Will Knott

Cork’s Saint Patrick’s Parade was today. I still have to go through all the photographs but on a spot at the parade’s end I’ve managed to catch a few shots.

The theme was supposed to be about maritime history, but most of the floats went for the pirates theme. Sometime it works and sometimes,

its a little stilted

I’m a little late with these, but I have only my upload speed to blame (24 hours for 17 photos!). Now I’m back home things should move a little faster.

On Valentine’s Day, the Alternative Miss Cork contest took place in The Savoy Theatre in Cork city, and the contest was hosted by “the divine” Miss Panti Bliss, who not only blogs proficiently, but does a little photobloging of her own.

Photos 37, 38 and 39 of 365

The winner of the Alternative Miss Cork will represent Cork for the title of Alternative Miss Ireland on March 14th 2010. And of course, Panti is the MC for that night too.

Photo 19 of 365

Starling looking for trouble. And feeding.

Its getting warmer, hard to believe at times, but there you are. Sadly I have a LOT of cold pics to go through.

I get the impression that I’m doing the 365 wrong. It should be a shot of that day. However my access gets limited at times. Offline blog writers are a necessary evil right now, as are scheduled posts. Since there doesn’t seem to be any possibility of stabilization, its this or nothing.

Photos 11 and 12 of 365

Its not very often I have to thank comment spam for something, but in this case its giving you this picture.

This year has been hectic, and a few days ago I dumped the contents of my camera’s memory card on to a stick before bringing it with me out in the cold. For the record I was worried about corruption in the frost, naturally the camera never got used.

Anyway, I got a change to glance through the pictures taken since September. And I discovered the later shots taken as part of a photowalk in Cork. Not the ones from the start of the walk, but only the later ones.

I was convinced that I had lost them. Then I had to go in to my comment spam, only to discover a comment on one of my photos from the walk. Turns out I had uploaded them, but left some of the later ones on the memory card.

I still have three months of photographs to process, but I haven’t lost anything. Except my mind of course.

2009 has been a year of mess and hassle. I’m hoping for improvements  in 2010. But thanks to early morning traffic mysteriously vanishing off the roads on the run up to Christmas, there is already a small improvement; five minutes extra in bed.

Here’s hoping for a great 2010.

Will

She was woken up by frenzied banging at the front door to her bungalow. Half asleep the elderly lady swung around in the bed, instinctively grabbing her cane by the bed as she put her feet to the floor in search of her slippers.

Instead she found over foot and a half of water.

My aunt was evacuated from her Ballinasloe house, later to be submerged under four and a half feet of water, by boat with only her cane, glasses, nightie, dressing gown and an overcoat grabbed from the hook near the door by one of her boat bound rescuers.

Thankfully she isn’t exactly homeless as her daughter lives on higher ground near-by, but most of her possessions are gone.

Yes folks, this is about the floods.

Today FM and The Ray Foley Show have launched an appeal to the public to give what they can or in the case that you can’t give, do what you can to help these families.

It doesn’t have to be money, we’re all strapped these days, the SVP are calling for practical contributions. Lets face it, some people are going to splurge on new clothes and shoes on the run up and the aftermath of Christmas. Well take this chance to go through your wardrobe and donate anything that doesn’t fit, suit you or you haven’t worn for over two years without a very good reason. (Yes, a Munster shirt signed by the entire team does count as a good reason Ant).

If you have time to give or a skill that could be useful in the aftermath for example builders, carpenters, van/truck drivers if there was a list it would go on, then there’s a website Offers of Help and everything is appreciated.

There are also a bunch of fundraiser activities taking place around the country. Tonight (December 7)  in Cork’s Silversprings Conference Centre is the Raising Cork Quiz is in aid of the Cork Flood Victims – with all proceeds going to the SVP Cork Flood Victims Fund. It starts at 8pm with George Hook offering his services as quizmaster. A table of four costs €80.

If you can’t attend (I’ve heard that registration may be full) then you can make donations directly to
St. Vincent de Paul Cork Flood Victims Fund.
AIB 66 South Mall Sort Code:936383 Account No:47092772

Alternatively, contributions to the SVP Annual Appeal, that includes the Irish Flood victims,  can be made by  calling 01 8386990 or one of the Regional Offices. Or  log on to www.svp.ie and click on “Donate Now” or send a cheque to PO Box 1234 Dublin 1.

Many  organisations are providing support  for the SVP on a national level including a range of newspapers and radio programmes.  Arnotts has selected the SVP as one of six charities to be supported by a €20 charity voucher to given to customers with every purchase over €100 on a key shopping day, 8th December. This voucher can then be used to donate to a charity of their choice.

Byrne’s World of Wonder toy stores, the pregnancy and parenting resource website Eumom.ie, Pfizer Healthcare Ireland and ESB Customer Supply are also heavily involved in the fund-raising campaign.

Another  major initiative is the SVP Giving Tree campaign which is a big success in companies, homes and stores throughout the country. The Giving Tree campaign asks people to buy a gift for someone who may not get one otherwise this Christmas, to be distributed by SVP volunteers. Giving Trees will be positioned in all cinemas showing ‘A Christmas Carol’ throughout Ireland. National Irish Bank staff across the country are taking up the Giving Tree and buying gifts for those who need it most. SVP is National Irish Bank’s Charity Partner in 2009.

Photo credit to David Hegarty.

The Irish Muslim community has announced it is to conduct a nationwide collection at the State’s mosques in aid of those affected by the recent floods. Mosques involved in the collection with include those in Clonskeagh, Co Dublin; Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo; and Cork and Galway. The Irish Muslim Flood Relief Committee can be contacted on 01 6729038.

Last week, the Irish Red Cross estimated it has raised over €300,000 so far for its flood relief operations. Donations can be made online at www.redcross.ie or by calling 1850 50 70 70. There are approximately 6000 members of the Irish Red Cross who are all volunteers serving in local communities in every county in Ireland.  The Irish Red Cross is responding to floods in Ireland, in fulfilment of its role as an auxiliary to the state.

So folks. you have no excuse not to help out.

Barcamp Cork III was on last weekend. Gordon Murray, Ciara Feely, Ciara Crossan did a brillian job, and the conversations alone are a good reason to go. the Talks are the icing on the cake. I did get there, and had a great time (take a look at Martha Rotter’s review for a better idea).

Why was I late?

Well.

Or was it something else? You decide.

Given the day that’s in it. Just remember to vote.

Photo taken on the Cork City Photowalk in September

Given the song, I had to do this. The underside of the Cork Boardwalk just across from the Boardwalk Bar and Grill on the September Cork Photowalk.

I uploaded the photo sideways first time. It actually looks “not wrong”, which says something about the shadow in the water. By the way, am I the only one thinking that its weird to have a swimming pool on the other side of that wall?

Nothing to do with Google Wave (due out tomorrow in a wider beta than before) but a bow wave. Or a stern wave. Not sure how the name works.

Taken on the speedboat part of the Cork Photowalk (and yes it was fun).