Profile for Mac Thoirdealbhaigh
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Mac Thoirdealbhaigh has commented 15 times (0 in the last month).
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Books
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A flexible library service for the 21st century?
Following Alan’s piece on libraries, I picked this ‘advertorial’ from Google plus this evening… about how a US county library system is cutting costs and improving flexibility in their free at the point of delivery services by enabling the whole library service act as a functioning unit as opposed to the one discrete library… read our review » -
The lost art of reading (or drowning in too much information)…
Here’s a great review of a fascinating book (H/T reader Rory) on how the Internet is destroying our capacity for intelligent, focused and critical thought. It opens thus: …here is the news that Ulin brings in this slim, meandering book: that reading is “an act of contemplation”; that such an act becomes more difficult in [...] read our review »
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…if University education were universally available and availed of, the country would collapse in one generation
The words of Brian O’Nolan, variously Brian Ó Nualláin, Myles na gCopaleen, Myles na Gopaleen and, of course, Flann O’Brien. That O’Nolan was referencing his own dissolute student days at UCD only mildly distracts from the prophetic undertone of his words: I paid no attention whatsoever to books or study and regarded lectures as a [...] read our review »
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Comment on Useless but fascinating fact
on 20 March 2009 at 4:09 pm
i did hear however, from eye witnesses, that the PSNI had been using ‘strong arm tactics’ from very early on in the day….which may have been a major contributory factor to ‘the trouble’?? And yes, I would concur that loyalism gets away with much, much,worse on certain days of the calendar!!
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Comment on Useless but fascinating fact
on 20 March 2009 at 3:56 pm
i don’t think ALL city folk HATE our country cousins though ‘dylan’!? Maybe there’s a few residents up round the Holylands who are but I guess if i was old (or middle-aged)and a resident in an area swarmed by students, I would be pretty disillusioned by throngs of raucus revellers (catholic,protestant or hindu!). I doubt if the ‘constitutional issue’ is to the forefront of their minds either….sadly!? aaah….this coffee’s GREAT!
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Comment on Useless but fascinating fact
on 19 March 2009 at 11:00 pm
but surely 3rd level education (and its accomodational facilitation…especially Queens- the top institution!)shouldn’t be reduced to sectarian demarcations!? Shouldn’t catholic and protestant be enjoying St. Patrick’s Day together?
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Comment on Useless but fascinating fact
on 19 March 2009 at 4:49 pm
obviously the costs to this region in terms of adverse publicity across the world and to Queens University itself as a ‘leading Russell Group University’ are insurmountable, all for the sake of a worthwhile ‘people investment’ sum spent on a subsidised sports tariff for our youth!? “Wake up”, bureaucrats at Q.U.B!!
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Comment on Useless but fascinating fact
on 19 March 2009 at 4:42 pm
personally I would suggest a £2 nominal charge on entry with a valid student i.d card…. or £50-£75 yearly membership (no entrance fee if a member).
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Comment on Useless but fascinating fact
on 19 March 2009 at 2:48 pm
Queens have surely added to the ‘greater social problem’ of drink abuse by steeply increasing the cost of membership to their multi-purpose sports gymnasium and swimming pool facilities at the ‘PEC’. It has went up in cost in recent years from £50 to £100 then to £120 and in the most recent hike to a whopping £300+ for a years ‘student’ subscription. One can’t help but be suspicious that quite a sizeable percentage of students will opt to forego this grossly exorbitant ‘tariff’ and choose to save that fairly hefty sum( for students et al) in favour of a few nights out (or in?!) partying, aided by alcohol,etc……the bottom line is that the sports facilities should be either free or have just a nominal tariff to encourage greater useage!!
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Comment on The Republican movement faces its own harsh reality…
on 14 March 2009 at 1:15 am
i think the line “he British army is entitled to have a peacetime garrison in the province and to guard it effectively” throws up a big flag in relation to the whole ‘peace process’. The recent Military parade in Belfast city centre was seen by many within the Nationalist community (republican or otherwise) as being totally counter to the principles of the GFA. “The North” was meant to be completely ‘de-militarised’ and whoever gave permission for this parade to go ahead was either silly or guilty of blatant ‘triumphalism’ (in the style of the Orang Order of old! A big mistake (in my humble opinion). Also most Republicans (or Nationalists) have huge difficulties with the U.S/British/Israeli ‘tri-partite’ alliance and its terrible oppression against the Palestinians (in particular) and other Muslim constituencies.
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Comment on The Republican movement faces its own harsh reality…
on 13 March 2009 at 6:12 pm
response…of course.
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Comment on The Republican movement faces its own harsh reality…
on 13 March 2009 at 6:11 pm
In resonse to “Pete Fyfe” (This is in support of the GFA, did you miss that? The fact you ask what an irish republican should do suggests you have no understanding of the term. ) The GFA was however re-negotiated at St.Andrews and this ‘re-appraisal’ was not put to a joint referenda across the island.
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Comment on Time for Sinn Fein to spend its own capital (rather than everyone else’s) on winning the peace…
on 13 March 2009 at 11:30 am
Is this the time and the opportunity to start knocking down the ‘peace’ walls and ending this segregation of our communities?
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