Category Archives: thinking aloud

People I’ve photographed

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A small selection of the people I’ve photographed…

David O’Doherty, comedian:David O'Doherty, comedian

(Part of) Irish rock band Director taken for The College View’s art/lifestyle pullout, Flux:

(part of) Director

(part of) Director

Students occupying Department of Education grounds for the ’Surprise conference 2010′:

EDITED: 'Surprise conference 2010'

PJ Gallagher, comedian:

PJ Gallagher @ DCU

Punters at the Bonniconlon Show 2008:

Bonniconlon Show 2008

David Begg, general secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions:

David Begg

Students taking part in an “Iron Stomach” competition at DCU:

E&S's 'Iron Stomach'

Richard Bruton, TD:

Richard Bruton

OAPs show their support for students at a protest in Dublin:

FEES PROTEST: OEPs show support

Dublin Cycle Chic Fashion Show:

Dublin Cycle Chic - Fashion Show

Tour guide in Paris:

guide

The Canon EOS 5D Mark II is demoed at Canon’s UK and Ireland HQ outside London:

Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Nooooo… (a friend poses)…

Nooooooo

Swimmers take the plunge at the Dublin Liffey Swim 2010:

Liffey Swim 2010

Laura Whitmore, MTV presenter:

Laura Whitmore

Florence and the Machine at the Electric Picnic 2009 (I might like this a little too much because it was taken more than half a large tent away among a dancing crowd!) :

Other stuff*

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This blog in the last while have been taken over by my AIE request on Irish Rail speeds, but I am at other stuff. Not everything will go to appeal, by using AIE you can get things notable and not so notable that you may not be given otherwise, see my AIE guide here.

Keep an eye on DublinObserver.com at least once a week if you have an interest in Dublin news.

On FOI and AIE: Here and there I should be uploading some updates, mostly small bits which are not online. And I’m working on new requests. For example, I have just submitted a request for data and contracts on Dublin Bikes under AIE, and under FOI — the city manager’s diaries, the Dublin City Council’s FOI logs, and their expenses database (thanks to Gavin at thestory.ie for pushing me to do the latter, and for letting me nick his preemptive defences for the same).

* must try harder on post titles

List of protected structures on Irish Rail network

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Using Access to Information on the Environment, I requested the list of protected structures on the Irish Rail network,  this was the reply, I’ve moved the notes to the top here:

Below is a list of protected stations on our network.  Please note the caveats at the end of the list.

…

Notes:

  1. All protected railway structures include ancilliary buildings including signal cabins, tank houses, water columns and goods sheds unless otherwise specifically stated in Local Authority designations
  2. Structures under protection also usually include cartilage to the extent determined by local authority Protection Order
  3. The list above may not be complete as additions are regularly made.   Deletions are only made in the case of full planning approval by the local authority concerned and with regard to station safety and access enhancements which make such de-listing absolutely necessary

…

Northern:

Connolly
Raheny
Sutton
Howth
Malahide
Rush & Lusk
Skerries
Balbriggan
Gormanston
Laytown
Drogheda
Dundalk

South Eastern:
Wexford
Gorey
Arklow
Rathdrum
Wicklow
Greystones
Bray
Killiney
Dalkey
Glenageary
Sandycove & Glasthule
Dun Laoghaire
Seapoint
Blackrock
Booterstown
Sydney Parade
Lansdowne Road
Pearse

South Western:
Heuston
Hazelhatch & Celbridge
Sallins & Naas
Newbridge
Kildare
Portarlington
Portlaoise
Ballybrophy
Templemore
Thurles
Limerick Junction
Mallow
Cork
Little Island
Glounthaune
Midleton
Fota
Carrigaloe
Rushbrooke
Cobh
Banteer
Millstreet
Rathmore
Killarney
Farranfore
Tralee

Waterford branch:
Athy
Carlow
Bagenalstown
Kilkenny
Thomastown
Waterford

Waterford Limerick & Western branch:
Limerick
Dromkeen
Tipperary
Cahir
Clonmel
Carrick-on-Suir

Limerick-Galway branch:
Ennis
Gort
Athenry
Galway

Ballybrophy-Limerick branch:
Roscrea
Cloughjordan
Nenagh
Birdhill
Castleconnell

Midland: (To Galway)
Tullamore
Clara
Athlone (Midland)
Athlone (GS&WR – current station)
Ballinasloe
Woodlawn
Attymon
Athenry
Galway

Midland (To Sligo):
Drumcondra
Enfield
Mullingar
Edgeworthstown
Longford
Dromod
Carrick-on-Shannon
Boyle
Ballymote
Collooney
Sligo

Midland (To Westport & Ballina):
Roscommon
Castlerea
Ballyhaunis
Claremorris
Foxford
Ballina
Castlebar
Westport

Western Rail Corridor (disused section):
Ballyglunin
Tuam
Kiltimagh
Swinford
Tubbercurry
Ballingrane-Foynes branch:
Adare
Foynes

World Record space hopper attempt in Dublin

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UPDATE: Dublin Observer has an a report a video of the successful attempt

The Street Performance World Championship are hosting a World Record space hopper attempt in Dublin this weekend. Make sure to email them at worldrecord@spwc.ie if you’re attending (one email per person apparently).

More details at the attempt’s Facebook page.

Also see the Street Performance World Championship at their website, on their blog, on Twitter, and on Facebook.

Irish Labour Party more Lib Dem than Labour

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Irish Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore

Bit late to blog on this, but anyway… Some interesting talk was coming from Irish Labour Party members — on twitter and elsewhere – about the Liberal Democrats back at the time of the UK elections.

The Labour Party, or at least members at different levels, seem oblivious to the similarities with their party and the Lib Dems. First, both have been the third party in mostly two-party systems. But more striking is their policy positions.

BEFORE READING FURTHER: If you’ve never heard of the Political Compass before then read their homepage. It’s mantra is that the old left-right scale is not enough, more is explained after you take the time to test yourself — you never know, you might be miles away from the political party you think you like.

The highly respected (and highly dated looking) politicalcompass.org puts the Irish Labour Party, as of the 2007 elections, closer to the Lib Dems than most other parties in the UK.

Photo: Labour Party, some rights reserved.

Road Safety Authority’s promotion of helmets

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Different headgear
My first Access to Information on the Environment request was successful. The request took advantage of the wide range of the definition of environmental information, it was as follows:

Under the Access to Information on the Environment (AIE) regulations, S.I. No. 133 of 2007, I am seeking all research on which the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has based its advice that cyclists should wear a helmet.

If the RSA cannot provide the above because it is third-party research which the RSA does not hold the copyright to, then this request should be viewed as a request to provide the details of the above information (ie title of the research, name/s of author/s, date/s published, volume and issue numbers, publications in which such were published etc).

It is preferred if this information is given in electronic format (plain text, word, PDF etc) and send by email. Otherwise in the same type of format sent on CD or DVD to below postal address.

[my contact details]

Strange request most people may think, but the bicycle helmets issue is a heated subjected among cyclists. The released information and discussion on it is here.

My main point on this topic, as mention in the discussion, is that:

it’s wrong that such agencies are spending public money on what makes them be seen to promote safety rather than promoting actual proven safe cycling methods. And given the RSA’s position, further public money is spent by other agencies, departments, local authorities etc which follow the advice. Money which could be spent on cycle training or just providing better advice.

Journalism courses — a few questions

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The issue is an ongoing one discussed on Boards.ie’s News / Media forum (the long list is below), and two years ago Shane Hegarty also blogged at IrishTimes.com on journalism courses and standards.

Here’s a few questions I’m interested getting answers to:

  • Are courses worth it?
  • Are journalism degrees and diplomas respected in the industry?
  • Which ones are most respected? How has this changed over time?
  • What do the courses teach? What do the courses not teach?
  • Why do so many journalism graduates leave college without knowing how to freelance?
  • How many graduates in journalism and related courses are there each year compared to journalism jobs?
  • How many graduates end up working in other sectors?
  • Are you better off studying journalism or another subject to get wider experience?
  • If experience is everything, for print, is going to TCD or UCD — which have more student publications — better then going to DCU?
  • Is there a cycle of students or recent graduates working too long without getting paid?
  • What’s the best route into journalism?
  • Do students / gratuities have a realistic picture of journalism?

I’m planning to compile questions or a survey around the above questions, as well as look into this in other ways. But first to leave time to tease this out a bit more:

  • Are there other questions to to add to this?
  • Who should be consulted? (Students, gratitudes, lecturers, journalists, editors?)
  • What other means are there in exploring this issue?
  • Has anybody else wrote about this in Ireland or elsewhere?
  • Is there anything I’m missing or wrongly including?

The threads on boards.ie discussing this in full or in part include: The Circular, 2004; Views on Journalism course options, 2005; Getting into the media, 2005; Best way into Journalism, 2005; Views on Journalism course options, 2005; Thinking of doing a Journalism Course – Read this, 2005; Rags, 2007; Investigative journalism training, 2007; Advice for getting into journalism, 2008, What to do with my Journalism Degree? , 2008; National diploma in arts in journalism, 2008; Freelance journalism, 2008; Some advice, 2009; Working freelance, 2008; Journalism advice anyone?, 2009; DBS Journo course, 2009; Starting in journalism/freelance experience?, 2010.

A lecturer at DCU says students should make the most of their time at college to read as much as they can, because they’ll never have so much time to do so again. My twist on that is journalism students should also research subjects they’re interested in, as they’ll never be given so much time to do so again.