Thomil's Random Ramblings

Cycling in Cork. That’s a topic I could write on and on and on about. Oh, wait. I have . To claim that it is being treated with disinterest and ignorance by some, and outright hostility and derision by others would be the understatement of the year. And given the fact that I’m writing this in the waning days of 2018, I have a quite a bit of reference material to go by. However, so far, every serious political player here in  Leeside had at least provided lip service to alternative, sustainable transport options. Until Friday evening. Enter Joe Kavanagh , member of Fine Gael and city councillor for the electoral ward of Cork North East. For those of you who don’t know Cork, this effectively covers everything north of the Lee and east of the N20, with a few exceptions around MacCurtain Street. Just a rough outline, but you get the area. Mr. Kavanagh has traditionally not been one of the more progressive councillors in Cork, which in itself isn’t bad. As much as I love progress and as

Christmas – Huh! – What is it good for? That is indeed the question, and it’s been on my mind for quite some time now, ever since I missed out on my first Christmas without my parents last year due to the mother of all flus. Well, at least one mother showed up last Christmas anyhow, but I digress. Just as I’ve found myself thinking more and more about the meaning of life, destiny, fate, mortality and all that kind of stuff, my mind has turned increasingly to Christmas, and what it stands for, as the dreaded date in 2018 draws inexorably closer. Originally, this was due to the fact that I wasn’t looking forward to spending it without my parents. But more and more, my thoughts have turned towards what Christmas with them actually meant, rather than the cold hard facts. And looking back, Christmas has, for me personally, always been about coming home.  Since my teenage years, when I was sent out to attend a boarding school in Austria , Christmas has always meant hitting the road when t

Please be advised that this post contains strong language throughout! You know that feeling when you’re already having a really shitty day and you run across a news item, headline or email that really makes your blood boil? Well, that’s how I felt this morning when I saw the headlines about London Gatwick Airport being closed because of a drone over the airfield. Again. Are people really that stupid? Or do they just not care about the damage they might be doing? Whatever the reason, I hope they find the perpetrators and lock them up for a loooong time. These fuckers don’t deserve anything better. Embed from Getty Images The drone incident at Gatwick Airport would in all likelihood not have been prevented by stricter laws. Anyone who flies a drone over an airport simply doesn't give a fuck about the law! For me this whole thing is doubly galling, as I’m not only an aviation enthusiast but a drone operator myself. Those of you who’ve been following my blog for some time w