November 2005 – For the fainthearted . . .

Monday evening Irish questions

I sat poring over the results and tables in yesterday’s Irish Times Sports Section. It was supper time and Miriam wanted to use the kitchen table.

âHow did Bray do?â? She asked.

âThey weren’t playing, the season is over. There’s the final tableâ?. I said, pointing at the details for the National League.

âBray play in the National League? Then what are those results for; the ones for the Irish League?â?

âThose are the Northern Ireland football resultsâ?, I said.

A look of bafflement crossed Miriam’s face. âThe Irish League …

Safety in numbers

We all remember kids at school who had a passion for numbers; or maybe we can all recall boys at school who had a passion for numbers, because, looking back, it seemed a male thing.

There were guys who remembered cricket statistics or football league tables or attendances at matches. Often they weren’t the best at sports; sometimes they were loners. I remember them because I think I was probably one of them.

Why numbers? Because numbers don’t hurt you; numbers don’t bully you; numbers don’t call you names; numbers …

Dies Irae and the death of King Arthur

Advent SundaySaint Matthias’

Sermon at Saint matthias’ Church, Killiney, Co Dublin on 27th November 2005

“At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.

Mark 13:26

Back in the summer, Michael went on an expedition to find King Arthur.We went to Caerleon in Wales, and Glastonbury and South Cadbury in Somerset, and to Tintagel in Cornwall.I reflected at the time on Arthur as being a leader who tried to hold onto the benefits of the Roman Empire for Britain and …

Following the Blues

Last night, Chelsea beat Anderlecht 2-0 to qualify for the final phase of the Champions League, for the third time in three years. How times have changed

At the age of nine I made a decision that in later years would bring me a considerable degree of anguish and ridicule. I changed the football team I supported.

Until May 1970 I had taken pride in the claret and blue colours of West Ham United, not that you ever knew what colours they were playing in on a block and white …

November blues

It has been a depressing day.It is cold; it is grey; it is dark; it is November, and most of all, no-one turned up for something into which I had invested a lot of time and hope.

On such occasions, I remember an old Jewish story. It is the story of Isaac the son of Jacob, a Jewish rabbi living near the Polish city of Cracow many years ago. I cannot find this story anywhere, I think I must have heard it on the radio and written it down – …

Fear and faith

Logging into Microsoft’s instant messenger this morning at 8.30, I got a message from a friend in Manila; she was in her office waiting for an evening meeting, I was about to set about my morning’s work.

We chatted for a while, ‘when are you going to visit the Philippines again?’ she asked, ‘Next year?’

‘Not next year’, I said, ‘I won’t make it next year?. It is a busy year; but, being honest, I still have memories of the fear I felt on my first visit there in January …