Tag: Halloween 2015

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Your daily dose of Nostalgia

Do you recognize the above?

They are semolina pudding and rice pudding respectively and they were staples in the diet of Irish youngsters in the early years of the twentieth century. Oh yes! and there was sago and tapioca for variety.

These delicacies were the desserts of my childhood. Their collective title was Milk Puddings. Their main ingredient was milk which was in plentiful supply. They were served with a spoon of jam….also in plentiful supply, or sultanas….not in such plenty and so a luxury.

When presented by me to one of today’s youngsters, I was met with, “That looks like someone’s eaten it already.” The same youngsters also hate jelly and custard, a luxurious dessert which was only served in our house on Sundays.

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I Love Being a Nana

I went with my family to the Halloween experience in the Kerry Museum in Tralee.  It was a great few hours, enjoyed by all except the youngest who was scared out of her wits.  If truth be told, I had the bejasus scared out of myself as I strode ahead pretending to be brave only to meet with a ghoul who seemed to have escaped his enclosure and was wandering among the visitors.

The usual museum exhibits are transformed into medieval torture chambers with real live monsters mixing with statues. We were all very impressed. The vault -like setting and the near total darkness added to the atmosphere. My older grandchildren gave it 10 out of 10.

At he end of the Hall of Horrors was a room where the children got to do some coloring. They came away with spooky door hangers and pictures.

This was the entrance hall. I think I was already a bit fearful…the photo is a bit shaky. The youngest was very brave at this early stage. She volunteered to sit on the ghost’s knee.

Even John B. hasd a spooky makeover for Haloween

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Images of a bygone Ireland…the bad old days

Connemara and the Aran Islands are distinguished by their tiny fields surrounded by stone walls. This image  (Rare Irish Stuff) is of Inis Meáin where the walls were higher than elsewhere . The place in the 1940s was a place of poverty and hardship.

This is Belfast in the 1980s at the height of the northern conflict. This was the procedure as you entered any shopping street. People queued at checkpoints where armed soldiers, questioned, searched and frisked every one. In every shop there was security at the entrance and every bag was searched. Armed soldiers policed the streets, yet no one felt safe.

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History is made at The Melbourne Cup 2015

This photo from the racecourse’s webpage shows Michelle Payne winning the Melbourne Cup, the richest horse race in Australia. the horse is Prince of Penzance and you could have backed him at 100/1. Michelle is the first lady to win this prestigious event.

We had our own lady at the races. Maria Stack, a good friend of Listowel Connection is having the trip of a lifetime down under. Here are a few of her photos from Melbourne.

Posing with the Melbourne Cup

Maria got the golden ticket.

Some of the fare at Flemington Racecourse Skyline Restaurant

Maria looking  smashing at the races.