As this year draws to a close, I thought I'd share with you some of my thoughts.
Well the biggest highlight for me was my holiday in Lanazrote. I went with the two Pats. We went on the second week of August. The weather was great, well let's face it anything was better than the shit weather we had in Ireland. I think a week is too short, but than again it's better than nothing. The lads are great fun Pat Quinn (whose my drinking and swiming buddy) and Pat Burke who doesn't swim or drink (but likes pubs and insists the apartment we go to, must have a pool). Lanazrote has plenty of pub and a great variety of restuarants, from Mexican to chinese. The prices are quite reasonable. There are plenty of Irish bars, in my opinion the best was The Dubliner, the first night we went there there was a band and believe it or not the lead singer came from Ballybrack!! One of the nights we went to see Scotty from Lanazrote, a very funny comedian who claimed to be half Irish and half Scottish (which he said caused him a lot of problems, because his Irish half wants to drink all day and his Scottish half will do anything to avoid paying) You could get pints for two Euro!! The beach was fanastic, we thought we were paradise. Pool in apartment and a big shallow end (I've found in that most of the places, I've visited don't and for somebody who loves swiming but isn't a strong swimmer can be a bit off putting) We went to a ranch texas night which was a cowboy and indian themed night, it was very enjoyable. Pat Burke went on the bucking bronco, I did a bit of line dancing.
In May, I joined the Irish Wheelchair Association gym if you're a member it only cost 50 Euro and for members of the public it is 100 Euro (if you can tell me where the fees cheaper, I'll sign up). I remember my first day, how I struggled to even stand on the treadmill at its lowest setting. It was a tuff slog trying to get through the schedule. I thought at 41 it be counterproductive, but I proved myself so wrong. Now I can use most of the machines in the gym and besides making me fit, I find my mind more focussed.
I decided to take up an evening class in Newpark. I orgina;;y signed up for a writing for profit, thinking that I might be able to use my journalisic skills and do a bit of freelancing. But they couldn't get enough numbers for that class so they offered me an alternative of a writer's workshop. As it turned out I found the teacher John Kelly to be very insightful and my fellow classmates to be very talented. I'm looking forward to the second term in January'09.
The lowest point of 2008 had to be the loss of two friends David and Evelyn. Dave was one of the most selfless guys I've ever met. Although he had Down Sydrome, he had a very positive outlook in life. I remember when I use to visit him I would leave in a very positive mood. He'd know what was happening who got what planning permssion. I was very sad when I'd heard he'd had a massive heart attack and died. I think the whole of Sallynoggin was at his funeral and I thought it was very fitting that the sister had placed a picture of him holding a pint, on the coffin. Evelyn was another person who I'll sworely miss. She was a lovely lady and like David was a very active member of the community of Sallynoggin. She'd had a hard life lost two husbands and her daughter had be killed in a freak accident in the Kiliney Court Hotel
But I can't end on a sad note, the 175th anniversary of the Society of Saint Vincent De Paul, which was heldin Croke Park was a very uplifting experience. As a member I feel its given me new focus and I feel better able to deal with the work ahead. I want to wish my readers a happy christmas and may your wishes be forfilled in '09.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Thursday, December 11, 2008
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Irish Barrack O'Bama
Last Sunday, I was at Action For Mobility's Christmas and 21st birthday party in the Royal Dublin Hotel. It makes me sad to think that was the last Christmas party in the hotel, because it's closing its door on December 21st.
The Royal Dublin Hotel is the only accessible hotel in O'Connell Street. AFM is a voluntary group made up of people with and without disabilities. The aims of AFM are promote accessible issues in the areas of transport, education and promoting indepence of its members and thus making people aware of issues which affect people with disabilities in their daily lives. In 1988 Sean Farrell (Barrack O'Bama) was a volunteer in the Irish Wheelchair Association, he was troubled by the attitudes that people had towards people in wheelchair and people with disabiliies in general. The prevailing attitude was that they were the receievers and it was people without disabilities who dictated what was good for them and the people with disabilities had little or no input. So Sean and his friends (who were of the same opinion) asked around and organised two weekends away. They didn't want to go to the usual places that people with disabilities went instead they tried to explore Bed and Breakfasts and hotels that were accessible. The other problem that they faced that there was no accessible transport so AFM was the first group to lobby CIE. Well after the great success of the weekends Sean and his friends set up Action For Mobility, what makes it different is that people with and without disabilities have equality and can input to the running of the charity. I was at Chairperson in 1994, secretary in 1993 and PRO in 1995. I was in charge of the Holiday and social committee from 1994 - 2000. One of the weekends I organised was an adventure weekend to Triglin. Members went Absailing (even those in wheelchairs) canoeing, sailing orienteering(although certain people with no sense of direction of direction got lost, yes I'm talking about myself). Sean when he made his speech at the party talked about the support he got fro Mochra Na Fiernne and Peter Murphy who organised a Table quizes to funraised for AFM. Carmel the current chairperson and Colm Nolan a former member talked about thier experiences in AFM and it was than that sean was christened Barrack O'Bama. There have been several Christmas parties, holiday and social and transport committee meeting and of the occassional drinking session in the Royal Dublin Hotel. Although they may not have gotten right (One or two members have christened it Fawlty Tower, with appologies to Basil) they were there for us!
The hotel is going to be flattened and turned into a car park (do we really need another one!)
The Royal Dublin Hotel is the only accessible hotel in O'Connell Street. AFM is a voluntary group made up of people with and without disabilities. The aims of AFM are promote accessible issues in the areas of transport, education and promoting indepence of its members and thus making people aware of issues which affect people with disabilities in their daily lives. In 1988 Sean Farrell (Barrack O'Bama) was a volunteer in the Irish Wheelchair Association, he was troubled by the attitudes that people had towards people in wheelchair and people with disabiliies in general. The prevailing attitude was that they were the receievers and it was people without disabilities who dictated what was good for them and the people with disabilities had little or no input. So Sean and his friends (who were of the same opinion) asked around and organised two weekends away. They didn't want to go to the usual places that people with disabilities went instead they tried to explore Bed and Breakfasts and hotels that were accessible. The other problem that they faced that there was no accessible transport so AFM was the first group to lobby CIE. Well after the great success of the weekends Sean and his friends set up Action For Mobility, what makes it different is that people with and without disabilities have equality and can input to the running of the charity. I was at Chairperson in 1994, secretary in 1993 and PRO in 1995. I was in charge of the Holiday and social committee from 1994 - 2000. One of the weekends I organised was an adventure weekend to Triglin. Members went Absailing (even those in wheelchairs) canoeing, sailing orienteering(although certain people with no sense of direction of direction got lost, yes I'm talking about myself). Sean when he made his speech at the party talked about the support he got fro Mochra Na Fiernne and Peter Murphy who organised a Table quizes to funraised for AFM. Carmel the current chairperson and Colm Nolan a former member talked about thier experiences in AFM and it was than that sean was christened Barrack O'Bama. There have been several Christmas parties, holiday and social and transport committee meeting and of the occassional drinking session in the Royal Dublin Hotel. Although they may not have gotten right (One or two members have christened it Fawlty Tower, with appologies to Basil) they were there for us!
The hotel is going to be flattened and turned into a car park (do we really need another one!)
Friday, December 5, 2008
The chopping of the Elms
I was shocked the beautiful elm trees at Grange Grove,Deansgrange, County Dublin, being slaughtered. I admired their elegance and magnificence. They had been there as long as I could remember. People attached red ribbons and signs pleading with Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, but they fell on deaf ears. I have to laugh the council makes such an issue about how environmental the council is but what they say and do seem to be polar opposites. This plan to widen the road has been on their books from before I was born.
Progress is the argument they give, but at what cost. Alot of the houses in Grange Grove have children and before the trees acted as a buffer, the house will now be on the main road. Speaking as one of the people who has been knocked down on the Deansgrange road, it's a very busy road. I'm no health expert, but any idiot will tell you that when its completed there will be more fumes and that leads to health problems such as asthma! Oh the Insurance companies are going to love it all that add traffic will cause more acciddents!
Trees achors soils so if theres a big rainfall (I know we don't get much rain!) will cause flooding and more claims to the Insurance companies oh they are going to love you
Was it the Environmental Services that posposed that the widening would be a great idea!
Progress is the argument they give, but at what cost. Alot of the houses in Grange Grove have children and before the trees acted as a buffer, the house will now be on the main road. Speaking as one of the people who has been knocked down on the Deansgrange road, it's a very busy road. I'm no health expert, but any idiot will tell you that when its completed there will be more fumes and that leads to health problems such as asthma! Oh the Insurance companies are going to love it all that add traffic will cause more acciddents!
Trees achors soils so if theres a big rainfall (I know we don't get much rain!) will cause flooding and more claims to the Insurance companies oh they are going to love you
Was it the Environmental Services that posposed that the widening would be a great idea!
Thursday, December 4, 2008
what I'd put into Room 101
Firstly I put porridge,I don't know how anybody can eat the stuff. Even the look of it turns my stomach. I also don't like parsnips and Fetta cheese "It is not lovely".
Another thing I cann't stand is this Reality shows, more like unreality, who in thier right mind would like to stay in a house for x number of weeks, with societys fame seeking freaks, be watched on the net and the tv, for money, I think the world is gone mad!!
I cann't stand Ant and Dec (TVs most annoying gits) and their show of has been celebs who are trying to relaunch thier ailing careers, oh thier stuck in a jungle please, let me out of this dumb down crap TV. The only show that merits some credit is Strictly Come dancing (though I'm not a fan this is an attempt by TV to reintroduce some culture) Ok alot of these shows are for charity, and I will concede they raise money, but aren't they also great PR stunts!
Football is game that drives me nuts, I think its more like a fashion parade and which team can get the most money!
This is great I get to moan
Another thing I cann't stand is this Reality shows, more like unreality, who in thier right mind would like to stay in a house for x number of weeks, with societys fame seeking freaks, be watched on the net and the tv, for money, I think the world is gone mad!!
I cann't stand Ant and Dec (TVs most annoying gits) and their show of has been celebs who are trying to relaunch thier ailing careers, oh thier stuck in a jungle please, let me out of this dumb down crap TV. The only show that merits some credit is Strictly Come dancing (though I'm not a fan this is an attempt by TV to reintroduce some culture) Ok alot of these shows are for charity, and I will concede they raise money, but aren't they also great PR stunts!
Football is game that drives me nuts, I think its more like a fashion parade and which team can get the most money!
This is great I get to moan
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
INTRO
Hi everybody,
My name is Fred Price. I'm new to this blogging. So I suppose I'll tell you a little about myself. I have a slight disability Cerebral Palsy, which affects my left arm and left leg to a lesser extent.
I'm a writer, I've written several short stories and poems (so far none of them have been published) While I was doing an evening course in Cabinteely, I was encouraged to write a book review, which was submitted to The Irish Times. I did it on Guilt by Association by Susan R Sloane, it was published December 19,1997 in the Reader's Choice, if you want to check it out you can read it in the National Library. I did two weeks work experience in Irish News of the World, March 2001. I got five articles published ranging How Independing radio stations were beating RTE in the rates, the National Pensions Office transfering some of its jobs from Sligo to Boyle in Roscommon, TV3 complaining about RTEs bid for higher licence fee (they want to increase by £50, a licence cost £70,)I did a feature about Bono auctioning his "Fly" sunglasses for charity. I did a piece on food posioning, and one on the ticket touts. I'm secretary in Our Ladies of Victories, Saint Vincent De Paul home visitation conference, I was inspired to right an article about how I got involved which was published in The Bulletin, the quarterly journal of the Society of Saint Vincent De Paul in Ireland. I continue to write short stories poems and pieces of non fiction.
I also paint landscapes and do a bit of sketching, I don't have enough pictures framed to hold my own exhibitions. I prefer to use arylic (which I would recommend to anybody who's starting painting) Alot of people will tell you to start in Watercolour, but this medium can be very unforgiving because if you discover that a picture should have been brightier, you can't do that in watercolours, on the other hand arylic mistakes can be easily corrected and you can paint light over dark. That is not to say I have paint a couple of watercolours. I'm involved with Eye Contact, a group of artists with disabilities, we meet Saturday from 10am (I'm not a morning person and I find it very hard getting up that early) to 12am in Richmond Cheshire Home. I would mainly work from photos, but I have painted in Lismore, Devil's Glen and Dun Laoghaire Harbour. I have also painted from my imagination. Well if you want to assume my identity keep reading this space and if you want to be Fred Price, I hope you do a better job than I'm doing at the moment....
My name is Fred Price. I'm new to this blogging. So I suppose I'll tell you a little about myself. I have a slight disability Cerebral Palsy, which affects my left arm and left leg to a lesser extent.
I'm a writer, I've written several short stories and poems (so far none of them have been published) While I was doing an evening course in Cabinteely, I was encouraged to write a book review, which was submitted to The Irish Times. I did it on Guilt by Association by Susan R Sloane, it was published December 19,1997 in the Reader's Choice, if you want to check it out you can read it in the National Library. I did two weeks work experience in Irish News of the World, March 2001. I got five articles published ranging How Independing radio stations were beating RTE in the rates, the National Pensions Office transfering some of its jobs from Sligo to Boyle in Roscommon, TV3 complaining about RTEs bid for higher licence fee (they want to increase by £50, a licence cost £70,)I did a feature about Bono auctioning his "Fly" sunglasses for charity. I did a piece on food posioning, and one on the ticket touts. I'm secretary in Our Ladies of Victories, Saint Vincent De Paul home visitation conference, I was inspired to right an article about how I got involved which was published in The Bulletin, the quarterly journal of the Society of Saint Vincent De Paul in Ireland. I continue to write short stories poems and pieces of non fiction.
I also paint landscapes and do a bit of sketching, I don't have enough pictures framed to hold my own exhibitions. I prefer to use arylic (which I would recommend to anybody who's starting painting) Alot of people will tell you to start in Watercolour, but this medium can be very unforgiving because if you discover that a picture should have been brightier, you can't do that in watercolours, on the other hand arylic mistakes can be easily corrected and you can paint light over dark. That is not to say I have paint a couple of watercolours. I'm involved with Eye Contact, a group of artists with disabilities, we meet Saturday from 10am (I'm not a morning person and I find it very hard getting up that early) to 12am in Richmond Cheshire Home. I would mainly work from photos, but I have painted in Lismore, Devil's Glen and Dun Laoghaire Harbour. I have also painted from my imagination. Well if you want to assume my identity keep reading this space and if you want to be Fred Price, I hope you do a better job than I'm doing at the moment....
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