Slugger O'Toole

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Latest comments from Tochais Síoraí (see all)

Tochais Síoraí has commented 141 times (5 in the last month).

1. Comment on The withering of Irish Catholicism sees Sunday attendance plummet in the cities…
   on 21 May 2012 at 4:39 pm

   dwatch, I’d say most have never given something like transubstantiation a moment’s thought. Even amongst mass attending Catholics, I’d be genuinely surprised if more than 1/3 would be able to give a passable defintion of it. Catholicism, particularly the Irish version is mostly about taking part in the rituals and being part of a shared experience and tradition. It’s not like say, Presbyterianism where there seems to be a far greater engagement with the actual beliefs.

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2. Comment on Leinster would probably win 9 times out of 10, but…
   on 18 May 2012 at 10:11 am

   Welcome back, Michael.

   Great to see Ulster back in the final but I can’t see it happening. There are too many question marks about a number of positions compared to Leinster and I think the back row will have to be naughty boys for Ulster to stay in it – I see yellow cards in my crystal ball. Might get one myself for this but for those who like a punt, Leinster are -7 in places and that’s a bit of value.

   (Where is this ‘Connaught’, ROC?)

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3. Comment on Unemployment in Ireland: a tale of two countries…
   on 17 May 2012 at 10:56 am

   6.7%? That’s saying NI has almost full employment! As was already alluded to if an economy has 4-5% that’s essentially full employment as there will be always be people moving between jobs or those who for whatever reason, are unemployable.

   Also, I wonder what impact do the actual payments have on the stats e.g for a single male unemployed 25 y-o €188 per week in the Republic, around £65 in the North?

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4. Comment on Would the legalisation of cannibis help reduce the drug problem in Derry (and elsewhere)?
   on 15 May 2012 at 5:14 pm

   Of course it should be legalised and controlled along with most other illegal drugs. But there are too many vested interests at stake. Cops, drugs squads, task forces, eejits who have feck all to do except ring radio talk shows and moan – you name it, it’s a zero sum game but politicians pander to them all and pump more money into fighting an unwinnable fight.

   The main loser is Joe Public who has to pay for the so called war on drugs with his or her taxes. There’s also the health risk for the users, most of them occasional because something like cannabis isn’t quality controlled – just like the poison alcohol that was sold during prohibition USA, drugs sold on the street contain some really toxic stuff to bulk it up including your average block of hash which can literally contain shit as well as glue, soil and much worse.

   As for the gateway stuff, cannabis can be a gateway drug usually because if you don’t GIY, you get it from a dealer who more often than not has other product lines or if he doesn’t – he knows where to send you to.

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5. Comment on Snap, Craickle and Pop: The Controversy of Popular Gaelicisation
   on 3 May 2012 at 5:01 pm

   shebeen (síbín), scam (is cam é).

   Can you dig (tuig) it, Daddyo? (Daideo- Grandad)

   Chook – Aussie chicken comes from ‘Tioc, Tioc’

   And of course Dracula – droch fhola (bad blood)

   As for craic, I remember hearing an argument (can’t remember where) that the Irish craic / crack may be derived from an old Irish word which referred to cattle rustling.

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6. Comment on Jackie McDonald questions Orange Order Covenant parade taking motorised machine guns past Short Strand
   on 5 April 2012 at 1:22 pm

   Maybe the same characters can continue their commemorations and do a recreation of the Battle of the Somme for us (with live ammo) in 2016.

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7. Comment on Mike Nesbitt: “A steely determination to get what he wants…”
   on 4 April 2012 at 5:25 pm

   He might be new to politics but I there was more than a touch of Machiavelli when he backed Elliot in the last leadership contest.

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8. Comment on Bell first DUPer to address Fine Gael ArdFheis…
   on 2 April 2012 at 1:28 pm

   Not exactly the way to make friends and influence people was it? It’s not as if a FG ard fheis is the most hostile environment for a Unionist. I think we should be past the stage when people get plaudits for showing up There was more than a touch of rubbing peoples noses in it.

   Think someone from the Republic generously sprinkling an address to a Unionist audience with references to the six counties. Add to that some (misplaced) arrogance and a highly selective view of British-Irish relations and you get the picture.

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9. Comment on Walking across the border for the good of your health
   on 30 March 2012 at 10:28 am

   Probably doesn’t qualify as a ‘slow walk’ but above is a link to Oxfam where you’ll find details of an well organised sponsored annual hike every September through the areas mentioned by Andy. It’s 100k which has to be completed in 30 hours (teams of 4 – not a relay – all 4 have to complete).

   It starts around Newcastle, goes through the Mournes and S Armagh and finishes in Carlingford. It’s a great experience & you’ll get to see a beautiful part of the country although a lot of it is in the dark (which adds to it in a weird way tho going up and down Slieve Gullion in the dark mightn’t appeal to everyone).

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10. Comment on Walking across the border for the good of your health
    on 30 March 2012 at 10:18 am

    Trailtrekker

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