I’m starting to get my head around it, the lockdown thing. They tell you to stay at home, and you’re locked down. Easy. But if they tell you to stay in prison, you’re locked up. Less obvious. Then, if you’re locked down, and you’re in your house and can’t open the door to get out, … [Read more…]

Imagine if spiders could fly With wings of gossamer black Gliding through open windows Their babies on their back They’d have no need for cobwebs Now catching bugs in flight And no more stuck in bathtubs That’s one less little fright Instead, a thing of wonder ‘Look Dad, there’s a beauty’ Says child with finger … [Read more…]

Instead of coming out with another load of nonsense about this, that and the other, as my valued critic Biddy Donoghue likes to summarise my work, here is an informative piece that will, I hope, be of general interest, with particular relevance to one section of society: banjo players. To be more specific, old-time five-string … [Read more…]

Along with the rest of you, I’m seeing the news about the virus, with countries closing borders, schools, restaurants and what have you; and looking back, wasn’t I only saying to Biddy Donoghue there in the Post Office the day after New Year, as soon as she wished me a happy one. ‘Mrs Donoghue,’ I … [Read more…]

Reading time 6-7 minutes Gavin loved his job as a lecturer in the archaeology department of Exeter University. He was planning an excavation on Dartmoor over the summer, with the help of some of his students. He had no idea that it would lead to an even greater love. Mark, an old friend from his … [Read more…]

Following on from the Chocolatiers and the Greengrocers, I make no apology for this post. There were some commentary leftovers from the World Cup that I needed to get out of my system, and once again I couldn’t stop myself. However, I do promise that this is the last we will hear from Barry and … [Read more…]

I get confused about feet. They seem to play a big part in our language. At school, the games teacher said that I had two left feet. It meant that I was caught on the back foot when he told me to put my best foot forward. “I want you to play left back today, … [Read more…]

I promise that this is not an obsession or an addiction, but I still can’t get the World Cup commentaries out of my head. Time will sort it out, I’m sure; but for now, just imagine how Barry and Ron would cope if presented with a team of greengrocers. * * * * * Hello … [Read more…]

There is a risk that this post will give the impression that Fiontan Writes is nothing more than another ‘grumpy old man’ forum, with a catalogue of rants about aspects of modern life. Let me dispel that idea now. My subject is simply an opinion based on observations seen and experienced over a thirty-year period. … [Read more…]

The 2018 FIFA World Cup tournament was one of the best I can remember, even though I saw far too many matches for my mental well-being. Watching the games in itself was not the problem. I have been watching live and televised football for a long time without my sanity coming under threat. In fact, … [Read more…]