hanley has an interesting article looking at the response to the Bloody Sunday massacre in the south. This article looks at nationwide protest, but pays particular attention to the burning of the British embassy in the capital.

Joseph E.A Connell Jr continues his ‘Countdown to 2016’ feature, this time looking at the return of Thomas Clarke to Dublin following his release from Pentonville Prison.

I’ve enjoyed the contributions of Lar Joye, curator of military history at the National Museum of Ireland, to the magazine with regards to some of the artefacts in the museum’s collection. This issue sees him take a look at the uniform of Roger Casement’s Irish Brigade.

Personally, I’ve a review of The Men of Arlington in this issue, a wonderful documentary looking at Arlington House in Camden, home to generations of Irish migrants in London. It features alongside the usual reviews of telly, books and theatre but this issue marks the welcome arrival of ‘Radio Ear’, a look at recent historical content on the airwaves.

Posted in Miscellaneous | 2 Comments »

Nothing wrong with a bit of Simpsons humour….

January 7, 2012 by Donal

Couldn’t help but smile earlier on when passing Costa Coffee on Dame Street.

Somebody has taken it upon themselves to spray ‘El Barto’ across the front of the place by the bus stop, pretty sizable and something two kids in front of me picked up on and found hilarious. A brave move, which brought all kinds of nostalgic feelings for a time when The Simpsons was half decent.

Posted in Street Art | 2 Comments »

I miss fanzine culture (and The Housemartins)

January 7, 2012 by Donal

I contacted AK over at the Irish Election Literature Blog recently enquiring about the possibility of posting the below to Come Here To Me, a letter of support from The Housemartins to Shamrock Rovers supporters in their battle to save Miltown Road from destruction.

I’d long known of Paul Heaton’s love for the beautiful game, his interview with the Celtic fanzine TÁL is worth taking the time to read, and gives good insight into his views on the modern game. There’s also a great bit of Dublin related humour in it.

Interviewer: Is ‘The Rising of Grafton Street’ by The Beautiful South in reference to the Easter Rising?
Paul: Not intentionally
Interviewer: Lol, we can claim it for Ireland anyway?
Paul: You certainly can!

The Housemartins letter of support for Shamrock Rovers supporters was printed in the 1988 ‘Glenmalure Gazette’ Christmas edition.

In the past we’ve featured a range of League of Ireland fanzies on the site, including Osam Is Doubtful from Saint Patrick’s Athletic and numerous fanzines from Bohs fans. We obviously had easier access to Bohs and Pats materials with our own loyalties here, but Come Here To Me is about something broader and we welcome all fanzines from the capital, in my eyes they represent a great part of the game here and one which is sorely missed by many.

Some previously featured fanzines.

I was directed towards the following files, which contain an archive of Shamrock Rovers fanzines from over the years, not only the Glenmalure Gazette from which the letter above comes but other fanzines entirely including Some Ecstacy and Hoops Upside Your Head. It’s an important bit of League of Ireland social history and great praise is due to those who took the time to scan and scan and scan away to bring these to a winder audience, not only young Hoops but the broader LOI community.

The Glenmalure Gazette:

1-5 http://www.mediafire.com/?qrsa42y124m1lgn
6-10 http://www.mediafire.com/?11n2boi46oewow9
11-13 http://www.mediafire.com/?1relcdt52k90q83
14-15 http://www.mediafire.com/?03n1xw766zj5gt7
16-18 http://www.mediafire.com/?oo1wf3m0czno1zz
19-20 http://www.mediafire.com/?kngx9s5njzx17o6
21-22 http://www.mediafire.com/?1bbm3b4h3e72mku

Some Ecstasy
1-5 http://www.mediafire.com/?oc8wf1f54xyxzax
6-8 http://www.mediafire.com/?gyxuj32yak4em4u
9-11 http://www.mediafire.com/?3wcw3s85t75rpp1

Hooped On A Feeling
Only One Issue : http://www.mediafire.com/?c3745xxia4m71eb

Hoops Upside Your Head
1-3 http://www.mediafire.com/?6y13ntvqk3fvua2
4-6 http://www.mediafire.com/?ez5d7z7v7f71dzz
7-9 http://www.mediafire.com/?ya6fwodwgik7o1c
10-11 http://www.mediafire.com/?d9amjej0msjler5
12 http://www.mediafire.com/?ag2aala7ep7srhm
13-14 http://www.mediafire.com/?5g7d7bn481g4koa
15-16 http://www.mediafire.com/?sr4gkua4kh6683d

Posted in Dublin History, Football Articles, Social History | 2 Comments »

The Blizzard arrives in Dublin.

January 7, 2012 by Donal

I love the beautiful game, and I hate the ‘Red Tops’.

For years, I’ve been an avid reader of When Saturday Comes, and long-term readers of the blog will know that the once-thriving fanzine culture in the League of Ireland is something I sorely miss. In the past we’ve featured fanzines from Bohs, Pats and Rovers supporters, publications which really captured the spirit of the game and offered something much more than stats and sensationalism to the football faithful here.

Good football writing, and passionate football writing, is hard to find. In 2011, over in the UK, The Blizzard landed. I sat up immediately. It had all the passion of the fanzines, and was written in a style that meant it stood tall as a journalistic effort too. It gave space to things so often omitted from mainstream football publications, like the history of our beautiful game.

Describing the publication, editor Jonathan Wilson has noted

The Blizzard (is not) the organ of any one individual. Rather it aims to provide a platform for writers, British and foreign, to write about football-related subjects important to them, be that at the highest level or the lowest, at home or abroad. Eclecticism is the key. There will be no attempt to impose an editorial line; all opinions expressed are those of the individual author. Equally, within certain basic parameters, writers are encouraged to write in whatever style they see fit.

It’s format is perfectly between magazine and book, beautiful to handle and wonderfully designed. Prior to now Irish readers have had to purchase hard copies via the publications website, but now it is due to arrive in Dublin via Casa Rebelde in Temple Bar. All going well, I’m told it will arrive by the end of next week.

The Blizzard isn’t what one would expect from an ‘alternative’ football read. There’s more to this than a profile of Sankt Pauli or FCUM or something else you’d expect from The Guardian. A particularly strong past article that comes to mind looked at a first World War internment camp that shaped the development of the game in Europe. That’s the sort of thing you can expect.

Welcome to Dublin.

Posted in Football Articles | 2 Comments »

Preview of Lethal Dialects LD50

January 6, 2012 by Donal

Great stuff this from Workin Class Records, more Dublin hip hop worth your time and ears.

Previously:
Street Literature-Products of the Environment

Costello- Young Apprentice.

Posted in Music | Leave a Comment »

Some familiar faces…..

January 6, 2012 by Donal

Capuchin Annual’s really are the gifts that keep on giving. Not only do they frequently contain interesting essays, poems and the like but they throw up fascinating advertisements and photography from times past.

The Capuchin Annual 1948 has been sitting on the shelf opposite me for some time. Flicking through it, I stumbled on a series of photos from the launch of an art exhibiton in Dublin that year. An exhibition of Richard J. King’s work, two photos in particular stood out.

One featured M.Louis Jammet and Madame Jammet. Jammet’s Restaurant has featured on Come Here To Me in the past, when jaycarax sought out Dublin’s oldest restaurant. The other featured Jack B. Yeats and Ernie O’Malley. O’Malley of course has featured here on several occasions in the past, even popping up in a review of Trinity’s famous Pav. There are few pictures of Ernie online, so I thought this worth sharing too.

Louis Jammet and Madame Jammet

Jack B. Yeats and Ernie O'Malley

Posted in Dublin History | Leave a Comment »

A series of talks and tours to mark 90 years of Irish rule at Dublin Castle.

January 6, 2012 by Donal

Women show their loyalties, Dublin 1922.

Michael Staines, of the Irish Volunteers, was Quartermaster General within the General Post Office during Easter Week 1916. He was the son of an RIC man, sent to Frongoch for his part in the rebellion where he became ‘Camp Leader’. In 1922, only six years on from the insurrection, he would be leading the Civic Guards through the gates of Dublin Castle, once more playing a leading role in Irish history.

For 700 years, prior to Staines and his men marching into that complex, Dublin Castle had meant one thing and one thing only, representing the fortified home of English (and later British) rule in Ireland. Standing in its courtyard today Justice gazes down on you, the work of John van Nost the Younger dating to 1753 and facing not towards the people of Dublin but away from them. She comes complete with drainage holes in her scales, to keep them from tipping unevenly. One couldn’t make it up. Does any statue say so much?

Notice the holes in the scales of Justice.

To mark the 90th anniversary of the handover of Dublin Castle, a series of public tours and talks have been organised. Details on how to attend are below. Some of these events will give visitors a different experience to the normal Dublin Castle tour. I’ll be attending several of the events, and am especially looking forward to Dr. Shane Kenna’s lecture ‘The Secret Service in Dublin Castle’.

Monday 16 January 2012; Anniversary of Handover 18.15
The Last Years of British Rule in Dublin Castle
Tour with Aisling Gaffney

Sunday 22 January 2012 12.00
What do national and foreign dignitaries miss on their visit to Dubiln Castle? Join Liz McCay for a quirky tour of her choice of art works from the historic collection, including behind the scenes access.

Tuesday 24 January 2012 18.15

Bedford Hall

‘The Secret Service in Dublin Castle’:
Lecture on a permanent secret service department established at the Castle after the Phownix Park assassinations in May 1882.

By historian Dr Shane Kenna.

Sunday 29 January 2012 11.00
‘A Piece of Make-do and Mend’:
An architectural tour with William Derham.

Limited places available by booking only.
Please email jenny.papassotiriou@opw.ie or dublincastle@opw.ie
or Tel: 01 645 8812

Posted in Dublin History, Events | 1 Comment »

Cliche Guevara

January 6, 2012 by Donal

Did a double take on Liffey Street earlier on at the windows of fashion chain Counter Propaganda. They stock a range of t-shirts and hoodies in a kind of tongue-in-cheek revolutionary style. I’ve never really gone for the likes of Mao’s Cafe, Pravda Bar, Counter Propaganda and the like, but thought this a bit too cheeky! The winter of discount tents? Occupy the January Sales.

Posted in Politics | Leave a Comment »

Free Peace Festival, Phoenix Park (August 1978)

January 6, 2012 by Sam

The Free Peace Festival in The Phoenix Park in 1978 can either be seen as a bitter disappointment or as a fantastic achievement depending on your outlook.

It can be seen as a disappointment for it was supposed to take place over a full weekend, feature over ninety acts over three stages and attract over 50,000 revelers, but in the end, the festival opened with only one stage, a handful of bands and only 3,000 or so fans.

The achievement lies that in the fact that a free festival took place in The Phoenix Park which attracted 3,000 people, three times more than the one the year before.

Irish Press, Aug 08, 1978.

Bill ‘Ubi’ Dywer (1933 – 2001), the ecentric Irish-born self-described ‘non-violent anarchist’ and main organiser, made his name running the Windsor Free Festival in London from 1972 – 1974 which saw over 100,000 attend and was widely seen as being the forerunner for the Free Festival Movement and directly the Stonehenge Free Festival and the later Glastonbury Festival.

Ubi and Friend. © Al Lyons

The 1978 festival in The Phoenix Park was supposed to feature over ninety acts including U2, De Dannan, Clannad, Horslips, Paul Brady, The Bach St Kids, VHF, Biro’s, Revolver, Rocky De Valera & The Gravediggers and Brown Thomas. I’m not sure which of those actually played in the end. As well as music, there was theatre, mime and an adventure playground for children.

Gareth Byrne remembers that day:

Saturday 5th August the first morning was bright when organisers began to arrive at The Hollow. The first band played to a trickle of spectators. By midday I spotted half a dozen individuals in wheel chairs at one corner, supervised helpfully by Fergus Rowan and a friend, who had arranged special transport. Gradually the attendance swelled to a few hundred individuals and parents with children. More bands arrived and got their gear ready. By lunchtime the sky had clouded over and there was a heavy downpour. Ubi donned a yellow showerproof cape and put a cheerful face on things by dancing and twirling to the music around the bandstand. I noticed a sharp row he had with members of one band who got nervous about the possibility of electric shock and wanted to switch off the AC/DC system. He effed and blinded loudly at them and insisted that the show go on. The shower died down, the sun reappeared, and Ubi disappeared. More people turned up to listen and the music went on smoothly until about 7 p.m.

Around 4 p.m. Ubi reappeared at the bandstand and looked the worse for drink. His reeking breath and raving demeanour suggested several double shots of Irish whiskey in addition to the customary pints of Guinness. A uniformed member of the Gardai (police) and a plainclothes detective tried to reason with him. He was escorted from The Hollow, somehow got to the ferry harbour at Dun Laoghaire and took the boat and overnight train to London. British newspapers reported a week later that Thames Valley police arrested him as he arrived at Windsor Park intending to launch a banned free music festival there. He was sentenced to jail and didn’t return to Dublin until the autumn of 1979.

In many ways, the Free Peace Festival was overshadowed by the first Carnsore Anti-Nuclear Rally which took place just two weeks after and attracted over 10,000 people.

Ubi later ran as an independent in Dun Laoghaire for the Dail in 1981 and 1982, receiving 927 and 418 votes respectively, and later was involved in the campaigning for legalisation of Cannabisand H-Blocks prisoner rights. He was involved in a cycling accident in the late 1990s in the Dublin mountains, never fully recovered from his injuries at died at the age of 68 in 2001.

Posted in Dublin History, Music | 12 Comments »

The lady of Lady’s Lane

January 6, 2012 by Donal

I’ve always loved the area around Ladys Lane in Kilmainham. It really is ‘old Dublin’ at its finest, a part of Dublin that truly hasn’t changed much in recent times. Sadly for residents, the area is infamous for flooding. Tom Macken’s excellent woodblock captures the lane perfectly, easy to miss as one drives past on route to the Liberties.

Tom Macken 'Lady Lane, Old Kilmainham' Woodblock

Passing in the car, this was spotted recently at the top of the laneway, the Lady of Ladys Lane. It appears like chalk, but she’s come through some awful weather unharmed. You’d miss her driving past, but she stares down Lady’s Lane towards the grounds of the Royal Hospital. A beautiful little touch, whether sanctioned or otherwise.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

Red Sky at Night

January 5, 2012 by Ciarán

The Dublin skyline outside my window earlier this evening. Beautiful… (Apart from the Civic Offices on Wood Quay of course.)

Posted in Photography | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments »

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