Who am I & What have I been doing for the past 25 years?
Well, I'm a new boy on the blog block, so here it goes.
Intro.
I'm a 25 year old Irish male from a small town called Banagher by the river Shannon in county Offaly; was born on the 12th of July (Irish readers will know the irony in that!); am a former seminarian, secondary school teacher in English and Geography and TEFL teacher - currently living and working in Warsaw, Poland.
I worked as a barman in The Shamrock Bar, Puerto Rico, Gran Canaria in '99 for three months; did 3 months voluntary work in the slums of Port au Prince, Haiti, in early '01; played hurling, Gaelic football, and did some plumbing in New York in the summer of '01; and as I write this I await my third trial in Dublin's Four Courts for helping in the disarmament of a US Navy warplane at Shannon Airport (on the west coast of Ireland) before the outbreak of the Iraq War - alleged damage causes €2 million. Maximum sentence is 10 years in jail (likelihood 12 months if convicted).
I've already done 5 1/2 weeks in Limerick prison after refusing bail in solidarity with my four comrades in the Pitstop Ploughshares peace community (see www.peaceontrial.com).
So I have been on bail for the past 3 1/2 years, had been barred from the county of Clare for 18 months, and had to sign on at my local police station daily for 18 months.In addition to this I have had the privilege of been barred from a 1.6 km radius of the U.S. Embassy in Dublin for about 18 months or so.
My life to date has chronologically and summatively but consisted of the following:
0-7 years (1980-87):
Pre-Age of Reason indoctrination from my local environment about the Catholic religion and Irish State deference, irrational protestantophobia bred by history lessons of the Irish-British conflicts, lied to that our town is geographically the centre of the world, loved and cared for by my family, and used to sleep with my hurl from a young age - nothing wierd involved - I just loved hurling, that's all.
8-12 years (1988-92):
Pre-pubescent liberty and growing self-awareness involved - caught stealing apples a good few times, period of being spoilt as youngest kid began to wear off the bolder I became, playing sport, and generally living a very self-centred life, and still not able to say anything in Irish (despite daily lessons) - Oh yeah, and I was given an in-school suspension for spraying farting gas in our primary school lunch room.
Of course, I deserved this - but it seemed like a fun thing to do at the time.
13-16 years (1993-96):
Secondary school pubescence, acne, braces and weird contraptions assigned by the orthodontist, playing a lot of sport still, had first girlfriend who I actually kissed - my actual 'first girlfriend' and I in primary school never got to that stage of the relationship, getting drunk and very sick from 13 years old onwards (not on a frequent basis), working in a local bar (picking glasses and later graduating to serving pints), almost drowning in the local river, continually been loved a lot and given out to (deservedly so) by my parents and neighbours, suspended from school for helping 3 other students to let the air out of a teacher's car tyres - and sticking a carrot and banana up the exhaust - consequence: 1 week suspension; being heartbroken, doing my Leaving Cert, having some savage parties.
17-19 years old (1997-99):
Going to university in Galway to study Arts (English and Geography) - in other words - working in nightclubs and bars, playing a lot of hurling (including marking the great Henry Shefflin in the Freshers quarter final - I'm pretty sure I kept him scoreless from play that day, albeit he got a few points from frees) and getting drunk with colleagues, passing all exams in each year.
Working in The Shamrock Bar in Gran Canaria with John H - great craic, but amazingly unproductive lifestyle that zaps away your life in a rythmn of beach, pub, meet pretty girls on holiday, make them a cocktail, they cheat on their boyfriend with you, they leave a week later, you're heartbroken, then another holidaymaker flies in, your heart is mended, go back to beach, pub, etc. etc. etc.
No regrets - had it's time and place!
20-22 years old (2000-02)
Another girlfriend, another heartbreak. In depth introspection whilst working in my undle's hotel post-uni. graduation. Decision to volunteer in Haiti in early 2001. 3 months there that have radically changed my life for the better.
Evangelised (in the sense of how to create the conditions for/embody - as best I can, social justice, and the reason why it needs to be the essence of my purpose on this planet) by the poor, by those with HIV, by the clothes-less kids, by the ever-smiling and helpful, generous marginalised. Amazing experience living with the La Sainte Union Catholic sisters, faclitated by good friend, Sr. Helen Ryder.
This was followed by 3 months of earning $500 a week helping out an Irish and Ecquadorian plumber mainly in downtown Manhattan (incl. Cindy Crawford's apartment off Fifth Ave. - or so I was led to believe).
Decision to enter the Holy Ghost Fathers seminary in Kimmage Manor, Dublin, August '01; while simultaneously studying the Higher Diploma of Education in University College Dublin - teaching practice in the prestigious St. Michael's College on Ailesbury Road (closest I had been to Ailesbury road prior to this was buying a hotel for it on the Monopoly board).
Qualified with a 1st Class Honours in the H.Dip.
Spent 3 months in Paris as a part of my religious formation - met a beautiful Polish girl who was also studying French - fell in love - not a good idea for a seminarian............see below for developments since.
23 years old- Present period (2003-2005):
Imprisoned in Limerick jail on February '03 for disarming (with four comrades - Ciaron, Deirdre, Nuin and Karen) a US Navy logistics plane bound for the Gulf theatre of war. This was a ploughshares action (www.plowsharesactions.org) inspired by the propohesy of Isaiah and Micah 'to beat swords into ploughshares' - an I a religious fundamentalist? Far from it - even the UN has this Old Testament text inscribed outside it's HQ in New York on the Isaiah wall.
Spent 5 1/2 weeks in jail, accepted very restrictive bail conditions, experienced 'warm friends cooling', went to trial in March '05 - trial collapsed due to judge's bias against us - went to trial again in October '05 - trial collapsed again due to revelation that judge had attended Bush's inauguration in 2001.
Left the seminary in August '03 on good terms but with a renewed committment away from textbooks and to work in a homeless shelter, do peace vigils/talks against the war on the streets of Dublin.
Moved to Warsaw in December 2005 to be with my now Polish girlfriend - currently living and teaching here - due to return to Ireland soon for our next trial (see www.peaceontrial.com) in July.
Conclusion
The above is by no means an exhaustive list of things which have occured to me beyond my control or the antithesis - yet they are a sample for you to decide whether you give a shit or not about this blog. If you don't like my politics - no worries, I aspire to be an egalitarian therefore have no interest in calling you names, but am interestedin challenging your perspectives - and broadly welcome your challenges too.
I am a baptised Catholic - align myself to the tradition of Christian anarchism as a path for leading my life and forming community, tackling social justice issues, taking on the greedy power/war/corporate mongers.
I am pro-nonviolence, anti-racist, anti-fascist, pro-freedom of speech, anti-abortion, pro- green environment, vegetarian (became so in prison), anti-hierarchy (political, church, business, community, family, gender, educationan, etc.).
Hope that paints a bit of a picture of who I currently am - my quarter of century on eart has led me to believe Heroclitus wasright - we never step in the same river twice - my mind has changed on quite a few issues over the past few years, therefore I am by no means set in my ways. I welcome all forms of debate and discussion.
That's what freedom of speech is all about - Use it or Lose it!
Intro.
I'm a 25 year old Irish male from a small town called Banagher by the river Shannon in county Offaly; was born on the 12th of July (Irish readers will know the irony in that!); am a former seminarian, secondary school teacher in English and Geography and TEFL teacher - currently living and working in Warsaw, Poland.
I worked as a barman in The Shamrock Bar, Puerto Rico, Gran Canaria in '99 for three months; did 3 months voluntary work in the slums of Port au Prince, Haiti, in early '01; played hurling, Gaelic football, and did some plumbing in New York in the summer of '01; and as I write this I await my third trial in Dublin's Four Courts for helping in the disarmament of a US Navy warplane at Shannon Airport (on the west coast of Ireland) before the outbreak of the Iraq War - alleged damage causes €2 million. Maximum sentence is 10 years in jail (likelihood 12 months if convicted).
I've already done 5 1/2 weeks in Limerick prison after refusing bail in solidarity with my four comrades in the Pitstop Ploughshares peace community (see www.peaceontrial.com).
So I have been on bail for the past 3 1/2 years, had been barred from the county of Clare for 18 months, and had to sign on at my local police station daily for 18 months.In addition to this I have had the privilege of been barred from a 1.6 km radius of the U.S. Embassy in Dublin for about 18 months or so.
My life to date has chronologically and summatively but consisted of the following:
0-7 years (1980-87):
Pre-Age of Reason indoctrination from my local environment about the Catholic religion and Irish State deference, irrational protestantophobia bred by history lessons of the Irish-British conflicts, lied to that our town is geographically the centre of the world, loved and cared for by my family, and used to sleep with my hurl from a young age - nothing wierd involved - I just loved hurling, that's all.
8-12 years (1988-92):
Pre-pubescent liberty and growing self-awareness involved - caught stealing apples a good few times, period of being spoilt as youngest kid began to wear off the bolder I became, playing sport, and generally living a very self-centred life, and still not able to say anything in Irish (despite daily lessons) - Oh yeah, and I was given an in-school suspension for spraying farting gas in our primary school lunch room.
Of course, I deserved this - but it seemed like a fun thing to do at the time.
13-16 years (1993-96):
Secondary school pubescence, acne, braces and weird contraptions assigned by the orthodontist, playing a lot of sport still, had first girlfriend who I actually kissed - my actual 'first girlfriend' and I in primary school never got to that stage of the relationship, getting drunk and very sick from 13 years old onwards (not on a frequent basis), working in a local bar (picking glasses and later graduating to serving pints), almost drowning in the local river, continually been loved a lot and given out to (deservedly so) by my parents and neighbours, suspended from school for helping 3 other students to let the air out of a teacher's car tyres - and sticking a carrot and banana up the exhaust - consequence: 1 week suspension; being heartbroken, doing my Leaving Cert, having some savage parties.
17-19 years old (1997-99):
Going to university in Galway to study Arts (English and Geography) - in other words - working in nightclubs and bars, playing a lot of hurling (including marking the great Henry Shefflin in the Freshers quarter final - I'm pretty sure I kept him scoreless from play that day, albeit he got a few points from frees) and getting drunk with colleagues, passing all exams in each year.
Working in The Shamrock Bar in Gran Canaria with John H - great craic, but amazingly unproductive lifestyle that zaps away your life in a rythmn of beach, pub, meet pretty girls on holiday, make them a cocktail, they cheat on their boyfriend with you, they leave a week later, you're heartbroken, then another holidaymaker flies in, your heart is mended, go back to beach, pub, etc. etc. etc.
No regrets - had it's time and place!
20-22 years old (2000-02)
Another girlfriend, another heartbreak. In depth introspection whilst working in my undle's hotel post-uni. graduation. Decision to volunteer in Haiti in early 2001. 3 months there that have radically changed my life for the better.
Evangelised (in the sense of how to create the conditions for/embody - as best I can, social justice, and the reason why it needs to be the essence of my purpose on this planet) by the poor, by those with HIV, by the clothes-less kids, by the ever-smiling and helpful, generous marginalised. Amazing experience living with the La Sainte Union Catholic sisters, faclitated by good friend, Sr. Helen Ryder.
This was followed by 3 months of earning $500 a week helping out an Irish and Ecquadorian plumber mainly in downtown Manhattan (incl. Cindy Crawford's apartment off Fifth Ave. - or so I was led to believe).
Decision to enter the Holy Ghost Fathers seminary in Kimmage Manor, Dublin, August '01; while simultaneously studying the Higher Diploma of Education in University College Dublin - teaching practice in the prestigious St. Michael's College on Ailesbury Road (closest I had been to Ailesbury road prior to this was buying a hotel for it on the Monopoly board).
Qualified with a 1st Class Honours in the H.Dip.
Spent 3 months in Paris as a part of my religious formation - met a beautiful Polish girl who was also studying French - fell in love - not a good idea for a seminarian............see below for developments since.
23 years old- Present period (2003-2005):
Imprisoned in Limerick jail on February '03 for disarming (with four comrades - Ciaron, Deirdre, Nuin and Karen) a US Navy logistics plane bound for the Gulf theatre of war. This was a ploughshares action (www.plowsharesactions.org) inspired by the propohesy of Isaiah and Micah 'to beat swords into ploughshares' - an I a religious fundamentalist? Far from it - even the UN has this Old Testament text inscribed outside it's HQ in New York on the Isaiah wall.
Spent 5 1/2 weeks in jail, accepted very restrictive bail conditions, experienced 'warm friends cooling', went to trial in March '05 - trial collapsed due to judge's bias against us - went to trial again in October '05 - trial collapsed again due to revelation that judge had attended Bush's inauguration in 2001.
Left the seminary in August '03 on good terms but with a renewed committment away from textbooks and to work in a homeless shelter, do peace vigils/talks against the war on the streets of Dublin.
Moved to Warsaw in December 2005 to be with my now Polish girlfriend - currently living and teaching here - due to return to Ireland soon for our next trial (see www.peaceontrial.com) in July.
Conclusion
The above is by no means an exhaustive list of things which have occured to me beyond my control or the antithesis - yet they are a sample for you to decide whether you give a shit or not about this blog. If you don't like my politics - no worries, I aspire to be an egalitarian therefore have no interest in calling you names, but am interestedin challenging your perspectives - and broadly welcome your challenges too.
I am a baptised Catholic - align myself to the tradition of Christian anarchism as a path for leading my life and forming community, tackling social justice issues, taking on the greedy power/war/corporate mongers.
I am pro-nonviolence, anti-racist, anti-fascist, pro-freedom of speech, anti-abortion, pro- green environment, vegetarian (became so in prison), anti-hierarchy (political, church, business, community, family, gender, educationan, etc.).
Hope that paints a bit of a picture of who I currently am - my quarter of century on eart has led me to believe Heroclitus wasright - we never step in the same river twice - my mind has changed on quite a few issues over the past few years, therefore I am by no means set in my ways. I welcome all forms of debate and discussion.
That's what freedom of speech is all about - Use it or Lose it!
Comments
I've been meaning to start blogging again too... maybe now I'll do it. :-)
ETHIOPIA: ETHIOPIA “PIONEERS” CYBERCENSORSHIP
http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=804
"For the most part, sub-Saharan African nations haven’t focused their resources on filtering internet content. Ethiopia, however, appears to be pioneering a change for the worse," reports the blog My Heart's in Accra. "Several bloggers in Ethiopia have reported that all
Blogspot blogs have been blocked within Ethiopia for the past few
days. Many Ethiopian bloggers - both inside the country and in the diaspora - use Blogspot/Blogger to host their blogs - as a result, this block prevents Ethiopians from accessing several sites highly
critical of the government."