I've been waiting for a decent bit of cold weather to set the mood for this story.  At the end of the story, the bike I was then using gets a mention.  It was a 650cc BMW Funduro (a stupid name, I know).  Don't take its glowing recommendation too seriously because I changed my mind on it fairly quickly as you will see in the next bike related post.  It was downright dangerous! I have always enjoyed working on motorcycles, so usually buy something fairly cheap, and then fix it up to my requirements.  Since anything on two wheels is inherently unstable, I don't believe that owning a bike that you cannot afford to fall off is a practical proposition.  This story was originally published at:  http://www.realclassic.co.uk/opinionfiles/sparking-honda-ht-leads.html .  You will find the first 3 of my Paddock stories further down this page. Enjoy. ______ There weren’t many in the Paddock who had even a remote interest in Br...

This post was shamelessly copied from a local history book, now out of print, that used to be available in pdf format on line.     It is only one section of a much larger and more broadly based book.  All credit is then due to the book's author, and to the team who originally published it.  Trinity College, Dublin have now scanned an published a host of records from the 1641 rebellion.  More details relating to the numerous massacres and other events from the this rebellion can be seen here: https://1641.tcd.ie/ Those who have travelled the main road between Bangor and Belfast will know the corner known as ‘the Devil’s Elbow’, which is located just before the junction leading to Seahill/ Rockport.   On the left side of the road when travelling from Bangor there is a small road leading up into the Holywood hills.   It is now called Carney Hill, but according to this article that name derives from Carnage Hill.   To see where it got this ...

The modern labourer, on the contrary, instead of rising with the process of industry, sinks deeper and deeper below the conditions of existence of his own class. He becomes a pauper, and pauperism develops more rapidly than population and wealth. And here it becomes evident, that the bourgeoisie is unfit any longer to be the ruling class in society, and to impose its conditions of existence upon society as an over-riding law. It is unfit to rule because it is incompetent to assure an existence to its slave within his slavery, because it cannot help letting him sink into such a state, that it has to feed him, instead of being fed by him.   This statue, called 'The Speaker' stands on the steps of the Customs House in Belfast.  This was Belfast's equivalent of speakers corner, and was the site of many speaches by Larkin during the 1907 Dockers strike.  It is my understanding that this statue was originally supposed to celebrate the centenary of the dock stri...