Monthly Archives: January 2012

The Artist

Posted on January 31, 2012 by

A silent movie about silent movies, The Artist is the story of George Valentin (Jean Dujardin), a charming, suave 1920/30s Hollywood star, and his life through the end of the silent movie genre, the rise of the “talkie” and his … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, TV/Movies | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Ireland’s Wars: The Second Viking Age

Posted on January 30, 2012 by

Ireland, 902. The native Irish were in control of Dublin, the former inhabitants were scattered here and there, and the Norse presence in Ireland had been reduced to a few temporary settlements on the south and west coasts. The beginning … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Ireland, Ireland's Wars, War | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

AFCON: Two Matches Down (Lovely Left Foot)

Posted on January 29, 2012 by

The second round of games has passed for every team in AFCON 2012, and David Costelloe is here to give a round up of what they are doing right, what they are doing wrong and what’s to come. To read … Continue reading →

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The Lord Of The Rings, Chapter By Chapter: The Field Of Cormallen

Posted on January 28, 2012 by

The last battle rages around the slag hills, a moment of grimness. Of course, we all know how this is going to turn out, even if Gandalf and Aragorn are making with the pensive faces and the sad eyes. One … Continue reading →

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Why History? (3: Stories)

Posted on January 27, 2012 by

History is a vast repository of human experience and knowledge. But in so doing, it is also a vast repository of something else. You should study history because of its stories. No other discipline can claim to be as much … Continue reading →

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Live: Cote d’Ivoire Vs Burkina Faso (Lovely Left Foot)

Posted on January 26, 2012 by

I will be liveblogging this game over at Lovely Left Foot for anyone who wants to go over and have a gander. Any comments or questions during the course of the match can go to my twitter account @NFBblog.

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AFCON: One Game Down

Posted on January 25, 2012 by

“The first games are done for every team in AFCON 2012, and David Costelloe is here to give a round up of what they are doing right, what they are doing wrong and what’s to come.” To read the rest … Continue reading →

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“Suicidal Obstinacy”: Max Hastings And Irish Neutrality In The Second World War

Posted on January 24, 2012 by

The title comes from American writer Joe Dees, who so described the policy of Irish neutrality in the Second World War. I’ve been meaning to write something like this for a while, but it was the book this quotation was … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Ireland, Irish Defence Forces, Politics, War | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Ireland’s Wars: The First Viking Age

Posted on January 23, 2012 by

In 795 AD, a long narrow ship with a shallow draft crept up to the small island of Lambay, off present day Dublin. It landed and offloaded its inhabitants, men of the north armed with shield, spear and sword. They … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Ireland, Ireland's Wars, War | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

The Lord Of The Rings, Chapter By Chapter: Mount Doom

Posted on January 21, 2012 by

Sam is still the man in charge. Acting almost like a parent to a toddler with Frodo, who seems content to go in and out of these phases where he makes no effort to do anything at all. The two … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Fiction, Reviews, The Lord of the Rings | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment