Gerry Moran

Furthermore

Gerry Moran Big yellow taxi took me away, old scam

I was half-scammed the other night. Half scammed, Gerry? Yes, half-scammed. Are you a half-eejit or what to be half-scammed at this time of your life and you a clever enough chap?

No, I am not a half-eejit although right now I feel like a complete eejit for not copping the scam. Scams we are all familiar with usually on our PCs or mobile phones: the An Post, Amazon, PayPal, Netflix scams and that insidious scam whereby you receive a text purportedly from one your children whose phone has been stolen, hence ringing you on a strange number, and who urgently need money to replace the phone and resume communication with the world. The big bad world in this case.

These I am used to but damn it – a scam in my own backyard! The backyard in this instance being my local pub. Here’s what happened: it’s closing time and I ring my taxi. “Be there in a few, Gerry. Give you a bell.”

Five minutes on and because the pub is noisy I pop out the door to see if he has arrived. There’s a taxi outside with the window down.

“You called a taxi?” he asks. “I did but I didn’t call you.” (I’ve never seen this guy before who is not Irish, and not Asian). “Who’d you call?” I tell him the name. “He’s busy, he sent me.”

My friend and I get in. Having delivered my friend we are now half way to my home when my phone rings: It’s my taxi man: “Gerry, I’m outside, you ready?” ‘

“I’m inside,” I tell him. “Inside the taxi that you sent for me.” “I didn’t,” he says.

And therein lies the scam. Half scam in this case as I directed my man to my ‘real’ taxi-driver who took me the other half home. But I did pay my scammer a fiver which I shouldn’t have as he got me into his taxi under false pretences. So, folks, watch out for this scam. On our door steps, our pub steps, make sure the taxi you hop into at closing time is the taxi you called and that you’re not, like foolish me, being scammed. A scam that I am enjoying, if that’s possible, at the moment is the one when someone wants to befriend me on Facebook – sometimes it’s a name I know (who has been hacked, though I didn’t know that first time round). I tick ‘confirm’ and sometime later receive a chirpy reply like: “Hi, Gerry, great to hear from you hope you and all the family are keeping well.” To which I reply: “All well thanks, and you?”

Soon after comes the following: “I’m really great and wondering if you have heard of the Ford Foundation; it gives out funds to help all people young, old, poor, retired, disabled, unemployed, all citizens of the state to help them maintain a standard of living. Have you heard from them?” Needless to say I hadn’t. Bottom line is – the Ford Foundation funds need never be repaid ie. money for nothing! All is needed are your bank details to lodge the money. I keep entertaining this scam (though I shouldn’t) to compare and contrast the various styles, and creativity, of the scammer.

Instead of the Ford Foundation one refers to a Publisher Clearing House giving away money!

It occurs to me that perhaps I too have been hacked and my name is being used to perpetuate this scam. So, if anyone out there has received a request from yours truly to be friends on Facebook – delete immediately. Mea Culpa, Mea Culpa I was ‘collared’ by a drinking colleague recently about collars! Sorry, let me get this right as this paragraph is all about NOT getting things right. I was ‘collared’ recently about collars, religious collars, namely Colliers – one a former Bishop of Ossory, the other a former Diocesan Examiner. I mentioned both in a recent column and assumed they were one and the same person. Oh dear! They weren’t. A grievous, error, you’ll agree, tantamount to Mortal Sin (remember Mortal Sins, the ones with the black dots in the Catechism, and Venial Sins, the ones with the red dots, and I sincerely hope I’ve got that right, if not I may prepare for another ‘collaring’).

And so, to the thousands of readers out there who spotted my mistake, in the language of the church: Mea Culpa, Mea Culpa, Mea Maxima Culpa.

Indeed I am even considering standing outside St Mary’s Cathedral in sack cloth and ashes for a month of Sundays to atone for my colossal, catastrophic, clerical gaffe!

Inspirational new mural at St. Brigid’s Church in Coon a delight says Fr Wallace

Nestled in a valley on the Carlow/Kilkenny border is the little village of Coon or Coan.

According to Owen O’Kelly’s book Place names of County Kilkenny, Coon (Cuan) derives its name from A River Winding. To visit the area from Kilkenny city, one has several options as to which route to select. e extra mileage versions would take the traveller eastwards through Paulstown, or for those wishing a more northerly vista, the environs of Castlecomer could be of preference. Another option of course, are the rural narrow roads through Higginstown and Kilderry, leaving Johnswell to the left and Castlewarren to the right. If seeking directions at the cross at Kane’s Bridge (Larkin’s of Cainsbridge), the advice would be to venture straight on and follow the road to the next decent turn curling to the left. Soon the mode of transport would pass Jim Bolger’s famous racehorse stables at Coolcullen. A number of twists and turns must be negotiated prior to a

scenic view at the span of the River Dinin. e remainder of the short journey is best described as freewheeling. Should Mr. or Mrs. Google be activated, the message, “You (Cuan) derives its name from have reached your destinaA River Winding. tion” would emit To visit the area from from the Kilkenny city, one has vehiseveral options as cle’s to which route to select. e extra mileage would take the traveller Paulstown, or for those more norththe environs of Castlecomer could be of preference. Another option of course, are the rural narrow roads through Higginhave reached your destina tion” would emit from the vehicle’s audio device. In no time at all, the unique and quaint little place called Coon, would appear in wondrous view. And why, you might ask, the sudden interest and directions to Coon.

It is of course due to recent happenings in the village. It concerns the creation and painting of a mural at St. Brigid’s church grounds. Marley Irish and Eamonn Byrne were the artists commissioned to take on the important task. It is based on the scene of the apparition at Knock Shrine, which was witnessed in 1879.

It was originally the spiritual idea of a local parishioner.

Let us return for a moment to the Owen O’Kelly book of place names. e author includes the following under the Coon section. ‘ e location of a well called Tobar Mhuire, ( e Virgin’s well), is now unknown, but there is a eld locally known as Coolnatobar, probably Cúil an Tobar which may refer to its location.

So, the choice of a mural including e Virgin Mary would seem apt.

Speaking with e Kilkenny Observer, parish priest Fr Larry Wallace expressed his delight at the mural and said he hoped it would prove an inspiration to all parishioners and to those who come to visit. “Our greatest wish is that when people see the wonderful mural it will motivate them to say a quiet prayer, especially to Mary.”

Serving Muckalee, Ballyfoyle and Coon, Fr Larry said that the completed job is a work of art and he was so thankful to all who helped make it happen. e artist who completed the mural was Birr, County O aly man Eamonn Byrne. “I spent many years as a painter decorator” Eamon told this paper, “and I’ve worked on a fair amount of walls of varying shapes and sizes, so I didn’t nd the size or scale anyway challenging.

Eamon said he worked closely with the planning of the mural with Marley Irish, formerly from Coon.

Committee members Pauline Haughney and Phil Purcell said the committee members couldn’t be happier with the outcome and that there has been a massive positive reaction to the work.

Pauline also explained that the idea came from a local parishioner and initially a statue of Our Lady was the plan. However, costs and availability of a particular Knock statue depicting Our Lady caused some problems and once the idea of a mural was mooted everyone was on board and fully backed the proposal.

Concluding the chat with e Observer, Fr Wallace said his thoughts were with his predecessor Fr Delaney who had served the parish. “I have no doubt that Fr Delaney is looking down smiling on his beloved church that he served so well for thirty two years”, Fr Wallace concluded.

Special thanks was paid to Ger Doyle who cleaned, coated and plastered the wall.

So, no matter what route you take, a trip to Coon church to view this beautiful mural is very worthwhile.

Vladimir Putin is losing his war. If the Ukrainians continue to liberate areas of their country from his invading army, would he actually use nuclear weapons as he has threatened? If so, how? And what would the US and Europe’s response be? e response can be summed up as: minimise the possibility of nuclear use, and prepare responses in advance. at is what US military and intelligence leaders have been doing since the early days of the war back in February. ey are studying all the possible use scenarios. Intelligence is closely watching for any sign that a nuclear weapon is being readied.

We should believe Putin that “this is not a blu ”. e rst use of nuclear weapons in a con ict is an integral part of Russian military doctrine, as it is in US war plans. Unlike the United States, Russia regularly practices for the use of nuclear weapons and integrates them into its conventional military exercises, most recently just before Putin‘s invasion.

Russian military writings describe in detail how, if Russia is losing a con ict, it could use nuclear weapons to force its enemy to retreat. is “escalate to de-escalate” or “escalate to win” strategy is somewhat controversial, but it is not dissimilar to various US plans for using nuclear weapons rst.

One option is for Russia to re a nuclear weapon over an uninhabited area — say, part of the Black Sea — as a demonstration of its seriousness in hopes that the West will back down. Some scientists involved in the Manhattan Project urged just such a demonstration shot as an alternative to bombing Japanese cities at the end of World War II.

While no one would be killed and there would not be physical damage, the explosion would stop the world in its tracks. ere has not been a nuclear weapon used in combat in 77 years. No one has even seen a nuclear explosion above ground since 1980.

is explosion would not require a nuclear response by the US. To prevent further escalation, President Biden could call for Russia’s international isolation (China and India, for example, would quickly distance themselves), impose extraordinarily harsh new sanctions and issue warnings of grave consequences should Russia proceed with additional explosions.

As shocking as this would be, Russia would likely reject this option for the same reason US military leaders did in 1945: It is not shocking enough.

Russia could re a ‘lowyield’ nuclear weapon on a Ukrainian military target. e explosion would kill hundreds or thousands and cause signi cant damage. Russia could use one of the 10- kiloton warheads it deploys on some of its ground-launched cruise missiles, including the Iskander that has been used extensively in the war with conventional warheads.

Although this would be a massive explosion — equal to 10,000 tons of TNT — it would be small by nuclear standards. e bomb that destroyed Hiroshima was 15 kilotons; most US and Russian nuclear warheads range from 100 to 1,000 kilotons. Some believe that Russia has even smaller-yield warheads, in the one-kiloton range. is might be the most likely scenario.

Again, it would not require a “response in kind” by the US, though some would urge that. e likely response, in addition to those in scenario one, would be massive increases in military aid to Ukraine and possibly concerted NATO or U.S. strikes on the Russian units that launched the attack.

Finally, Putin could dial up the explosive force of the attack to the 50- or 100-kiloton range, or about three to six times the Hiroshima bomb. Tens of thousands would die with massive damage and radiation plumes. If the target were Kyiv, it would decapitate Ukraine’s leadership. is would almost certainly trigger a direct U.S. or NATO response, though not likely nuclear. e US and NATO have suf cient precise, powerful conventional weapons that they could use to devastate Russian forces in Ukraine and command headquarters, including those units responsible for the attack. is would likely be accompanied by large-scale cyber operations.

A nuclear attack on NATO is the least likely scenario. Russian rst-use doctrine includes the option of striking NATO targets. e attack could be by long-range missiles or air-launched cruise missiles on Central European states. If the yield was similar to the previous scenario, it would in ict destruction on a NATO state not seen since World War II. is could trigger a nuclear response.

Some would argue a limited nuclear counterstrike was necessary to preserve nuclear deterrence. More likely is an all-out conventional assault to try to eliminate either Putin himself or the weapons he commands before he strikes again.

If Putin were to push that button...

‘The explosion would stop the world in its tracks...

Shock and awe at rise of Giorgia Meloni

e rise of Giorgia Meloni has sent shock waves through Europe and triggered fears that Italy might be the Achilles’ heel in Western resolve to resist Russia’s bloody campaign in Ukraine.

In fact, it would be a stretch to regard Ms. Meloni, who would be Italy’s rst female premier, as a fascist. And, having dropped her former admiration for Vladimir Putin, she has been unstinting in backing NATO’s support for Ukraine — although the same cannot be said of her probable coalition partners in Italy’s legislature. She has also tempered her erstwhile sions of EU pandemic relief funds.

Ms Meloni is the latest in a string of extremists who have performed well in European elections this year, including nationalists in France, Hungary and Sweden. Her apparent victory is more evidence that far-right leaders are ascendant in a continent bu eted by immigration, economic head winds and, on its eastern ank, the most destructive war in three-quarters of a century.

Political upheaval is the default in Italy, which has had 69 governments in the 77 years since World War II ended. Still, Ms Meloni’s premiership would be a watershed event. Amid a drumbeat of anti-immigrant rhetoric — she warns darkly that ethnic Italians are in danger of “replacement” — she has advanced the farfetched idea of a naval blockade to stop unauthorised foreigners from reaching Italian shores. at’s unlikely to work. It’s also a toxic echo of the erce antisemitism of Mussolini, the World War II dictator whom Mss Meloni once openly admired.

Her intolerance is also directed at LGBTQ people and has vowed to block same-sex adoptions and surrogacy.

Perhaps, some of these fears are overblown, but no one should underestimate the populist leader’s desire for signi cant political and economic change.

Meloni co-founded the Brothers of Italy in 2012 as a breakaway from the country’s main centre-right party, People of Freedom. e Brothers was nationalist from its inception, taking its name from a line in the Italian national anthem. It uses colours and symbols associated with the post-war Italian Social Movement, a party founded by supporters of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. It has never advocated fascism, but its pedigree has nevertheless always raised concerns.

But Italy is not Hungary. It has a robustly free media and has been a Western democracy for nearly 80 years. And, Meloni’s party has never embarked on a crusade against liberal democracy the way Mussolini or even Orban has. e Brothers party doesn’t want to end democracy; it wants to respect Italy’s national traditions and restore the country’s economic freedoms.

One in two farmers prepared to reduce their herds

If the Government paid them to do so, almost half (49%) of all farmers say they would reduce their livestock numbers, with that number dropping to 44% among beef farmers.

According to a survey conducted by the Farming Independent at the recent National Ploughing Championships, 51% of dairy farmers said they would consider the idea of reducing their livestock numbers compared to 46% of beef farmers. It also found that 60% of all farmers said they would consider an early retirement scheme if there was one available, although only 47% of sheep farmers would consider an early retirement scheme.

When it comes to succession, 55% say they have someone lined up to take over the farm, while 33% of farmers over 65 don’t have someone to take over the farm. e survey of 400 farmers found that just over one third (35%) have not taken a holiday this year and almost half (49%) of those aged 65 and over have not. Just over 6o% of farmers surveyed said the national mainstream media does not cover agriculture fairly.

It also found that almost 39% of farmers would consider converting to organic (39%), while 13% say they don’t know enough about the scheme.

Half of all beef farmers say they would consider converting, while only 22% of dairy farmers say they would consider converting.

O’Neill claims world win on a great day in Belgium

A taste of Kilkenny for Middle East

A brilliant performance from Kilkenny’s Ger O’Neill on BP Goodfellas, bred by Kevin Babington and Greg Broderick’s Ballypatrick Stables, saw them crowned World Champions at the FEI WBFSH Jumping World Breeding Championship for Young Horses at Lanaken in Belgium. The result completed an incredible hat-trick of World Championship wins for Bennettsbridge native O’Neill, who won the sixyear-old World title with the Irish Sport Horse Killossery Kaiden in 2016, and was World Champion again in 2017 with the Irish Sport Horse Columbcille Gipsy.

Having come through two intense qualifying rounds earlier this week that attracted over 240 starters, the top 47 combinations took their place in the final to see who would be crowned World Champions. Eighteen horses and riders jumped clear in the first round to make it into the jump-off, with two of those for Ireland.

Third-last to go against the clock, Ger O’Neill and BP Goodfellas (ISH) stormed into the lead with a stunning clear round in 40.12 seconds – a time that would prove unbeatable.

Ciaran Moran also took eighth place for Ireland with Greenhall Mullord (ISH) bred by Derry Rothwell, jumping clear against the clock in 44.06.

The six-year-old final saw Ireland claim another memorable win, as Ethen Ahearne and ABC Saving Grace, owned and bred by Patrick Kehoe, took Ireland’s second World title of the day.

A massive 270 combinations entered the six-yearold competition at the start of the week, with the top 40 making it through to the final. Fourteen combinations went forward to the jumpoff, with Ahearne and ABC Saving Grace the sole Irish representatives, taking victory with a brilliant clear in 36.74. Three-time World Championship winner Ger O’Neill told The Kilkenny Observer: “A fantastic day, I was a winner here in 2016 with a 6-year-old and back again in 2017. It’s very nice to come back and win it again. It’s a great feeling at a World Championship, it’s unbelievable to win it.

“Huge thanks to Greg and Cheryl Broderick and to Kevin Babington who own and bred the horse, and everyone out here giving me a hand, it’s really a team effort from Ireland here which is huge, and to win on an Irish horse is also fantastic.”

Ireland’s Show Jumping Team Manager for the Championships in Lanaken, Jack Doyle:

“It’s really great to get results like this in a World Final, Ger did a fantastic job as always in the five-yearold final and for Ethen to follow-up with another Irish win in the six-year-old final made it a day to remember.

Dr Sonja Egan, Head of Breeding, Innovation and Development at Horse Sport Ireland (HSI):

“Huge congratulations to Ger O’Neill for piloting BP Goodfellas (ISH) to victory, taking expert control of a competitive jump-off. And of course, to the breeders. Very well done to Kevin Babington, Greg Broderick and Cheryl Broderick and the wider team.” Four luxury travel buyers from the Middle East have been exploring Co Kilkenny and Ireland – as guests of Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland. The group’s action-packed itinerary included a visit to Mount Juliet Estate.

The travel professionals – all specialists in luxury travel – design unique, luxury travel itineraries for their high net-worth Emiratis and Middle Eastern clients. The aim of the visit is to familiarise them with Ireland and our superb luxury tourism offering, so that when they return home, they will be better informed and more enthusiastic than ever about Ireland when advising their clients about planning and booking their holidays here.

Aisling McDermott, Tourism Ireland’s Manager Middle East & Asia, said: “Tourism Ireland was delighted to invite this group of luxury travel buyers to visit Kilkenny and Ireland, to experience at first-hand some of our luxury tourism offering, including our boutique hotels and luxury resorts. Seeing is believing – and our aim is that when they return home, they will be even more enthusiastic about the destination, helping to secure a greater share of their business for the island of Ireland in 2023 and beyond.”

* Pictured above: Luxury travel buyers from the Middle East visiting Mount Juliet, with Aisling McDermott, Tourism Ireland (third left); Siobhan O’Sullivan (fourth left) and Mark Dunne (third right), both Mount Juliet.

Just got a call about free cinema tickets!

Vodafone Ireland has launched a free cinema ticket o er in partnership with Odeon as part of the Vodafone Fantastic Days reward programme. Radio and TV presenter Suzanne Kane announced the initiative with her children, Oisin (7) and Hannah (5).

Every Wednesday customers can use the MyVodafone app to download up to four o er codes (one ticket per code) to any lm being shown on the following Tuesday in any Odeon cinema nationwide. O er codes are available while stocks last with no booking fee, and no cinema restriction – just hours of free enjoyment and entertainment in front of the big screen. Customers can delight in the big screen experience, the best air ltration system in every cinema and the com est of seats at no cost every Tuesday.

Vodafone Ireland wants to thank customers for using their services via the Vodafone Fantastic Days reward programme, named Utilities Loyalty Programme of the Year 2022 at the Irish Loyalty Awards. Whether you are a family wanting to see a lm, friends looking to laugh (and cry) at a romcom, or teammates wanting to see the newest blockbuster, make Tuesdays the days (and nights) for a trip to the cinema. Anita Cara, Consumer Business Director at Vodafone Ireland, said: “We want to thank our customers for being with us, and we are excited to see them enjoying their Tuesday cinema trips provided by Vodafone.”