#clare goes to Ireland

[mangoshorthand]

Irish sensitivity readers?

I'm writing a fic about Five traveling to Ireland with his wife and daughter, and I was wondering if any Irish people would be happy to volunteer to do some sensitivity reading before it goes out. I'm not quite finished yet - it could be a couple of days.

I'm asking because it's set in a fictional town in County Clare, and also includes elements of Irish folklore. I'm aware that it might come across as stereotypical and, as an English person (boo) I'm wary of presenting Ireland properly. I want to try and mitigate the blindspots I inevitibly have.

I've been to Ireland many times, and a lot of my family is Irish, so I've based my descriptions of the countryside, speech patterns etc. off real people and places I've been. I've also done a fair amount of research on folklore and grew up hearing these stories, so I'm not coming at this from a place of total ignorance, but I do have blind spots: some I'm aware of, and others might not be. Blind spots, (non conclusive):

I'm English writing about Americans experiencing Ireland for the first time. I may be out of my depth here trying to present one culture through the lens of another, neither of which I am part of.

Most of my experience of Ireland is in deep farm country, (where this fic is set). While I'm in a Dunnes stores as often as I can get there, I'm less familiar with urban areas in general, so I'm open to the idea this may contribute to a picture of Ireland that's too bucolic, (like, is that okay? I don't know?)

All the Irish people I know well are older family members, so I might have a romanticised how people are.

What I need:

Once I've finished I need up to 3 Irish readers to go through and tell me if anything rubs them up the wrong way, makes them roll their eyes or just seems plain wrong to them. Advice on how to fix it would be helpful. I would rather make tweaks than change the story dramatically, but if that's what's necessary to fix a glaring fuckup, then that's what it takes.

The fic itself is likely to be 10k words maximum, more likely 6-8k.

Thanks in advance. Please DM me or reply to this post if you feel you can help.

[primordialsoundmeditation]

When you travel,

A new silence

Goes with you,

And if you listen,

You will hear

What your heart would

Love to say.

A journey can become a sacred thing.

Make sure, before you go,

To bless your going forth,

To free your heart of ballast

So that the compass of your soul

Might direct you towards

The territories of spirit

Where you will discover

More of your hidden life;

And the urgencies

That deserve to claim you.

JOHN O'DONOHUE

Excerpt from the blessing, "For the Traveler" found in his books:

To Bless the Space Between Us (US) / Benedictus (Europe)

Ordering Info: https://johnodonohue.com/store

The Burren

County Clare, Ireland

Photo: © Ann Cahill

[lzjr121]

So I am an avid fan of Cassandra Clare and my favorite series is TID (the infernal devices for those uneducated) and I just watch a movie called Leap Year. It’s a romcom type thing in which an AMERICAN goes to Ireland to propose to her fiancé who is there for a conference. It’s an old tradition where on Feb 29 (leap year) the females propose to the male cause their cowards or whatever. She gets caught in a storm and ends up in WALES in a pub run by a DARK HANDSOME AND WELSH MAN WITH AN OVERCOAT SEEN IN WILL HERONDALE ART and she enlists his help to GET HER CROSS COUNTRY to Dublin as that is where her bf is. They keep trying to get their lot of problems and it’s a cross country trip tbh and SHE PICKS HIM OVER THE OTHER GUY (granted Jem is an absolute angel (hehehe) and should be protected at all costs!)

So to get to my point, Miss Clare? Have you seen this? And if not this is the most Will coded thing I have ever watched right down to his witty humor and I think you would enjoy it.

[charliethomascoxuniverse]

Kin's Charlie Cox Compares His Character to Matt Murdock

By Sam Stone   Sept 14, 2021  (X)

In an interview with CBR, Charlie Cox discusses the slow-burning fury of his role as Michael Kinsella in the AMC+ Irish crime drama series Kin.

After previously starring for three seasons in Daredevil as superhero attorney Matt Murdock, Charlie Cox is returning to television with AMC+'s Irish crime drama Kin. Cox stars as Michael Kinsella, the quiet member of an organized crime family in Dublin with a violent past. When the Kinsellas lose one of their own, the family becomes wrapped up in a bloody war against a much larger crime syndicate -- and might be totally annihilated.

In an exclusive interview with CBR, Cox shared what attracted him to Kin in the first place and the role of Michael Kinsella. He also reflected on working with the series' stellar Irish cast and compared Michael's character and worldview to that of Marvel's Matt Murdock.

Let's talk about our mutual friend Michael Kinsella. What was about this character and project that attracted you to Kin, Charlie?

Charlie Cox: It was really the writing. I read the first two or three scripts at the beginning of COVID. I wasn't initially available for the project and my wife works for Bron Studios and she was producing it. I read it out of interest, just to let her know what I thought. I was so moved and touched by it and it was a bit of luck, really. The show I was supposed to do fell through and this was an opportunity for us all to go to Ireland together and stay together as a family. I was just so impressed with the scripts and excited by the material that I was like, "Let's do it!"

Michael, in a lot of ways, embodies that old proverb "beware the fury of a patient man" and he's just worn down by his frustrations over the course of the season. How is it finding that balance of this man that still possesses a great capacity for violence?

That's a really good point and another thing I was excited about was the idea that, as the season progresses, you learn more about Michael that is hopefully unexpected. What you just described was the acting challenge, to find a way for this man to be pretty quiet, seemingly humble, vulnerable, and broken, and yet, every now and again you get glimpses into his past to see what he's capable of and the violent background that he's had. Hopefully, those moments can be a bit chilling. I haven't seen it yet so I don't know if I was successful in that way, but that was a goal.

Was there a line that served as a bit of a cipher to get into this guy's head that informed your approach?

Actually, the opposite, I would say!

It was the amount of times that he doesn't say something, where you expect someone to defend themselves or to make a joke or set someone straight. A lot of times, for a guy who's capable of what we've learned he's capable of, to live a life that he's led, there were moments that were more interesting to me in what he didn't say rather than what he did say. There were these little moments where someone didn't say quite the right thing and he, in his Michael way, was able to set the record straight or put you in your place. Those were fun moments to play with.

As with any family there's a lot of secrets and tension. You get to spend a lot of scenes with Clare Dunne and it's wild that this is her first major television gig -- you'd never know, she's so good -- how was it having her as a scene partner?

She's incredible, as soon as you get on set -- even in rehearsals -- and you just go, "Great, I'll just show up and she's going to carry this show!"

It's her story. it's a great role and she navigates the journey that her character goes on with such grace and subtlety. She draws you in and you can't help but watch. I remember we were shooting a scene and it was the first time Amanda starts to take control a little bit and I was mesmerized. I was really blown away by what she was doing. I'm really excited for people to see her performance and also for Clare Dunne to become a household name.

Even beyond Clare, you have a whole murderers' row of great Irish actors, some of the best in the business. How was it working with them?

It was really fun and, just by complete coincidence, myself, Emmett Scanlan and Sam Keeley all rented the same apartment complex. We were also in lockdown and we were allowed to hang out together in a pub because of the TV show and testing we were doing, so we became really close. We were playing a family and that was incredibly helpful. As you said, some of the best Irish actors of all time in that cast.

I was talking to Maria Doyle Kennedy and she was saying she got to work with [series co-creator and showrunner] Peter McKenna on developing her character further. How much creative leeway did you have in creating Michael?

Peter is incredibly generous. If I did have questions, observations or even small notes, he always found the time to get on the phone and listen and chat and make sure we [our] understanding of Michael and the tone of the show was the same. To be fair to him, it was all on the page for me. It was very, very clear early on and any changes were really just minor details, maybe a word or two here. Michael felt very, very well-rounded and thought through before I even had my first conversation with those guys. I was very, very lucky in that regard.

Emmett was saying --

-- don't listen to anything Emmett says, he's a liar. I just saw an interview where he said that he beat me in pool. You can see in the show, there's a pool table in the basement so we would play pool all the time and I would destroy him. I just saw an article where he said he won and, let it be known if there's a Season 2, there's a family rift over pool. [laughs]

Emmett was saying he hadn't learned who his character was yet by the end of the season. Was there any surprises you found with Michael by the end of the season?

After the first few scenes with Emmett -- similarly to Clare, Emmett is tremendous in this show -- but something interesting happened. After I had done a couple of scenes with Emmett, the dynamic of these two brothers, with Michael being the younger brother, the dynamic emerged based on what Emmett was bringing to the table. [It] helped me understand Michael in a whole new way and helped me understand the relationship to our father, who is off-screen and we don't initially meet.

That was unexpected. I had an idea of how their dad might have been like and the relationship Michael might have had with him, as opposed to Jimmy. When I did a few scenes with [Emmett], it suddenly became very clear to me what that dynamic was and why the younger brother had been charged with being the family enforcer and given that hard task over the older brother.

This does remind me of Boardwalk Empire, with its look at the history and consequences of violence. What do you find fulfilling as a storyteller and actor painting with those colors in this genre space?

There are similarities between Boardwalk, Daredevil in this. There always feels like there's enough difference to me where it doesn't feel like I'm rehashing anything but, in terms of the tone of the pieces, there's similarity. I don't know if I'm drawn to that or if people see me as someone who can do that or interested in that -- I certainly enjoy it! As an actor, I love the subtle side of the performance and the opportunity when you get to tell a story with not many words and not much to say.

I found that a really enjoyable challenge to see how much you can convey without much screen time and that was something I was certainly interested to explore with Michael because he says so little, especially surrounded by a family of people who are very outspoken and have a lot to say and want to be heard. Michael seems to have this gravitas and power despite not really needing to puff out his chest.

In speaking about Daredevil, Matt Murdock is a known quantity whereas Michael is a bit of an enigma. How is it taking on a character that can surprise you as a performer and surprise the audience?

A fundamental difference between the two for me is that Matt Murdock is finding ways in which he can satisfactorily engage in how he can affect people and society and make a difference. Michael is the opposite, he's looking to disengage. He's very passive and looking for ways to not be seen and not be held accountable, make a difference or make an impact. There's a similarity that they're both trying to hide in some respects but it's more about the levels of engagement in the world that they live in, that feels significant to me.

And the capacity to surprise!

Yeah, and we're dancing between spoilers here, but he's got these secrets, in his mind and in reality that are so debilitating and so frightening, I don't think that he has yet learned how to navigate his life with these secrets and these obstacles that he has.

Now that this is done, what are you excited about getting to share Kin with the world and your performance as Michael Kinsella?

It's a funny time, interesting time, and amazing time in television. There's so much content and it's so exciting as a consumer, but, as a consumer, I also find it overwhelming. I can sit in front of a TV and I don't even know which platform to start on. I've got fifteen different subscriptions or something. [laughs] It's easy for good shows to go unnoticed and easy for not such good shows to get a lot of attention. Gone are the days when one good show would rise above the rest and then stay there. Now, you hear a show get amazing reviews and there are breakout performances and everyone is talking about and then a week later it's old news and there's another show.

I say all that to say I've been able to let go of the results of the show a little bit and not sitting here hoping that it gets a record number of viewers and things like that. It's a lovely story and I love just being an actor and doing my job seeing all the other elements come together and hope that it strikes a chord with people and reaches the right people and people enjoy it, and, in a selfish way, that we get to go and do it again. I'm very proud of it and the performances and I'm excited for people to see some of the actors that they perhaps don't know as well. Let's just see if it gains a bit of traction!

~*~

[clarenecessities]

so a terrifying thing happened today

[sweetbuckybarnes]

In Our 30s - Nine

Pairings: James Maguire + Erin Quinn

Summary: A post-series fic cantered on James and Erin. With University, Michelle and stupid decisions getting in the way of James and Erin getting together into their 30s.

Word count: 559

Series Masterlist | Main Masterlist

Present Day

The sound of an alarm brought Erin round from her slumber, Erin pushed her leg into her husband's leg to rouse him.

James reached his hand over and turned off the alarm - then rolled over a little to wrap his arms around his wife.

"Morning Erin," James said, pressing multiple kisses to her cheek and tucking her closer to his chest.

"Morning love," Erin replied, shuffling and James watched with half-open eyes as Erin rolled over in bed and stared up at him.

They were silent as they revelled in the piece before their kids woke up. 

"We better get up or else we're going to be late," James says - and this spurred them to clamber out of bed and get dressed for the day.

As Erin worked on her new novel at the kitchen table, she stopped typing as her chin rested on the palm of her hand. 

"James?" She called, seeing her children quietly (for once) sitting in the kitchen eating their cereal, with little to no complaints.

"Yes, love?" he asked, looking up from the shots they had filmed on his phone yesterday.

Erin smiled at him for a second, this is the man she gets to spend the rest of her life with. "Do you still have your old video camera?" She asked. "The one you used for our 18th?"

"I'll go get it," he tells her, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

James found his camera, along with the old video tapes he used.

He even found the tape he was editing in the 90s. The one he swore he would never show Erin.

"What's on this one?" She asked, taking said video tape out of his hand.

"Something I never wanted to show you in the 90s," James said, getting a raised eyebrow from his wife in return. She slowly goes to put it back in his hands, until James laughed. "Not like that!"

James goes over to their old video player, which James has clung onto thanks to his old Doctor Who tapes from the 70s.

The video was the two of them and the girls, from the 90s - along with close-ups of her in her red jacket and old school uniform.

"You were smitten with me, weren't you, love?" Erin commented, throwing her arms around her husband's shoulders smiling at the young Orla, Clare and Michelle.

"Still am," James replies, pressing multiple kisses along any skin he could find of Erin's.

The sound of fake vomit drew James and Erin's attention away from the TV. Their son, the eldest. Jamie Joe Maguire.

Erin raised her eyebrow at him, and he stopped, having always been Erin's boy (but could appreciate Doctor Who more than his ma).

"Is that you, daddy?" The small voice of Elizabeth 'Liz' Rose Maguire. The apple of James' eye. His little girl, and their youngest.

James nodded, holding his hand out for Liz and the four watched the video tape before school. They explained what everything was like in Northern Ireland in the 1990s.

It was like Granda Joe said, at Erin and Orla's 18th birthday. They never believed James and Erin, shocked to think soldiers would climb aboard the school bus every day and check for bombs.

It was like a ghost story now.

[babygirlizz]

izzie’s favorite movies and tv shows of 2020 (aka the worst year ever)

another year, another movie and tv show review. this year has, to put it simply, sucked. 2020 has been so terribly awful that sometimes the only light you can see are the absolute bangers of movies and tv shows that came out this year. with that being said, some of the movies and tv shows didn't come out in 2020. if the are mentioned in this post it is because they either: had a season come out this year, i found them this year, or they became popular this year.

SPOILERS: it may not come as a surprise but just in case you didn't realize, there will be many spoilers ahead, read at your own risk.

tw // death, suicide, drug use, mild adult language. if any of these things might trigger you, i strongly urge you not to read this post.

there is no specific order of these shows and movies, i'm just writing as they come to mind. if you enjoy any of these movies or tv shows, or if you have any suggestions for me, please let me know!

TV SHOWS

1) Santa Clarita Diet

Okay, so I know this show doesn't have anything to do with 2020. But, I found this show in 2020. I put it off for a while, thinking it wasn't my style of a show, but boy was I wrong. I loved this show. Sheila Hammond (Drew Barrymore) is a normal suburban wife and mom. She is a real estate agent with her husband Joel (Timothy Olyphant). She struggles with the fact that she isn't very adventurous. This all changes when she throws up an insane amount at a house showing. She then finds herself craving adventure, and craving human flesh. Yeah, she's a zombie. Not only is this show super hilarious, but it also shows the growth that they have with their characters and their family. I'm also team Abby (Liv Hewson) and Eric (Skyler Gisondo).

2) Outer Banks

So, I'm from NC. And, watching this show at first bothered me because I can very obviously tell this show isn't actually filmed in the obx, and the geography isn't exact, but once I got past that, I loved it. John B (Chase Stokes) is a teenager that lives in the poor side of the outer banks. He has a friend group called the Pogues which consists of JJ (Rudy Pankow), Pope (Jonathan Daviss), and Kie (Madison Bailey). They absolutely hate the Kooks, which are the rich kids. A while after John B's dad gets lost at sea, presumed dead, the group finds some evidence that may solve the mystery, and make them rich. In the process, John B falls in love with a Kook names Sarah (Madelyn Cline) whose father Ward (Charles Esten) may have a little more to do with the mystery than he let on. Through friendship, murder, and secrets, the gang may just figure out what happened to John B's dad.

3) Love, Victor

Alright. I loved loved loved Love, Simon. I also really loved the book "Simon vs. the Homosapien Agenda." So, when I heard about this show, I was so excited. Victor (Michael Cimino) is a teenage boy that moved to Creekwood with his family. He meets Felix (Anthony Turpel) who lives in his building. He also meets Mia (Rachel Hilson) and they begin dating. But, he also meets Benji (George Sear). While trying to get used to a new school, new friends, and a new relationship, Victor finds himself questioning his sexuality. With the help of Simon (Nick Robinson) and his friends, Victor finds it in himself to finally come out, and he admits his feelings, for Benji. This is such a good show, but I was so upset when season 1 ended on a cliff-hanger.

4) The Haunting of Bly Manor

The sequel to The Haunting of Hill House. Now listen, haunting of hill house was an absolute banger. When I saw that Bly came out I nearly died. I was so excited. But, I was alone in my apartment and also a lil bitch. So, I had to wait a week until I was home with my family to watch it. Now, I was so excited to be scared, and there were a few jump scares and ominous moments, but this season was more centered around the story line of Dani Clayton (Victoria Pedretti) and her new life in a foreign country. When seeing an ad for a live in job as an au pair. When she gets there, she meets the two young children she’ll be looking out for and the other workers of the house, including the gardener, Jamie (Amelia Eve). Throughout her stay at Bly she begins to notice weird behaviors from both children and by the end of the series she sacrifices herself for the children. Sadly, this story is being told by Jamie who Dani had fallen in love with during her stay at Bly. Now I was somewhat upset about the lack of horror, but was still very intrigued and drawn in by this series.

5) Julie and the Phantoms

Alright, at first I was not gonna watch this show. I thought it looked a little too young and childish for me, but everyone was talking about it on twitter so I had to. I. Love. This. Show. This show centers around Julie (Madison Reyes). Julie is a teenage girl who, sadly, lost her mother. The one major thing she shared with her mom, was their love for music. Since her mothers passing, she gave up music. This is until, dead musicians from the 90′s show up in her garage. Luke (Charlie Gillespie), Alex (Owen Joyner), and Reggie (Jeremy Shada) all tragically passed away in the 90′s after eating bad street hotdogs. When Julie finds their CD in her garage, she decides to play it and they come back in ghost form. But, only she can see them. With their help, she finds her confidence to play music again. Also, she has to find away for them to stay because they’re slowly disappearing. 

6) Derry Girls

Bitch. I love this show. And yeah it didn’t come out in 2020. Shut up. I found this show recently after watching the cast on the holiday special of the Great British Baking Show. I loved the actors so I had to watch the show. This show focuses on Erin (Saoirse-Monica Jackson) a 16 year old girl that lives in Derry, Northern Ireland in the 90′s. Alongside her is her cousin Orla (Louisa Harland), her two friends Clare (Nicola Coughlan) and Michelle (Jamie-Lee O’Donnell), and Michelle’s English cousin James (Dylan Llewellyn). During these years, a lot of people in Ireland struggled, especially because it was during wartime. Even thought this show isn’t focused heavily around the war, it’s amazing to see these teens live a fulfilling life while struggling with the state of their country, and the lack of money that their families have. 

7) Elite

HA. This show did have a season in 2020 so leave me alone. But bro, I love this show. At first, I didn’t watch it because I thought I could only watch the dubbed version in English, which I hate. I hate dubbed shows they look so weird. But, once I found out I could watch this show in Spanish, I fell in love. But, sadly, theres too damn much to talk about in one little post. It’s crazy. But basically it just follows the lives of teens in high school that are trying to survive. And no, not in the “I’m surviving high school,” sense. No, people be getting murdered. 

MOVIES (tbh i didn’t find a lot of movies good this year lmk which movies u liked this year and maybe i’ll like them!)

1) All the Bright Places

After the death of her sister, Violet (Elle Fanning) is devastated. She closes herself off, and has her parents get her out of doing school work that involves working with others. But, as time goes on, they realize she may need to start to move on. Violet then meets Finch (Justice Smith) who is enamored by Violet. He suggests they do a project together. While finding and visiting some of the smallest wonders of their state, they begin to fall for each other. While you are focusing on Violet and her mental health, you tend to miss some of the signs that Finch’s mental health isn’t great either, but by the time you do, it could be too late. 

2) Dangerous Lies

Hmm. This was weird for me. I had only ever seen Camila Mendes in Riverdale, and honestly, not a fan. So, Katie (Camila Mendes) and her husband Adam (Jessie T. Usher) are struggling with money. Katie decides to take a job working for an elderly man, and eventually gets her husband hired there as well. Unfortunately, he dies, but for some odd reason, leaves the house and all of his fortune, to Katie. As they get comfortable in the house, they begin to uncover some very weird and dangerous lies. 

3) The Devil All the Time

Ok. Iconic. You got so many hot men in this movie. Bill Skarsgård, Sebastian Stan, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson. C’mon now. That’s crazy. But, this story is so long and in depth that I wouldn’t even know where to begin. This movie is a bit disturbing. It involves murder, sexual assault, killing of animals, and so much more so if that’s an issue for you please do not watch this movie. It was also quite long, but it was still good.

4) After We Collided

Okay just listen. I was that teenager. I read wattpad stories and was, embarrassingly, addicted to After. This was not a great movie per say, but it was After. This is a sequel to the movie After. This movie centers around Tessa (Josephine Langford) and her recovery after her breakup with Hardin (Hero Fiennes Tiffin). Theres sex, alcohol, bad acting. The whole nine-yards. But c’mon, they’re so cute together.

5) To All the Boys p.s. I Still Love You

Okay it was a good movie. I enjoyed it. This movie focuses on Lara Jean (Lana Condor) and her boyfriend Peter (Noah Centineo) and their relationship post the first movie. But of course relationships aren’t super steady, and John Ambrose McClaren (Jordan Fisher) shows up. Yeah, John Ambrose, from her letter. They become closer and Lara Jean has to decide who she wants to be with. Spoiler, it’s Peter. BOOOOOOO justice for John Ambrose McClaren, he deserved better. 

[annibonten]

The Importance of the Cliffs of Moher and Why They are Ireland’s Most Famous Landmark

Introduction Of Cliffs Of Moher

The Cliffs of Moher are a series of steep sea cliffs on the Atlantic coast of the Burren in County Clare, Ireland.

The cliffs stretch for 8 kilometers (5.0 mi) and reach heights of 214 meters (702 ft) above sea level at their highest point near O’Brien’s Tower, making them Europe’s highest sea cliffs.

The Cliffs are part of a larger area designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The AONB covers 18 square kilometers (7 sq mi) and is managed by Clare County Council in conjunction with various conservation bodies.

The Mystery Behind the Formation of the Cliffs

The Mystery Behind the Formation of the Cliffs is an article that discusses how the cliffs were formed over time.

The article starts off by talking about a specific cliff called “La Toma”. The author talks about how it’s a popular tourist destination and how there are many theories on how it was formed. Some think that the cliffs were created by earthquakes, others think that they were created by wind and water erosion, while some people believe that they were formed when the sea level rose.

The author then goes on to say that all of these theories are actually incorrect and there is no one theory that can be said to be correct. The author also says that there’s still much to learn about this area and we will never know for sure what happened because we weren’t there when it happened.

The Geology and History Behind the Cliffs

The cliffs are made of sandstone, a sedimentary rock that was formed by the compaction of sand and the cementing together of these particles. The cliffs were created approximately 200 million years ago when an ancient river flowed through this region. This river eventually dried up, but it left behind a load of sediment that was deposited in to the river bed. Over time, this sediment became compressed and cemented together to form what we now know as sandstone.

The Wildlife That Can Be Seen at the Cliffs

This is a guide to the wildlife that can be seen at the Cliffs in South Africa.

The cliffs are home to many different types of animals, including:

– The Cape Fur Seal – The Cape Leopard Seal

– The Cape Penguin – The African Black Oystercatcher

– The African Black Oystercatcher

Cliffs Of Moher Boat Tour

In this section, we will discuss the cliffs of moher boat tour.

We can choose to do a guided tour or go at it alone. The guided tour is more expensive but worth it if you are not sure what you are looking for or want to learn more about the area. The boat takes you up close and personal with the cliffs and offers a different perspective than what you get on land.

The Cliffs of Moher Boat Tour is an experience that everybody should have in their lives. It is an opportunity for people to see, feel, and understand how majestic this place really is.

Cliffs Of Moher Tour

The Cliffs of Moher are one of the most popular tourist attractions in Ireland. The cliffs stretch for 8 kilometres and stand as a natural barrier to the Atlantic Ocean.

The cliffs have been shaped by the movement of glaciers over millions of years. They are made up of limestone, sandstone and shale, with some areas having a deep red colour from iron oxide deposits.

[cincinnatusvirtue]

50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, Pt 1 (The Normans to the Boyne): A historical buildup to January 30th, 1972. Remembering The Troubles in Northern Ireland...

The popularity of tv shows like Britain’s Derry Girls (2018-present) which depicts life in Northern Ireland during the 1990′s near the tail end of the conflict known as The Troubles which lasted officially from the 1960′s until 1998′s Good Friday Agreement has renewed some interest in the conflict and more broadly Northern Ireland, in particular its future.  While that tv show is principally focused on the social growing pains of being a teenager and the use of The Troubles is more a backdrop, that comes in and out of the character’s lives and while it is set in a particular time and time, its popularity is a testament to the adage from Irish author James Joyce “in the particular is contained the universal.”  It appeals to many people the world over outside of Northern Ireland and has contributed to a slight resurgence in discussion about this corner of the world and its history and indeed wonder about its present and future.  As always to understand the present and potentially the future, we need to understand the past.  This weekend marks the 50th anniversary of one of Northern Ireland’s darkest chapters and indeed for many, a deciding event in The Troubles, where for some battle lines were drawn and hearts hardened.  Leading to another quarter century of conflict...

Historical Overview (The British in Ireland):

-The conflict in Northern Ireland had many short-term immediate causes but also had roots in centuries old conflicts as well.  At the heart was the ongoing political presence of Britain in Ireland.  This indeed is an issue that goes back to the Middle Ages.

-Following the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, the new Anglo-Norman dynasty and its aristocracy had some designs on expanding their rule to Ireland.  In part because Ireland had provided a safe haven for enemies of the Anglo-Normans.

-In the 11th and 12th centuries, Ireland was never historically one united political entity, instead it was a complex mix of various kingdoms that alternately were at peace and war with each other, fortunes waxing and waning with the passing of time.  There had been at times, a nominal High King of Ireland, to whom other petty Irish kings owed their allegiance and who held sort of a symbolic position but never exercised total control over the whole of Ireland. 

-In 1166 a civil war broke out.  A political coalition lead by then High King of Ireland, Rory O’Connor who was also King of Connacht ousted the King of Leinster Dermot MacMurrough.  Dermot fled to Wales and onto England & France to request Anglo-Norman assistance in his restoration to the throne.  

-Henry II, King of England gave permission for Dermot to use Anglo-Norman soldiers and mercenaries in his program, including an Anglo-Norman noble named Richard de Clare, known to history as Strongbow.  As part of Strongbow’s deal with Dermot, he would get to marry the Irish exile’s daughter in exchange for having his soldiers assist Dermot getting back Leinster.

-1169 saw an army of Anglo-Normans and Welsh mercenaries land in Ireland, touching off the first lasting English presence on the Emerald Isle.  The Anglo-Normans also eventually included Maurice Fitzgerald whose family was to play a role in Ireland’s history.

-The Anglo-Normans with their heavy armor and fierce and capable fighting skills proved too much for the Irish soldiers of the time, taking Wexford, Waterford & Dublin by 1170.  Dermot’s gamble paid off in that he got the High King Rory O’Connor to agree to return Leinster to him in exchange for recognizing O’Connor as High King.

-Strongbow did indeed marry Dermot’s daughter Aoife and after Dermot’s death in 1171, he claimed kingship of Leinster in his wife’s name while her brother also did.  Meanwhile, Henry II of England was growing concerned about the ongoing presence of his nobles in Ireland gaining too much local influence.  

-Strongbow had his lands in England, Wales & France confiscated by the English crown, so a deal was cut with his King.  Strongbow’s lands in all the Anglo-Norman lands in England, Wales & France would be restored, and he could keep his Irish holdings as well in exchange for handing over Wexford, Waterford and Dublin officially to the English crown.  

-Henry landed in Ireland with an army in 1172 to enforce his claim.  He managed to get both the Gaelic kings of southeastern Ireland to pay homage to him and in addition to the Norman nobles who had semi gone rogue in their mercenary adventure.  Strongbow became the first English Chief Justice of Ireland and in time the English kings would take the style of Lord of Ireland.

-The Anglo-Normans in time began to settle and colonize parts of Ireland, gradually expanding into the interior of the country.  Many began to disassociate from their Anglo-Norman roots and take on the Gaelic culture of their adopted country.  Becoming “more Irish than the Irish themselves” as they were famously described.  This impacted Ireland politically and in language, an English presence was now permanent and family names with the prefix Fitz such as Fitzgerald & Fitzpatrick, so associated with Irish culture today came from this Norman naming convention.  These families were originally Anglo-Norman in origin before morphing in Irish families and identities over time.

-As the centuries went by, the English maintained their control but limited their influence on the everyday lives of the Gaelic speaking majority and as stated before, many began to identify as Irish.  The real sea change of Anglo-Irish intercourse next came in the 16th century Plantation system.  This started under the Tudors, specifically Queen Mary though the early attempts to establish English forts were not very successful due to Gaelic resistance.

-The Plantation system was a confiscation of land from the Gaelic speaking Irish, including some of the Old Anglo-Norman Irish, called the Old English.  In their stead came more massive settlement from Great Britain from England & Wales.  This system was ramped up under Queen Elizabeth I in the 1560′s and beyond.

-The plantations divided Ireland into new areas and in the north of Ireland during the 1610′s under James I, first monarch of the Stuart dynasty that ruled both England and Scotland in personal union, the Plantation of Ulster started.  

-Ulster would become an area of particular focus, Irish resistance to English settlement had been very strong here but and it remained outside of English control and under native clans.   

-James I, planned the plantation unite the “British” as no longer just an English venture but also include the Scots, half of the settlers in Ulster (made up of six counties) was to be Scottish in origin.  As the 17th century would progress a real demographic change would take place in Ulster.  Scottish settlers from Scotland’s Lowlands and borderlands with England would leave in droves and along with English settlers from the north of England.  They would very gradually over time replace the native Irish as the majority populace in Ulster.

-The native Irish, who were mostly Roman Catholic begin to be more identified with their religion while the English, Welsh & Scottish settlers from Britain tended to be Protestant usually of the Church of England & Ireland (Anglican) and Scottish Presbyterian denominations.  

-The Irish Rebellion of 1641 was particular divisive and resulted in a moderate Irish victory in which the Irish Catholic Confederation formed and made an attempt to carve out self-rule.  There are reports of the Irish Catholics massacring the British Protestant settlers numbering in a few thousand in Ulster and some revenge attacks by settlers on the Irish in kind. These attacks on the settlers outraged the British and were seared into the memory of the Ulster Protestant community’s cultural memory.

-The rebellion was only a partial success and soon Ireland found itself dragged into the concurrent English Civil War between Parliament and the English Crown.  This became known as the Confederate War in Ireland and it also involved Scotland, becoming the War of the Three Kingdoms (England, Scotland & Ireland) since all had the English king as their respective king.

-Initially, Royalist and Parliamentary sentiment in both England & Scotland was inclined to crush the Irish rebels but their own tensions broiled over into civil war in England which eventually saw the execution of King Charles I and the establishment of Parliamentary control headed by the English Parliamentarian and devout Puritan, Oliver Cromwell who became Lord Protector of England, Scotland & Ireland, collectively known as the Commonwealth.  

-Politics making for strange bedfellows lead to an unlikely alliance between the English Royalists and the Irish Confederates.  In exchange for their help against the English Parliament, the Irish Confederates would be promised self-government and full equal rights for Catholics.  

-Cromwell and Parliament invaded Ireland in 1649 to rid themselves first and foremost the threat of the Stuart heir Charles II who was declared King of Ireland.  The hope was to shatter Royalist and Confederate strength before it could use Ireland as a staging ground to invade England.  Secondly, it was to break up Catholic power which the largely Puritan and other Protestant members of Parliament saw as heresy and threat to their own power. In effect it would avenge the massacres and reverse the losses in 1641.

-From 1649-1653 Cromwell’s forces successfully defeated the Irish Confederates and Royalist troops in Ireland.  The garrison of Irish Confederates and English Royalists at Drogheda was killed along with much the population but Cromwell’s troops and like the Anglo-Normans centuries earlier, Wexford & Waterford were likewise taken in succession.  Disease and famine exacerbated the losses among the Irish population during this time with estimates varying in a 15-83 percent drop in the overall Irish population, though exact figures are hard to come by.  

-Realizing the war in Ireland was a lost cause, Charles II forsook his father’s earlier alliance with the Confederates and left them to their fate.  He instead made an alliance with Scottish Covenanters who would aid the Royalist cause in recognition of Presbyterian rights in Scotland.  They would invade England but likewise be defeated by the Parliamentary forces in 1651 & 1652.  This resulted in Parliament’s control over all three lands for the next decade.  

-In Ireland, in particular in Ulster the war and its side effects of famine & disease along with imprisonment of native Irish bound for indentured servitude in England and its colonies in the Americas contributed to a shifting of politics and population to the Protestants.

-Though Protestants remained a minority in Ireland, they began to assume a majority in parts of Ulster.  This again consisted of English and Scots settlers.

-After Cromwell’s death and the collapse of the Commonwealth, Charles II was allowed to return to throne of England, Scotland & Ireland in exchange for limitations from Parliament.  He reigned from 1660-1685 and during this time he alternated with in his relations with Parliament.  He supposedly would become lenient in the Penal Laws enacted against Catholics which impacted Ireland.  Then Charles would rescind his policy in favor of improved relations with Parliament, the same was true of his religious policy being seen by the Protestant Parliament as too tolerant of Catholic practices which they saw as idolatry.  Ultimately, on his death bed, Charles converted to Catholicism from Anglicanism.  He was succeeded by his brother James II.

-James II like his brother towed the line between support for Catholicism and official Anglicanism.  His daughters Mary and Anne however had been raised as devout Protestants in support of the Anglicanism.  In time, James married Italian princess Mary of Modena and would convert to Catholicism, giving rise to concerns among Protestants that a Catholic heir would be born to the king and a resumption of Catholic rule at the expense of Protestants would take place.  

-This concern was especially poignant in Ireland, given the tensions & atrocities of the recent decades.  In 1688 on invitation to replace James II was sent by Protestant nobles in Britain to William, Prince of Orange & Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic who was nephew of James II & son in law by marriage to his cousin and James’ daughter Mary.  William led an army of Dutch troops and in the so-called Glorious Revolution he landed in England deposed his uncle-father -in-law.

-Mary and William were called to jointly rule England, Scotland & Ireland jointly as Mary II & William III.  They promised to uphold Protestantism and ensure its supremacy over Catholicism.  James II retreated to the court of his cousin Louis XIV of France, Europe’s leading power of the age.  Louis was a major opponent of William and a major reason for his invasion of England was to bring it on side with the Dutch Republic to contain French power on the continent.

-With William & Mary: England, Scotland & Ireland were in personal union with the Dutch Republic, but this was not universally accepted.  James looked to restore his throne from his daughter and son-in-law.  He needed French backing and also turned to Irish Catholics like his brother and father had earlier.  The motivations for the Irish Catholics were his promises of granting political rights in exchange for recognition and restoration of his rule.  His supporters became known as Jacobites, taken from the Latin for James which is Jacobus.

-In Ireland, war (Williamite War in Ireland 1689-1691) would soon break out with Irish Jacobites and French troops looking to take over key cities in Ireland and in particular Ulster which was now 50% Protestant even though roughly 25% of Ireland’s population was Protestant at most. Ulster had solidified Protestant settlement in the wake of Cromwell’s success decades before.  More English and Scottish settlers had come, additionally, local Irish converts to Protestant alongside religious and political Protestant refugees from France, Germany and later the Dutch Republic also joined in part to escape the wars with Catholic France.  The majority of these Ulster Protestant settlers however were Scottish and Scottish culture and Presbyterian religion predominated.  In time the Scots, English, French, German & Dutch Protestants would congeal into a community known as Ulster Scots or Ulster Protestants, this community would also become known particularly in America where many later emigrated as Scots Irish.

-Jacobite forces began to skirmish with Ulster Protestant militias at Enniskillen & most famously Derry/Londonderry.  The Siege of Derry in summer of 1689 was particularly desperate for the Protestant defenders, they gave the political rallying cry of “No Surrender”, still used by Northern Irish Unionists today.  Thousands of Derry Protestants died due to disease and starvation during the French-Jacobite siege, but Derry’s now famous stone walls proved too stout to overcome.  Eventually, a Protestant relief naval force from England arrived and broke the siege in later summer 1689.

-1690 saw William himself land in Belfast with a relief force meant to confront James and take Ireland into his full control.  The force was a mix of English, Welsh & Scot regulars alongside Dutch regulars, French Huguenot & Danish auxiliaries. Also joining were the militia regiments of Ulster Protestants from Derry and Enniskillen who James held in high regard relative to his English and Scottish regulars.  They defeated James at the Battle of the Boyne.  James fled back to France while William returned to England.  His armies mopped up the Jacobites by 1691 and the peace was tenuously restored by the Treaty of Limerick.  Though tensions obviously remained.  As the 18th century and the Protestant Ascendancy in Ireland dawned, more changes and events would impact Northern Irish history...

[flo-nelja]

Derry Girls by Lisa McGee

For this femslash february, I will do recs of female-centered stories with canon wlw!

Length: TV show, for now two seasons, each one 6 episodes of 24 minutes. It's shorter than it seems :-D Happy ending or not? Not finished! Given the tone, I assume so. It's a sitcom. Is there other representation? Not a lot, but Sister Michael, the school headmaster, is fat and a very good character. Warnings? It happens in the 90s in Northern Ireland, so there is frequent talk of terrorism. What about the plot? A group of friends (Erin, her cousin Orla, her friends Michelle and Clare, and Michelle's English cousin James) try to make the best of their teenage life in their Catholic high school. Despite the Troubles in 90s Ireland, and sometimes annoying family. (James goes to a girls' high school because he's English, and everyone would beat him up if he went to the boys' high school. It's admitted by everyone as a fact of life) How good it is? It's very good. The teenagers are and think like real teenagers, the humor is incredibly funny, the soundtrack is nice (given the setting they use the Cranberries all the time and I'm glad about it). I really like how the mix of ordinary life and dark political background is used. You can tell the writer is Irish and was here. There's just a bit of second-hand embarrassment in a few episodes. Especially the ones with Father Peter.

Who is the wlw? (spoilers for the ending of s1)

There's no romance (for now at least), it's only about identity, which is not obvious, in such a catholic country. Also, once she's out, in s2, the other characters starts to wear rainbow badges and it's cute.

[whateverbringsyouthroughthenight]

St Brigid’s Well, Co Clare, Ireland

Amazing. This pic shows only a tiny detail. Goes way way back to Pagan times of course. 

[hedgewitchgarden]

St Gobnait

This Irish Saint also goes by the name of St Abigail (“gives joy”) or St Deborah (“honey bee”) and celebrates her Feast Day on February 11th. She was born around the 6th Century in County Clare, Ireland but ran away from home due to family problems. After she spent some time on Inis Oirr in the Aran Island, an Angel appeared to her urging her to journey inland to a place where nine white deer could be found–there she was to live out the rest of her life. Eventually, St Gobnait found her deer and settled in Ballyvourney, County Cork (which is now known as St Gobnet’s Wood). There, accompanied by her brother St Abban, she built a convent and spent her life leading a group of religious women, tending to the sick, and keeping bees. She is also credited with saving her people from the plague.

According to Irish symbolism, the souls of the dead escape the earthly body as butterflies or bees so it is no wonder that St Gobnait found such significance in Honey Bees. As a healer, she also used honey to treat the sick and tend their wounds. Legend also has it that she urged her Bees to protect Ballyvourney from a brigand by sending an angry swarm after him. With such powerful form of persuasion, he was forced to return stolen cattle and run for his life.

In addition to being a Patroness of Beekeeping (and fertility), she was originally also a Patron of Ironworkers.

[primordialsoundmeditation]

The way you look at things is not simply a private matter. Your outlook actually and concretely affects what goes on. When you give in to helplessness, you collude with despair and add to it. When you take back your power and choose to see the possibilities for healing and transformation, your creativity awakens and flows to become an active force of renewal and encouragement in the world. In this way, even in your own hidden life, you can become a powerful agent of transformation in a broken, darkened world. There is a huge force field that opens when intention focuses and directs itself toward transformation.

JOHN O'DONOHUE

Excerpt from his books, Benedictus (Europe) / To Bless the Space Between Us (US)

Ordering Info: https://johnodonohue.com/store

Lahinch, Co Clare, Ireland

Photo: © Ann Cahill

#johnodonohue #johnodonohuequote

[wolfpawn]

I Hate You, I Love You, Chapter 152

Chapter Summary - Danielle says goodbye to her grandmother and Tom learns more about her from the experience

Previous Chapter

Rating - Mature (some chapters contain smut)

Triggers - references to Tom Hiddleston’s work with the #MeToo Movement. That chapter will be tagged accordingly.

authors Note - I have been working on this for the last 3 years, it is currently 180+ chapters long.  This will be updated daily, so long as I can get time to do so, obviously.

A concertina is like a small accordion.

The Willie Clancy is a huge deal in Irish traditional music and takes place every year in Miltown Malbay, Co Clare.

Bangor is in County Down and contrary to the belief that the Troubles are based solely on religion, they are far more complex than that and are more predominantly based on political beliefs, those who see themselves as part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Unionists) and those who see themselves as Irish (Nationalists). Bangor is 72%, Unionist.

The Falls (in Belfast) and the Bogside (Armagh) are staunchly Nationalist, and I mean 100% nationalist. You would not be harmed these days going to them if you are British or Unionist, you would just not feel in any way welcome.

The Parting Glass, as explained, is a traditional song recently covered by Ed Sheeran.

As an Irish person in Britain, I have to say I have experienced some acts of racism, but I live in a depressed town with high unemployment and little understanding, so it is par for the course.

As D-day for Brexit approaches, a "no deal" scenario keeps cropping up and with no idea what that means for non-national people in Britain, fears like those Danielle references are becoming more worrisome.

Copyright for the photo is the owners, not mine. All image rights belong to their owners

tags: @sweetkingdomstarlight-blog @jessibelle-nerdy-mum @nonsensicalobsessions @damalseer @hiddlesbitch1 @winterisakiller @fairlightswiftly @salempoe @wolfsmom1 @black-ninja-blade

Tom sighed and rubbed his hand over his face. He inhaled deeply and looked at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. He was tired but he knew he had to be there for Danielle who was far more tired than he was.

Danielle had flown back from the US from an important meeting with the rest of the Safeguard group and had gone for a shower when her phone rang. Seeing it was an Irish number, Tom answered in case it was important. He took in everything the woman on the phone said on him revealing after that Danielle was in the shower. When she came back downstairs, slightly tired but in good humour, she noted Tom's face immediately and waited worriedly for him to tell her what was to be worried about.

“Tom?”

“When you were in the shower, a hospital called. It's your grandmother.”

That led to them being in the city of Cork where Danielle and a few of her family were waiting for the inevitable. There was little hope for Sheila, she was very much deteriorating in health.

Danielle was exhausted but she continued to be there for whatever member of her mother's family needed her. Tom tried to help but to be honest, there was little he understood of what her aunts said with their strong accents and their tendency to use Irish thrown in a lot of the time.

“Elle, love, you need to get some sleep.” Tom urged, seeing Danielle lean back against the wall, clearly exhausted.

“I will, in a bit.” She sighed.

“Elle, you have not even eaten today.”

“I am fine.”

“You need to eat. I am going to be the stubborn partner and insist you get something to eat.” He smiled.

Danielle huffed a small laugh. “Yes, boss.” She pushed off from the wall to go to the shopping centre across the road to get something to eat when a beeping came from the intensive care unit and a crash team rushed through the halls. Danielle looked at her aunt who walked out of the room looking worried. “She…Danielle, what's this?”

Danielle looked at the paper in her hand. “It's a DNR, a 'do not resuscitate' form. it translates as to leave her to pass away rather than prolong the situation really.” She explained. "It means when she goes downhill, just to make sure she is comfortable and allow her to go peacefully."

Her cousin, a nurse at the hospital walked over to her mother. “Mam…it's really for the best.”

Danielle's aunt inhaled deeply before nodding her head. “Okay.” As the eldest, she had the greatest say, so she signed the page.

Danielle gave a slight nod in agreement with the decision before going to her aunt. “We are just going to get something in the shop, do you need anything?” She smiled.

“You're grand, Danielle, Pet. We'll call you if anything changes.” Her aunt gave a tired smile. “Have you even had some time away from here?”

“Plenty of time for that at a later date. If it's alright, I may go back to the hotel for a shower.”

“Alright, we'll see you later so.” Catherine stated before going to find a doctor to give the form to.

Danielle could barely recall the journey back to the hotel and crashed as soon as she hit the bed. Tom ordered some food and urged her to eat after a while. With a shower to attempt to wake her again, Danielle ate and made her way back to the hospital, deciding to walk the short distance in the nice weather, Tom, who felt she needed more rest walking beside her.

“Are you okay?” He asked as they walked.

“Yeah, I mean, I'm not stupid. She's been going downhill for a while, I just... it's sad. I don't really know my Mam's side of the family so with Nan about to leave us, I feel like I have even less of a tie to home now.” She explained. “I suppose in one respect it's okay because I am building my life in England, but…”

“Home is home.” Tom added. “A lot of actors have left Britain and indeed Ireland and other countries to go to the States for work and they say it too. You build a life elsewhere, but you are from where you're from and holding onto home is a big thing. I feel it when I am away but it's the reason I love living in London, I am from England and I am fortunate enough to live there.”

“Do you remember when we met Lucas for lunch and he asked about Brexit?” Tom nodded that yes, he recalled such. “Do you ever think about it? I mean, I get occasional racist comments about being Irish, if they get worse or if the government decide to fuck out all non-nationals, I am not sure where that leaves anything.”

“Is that why you have not been willing to go look at houses recently?” Tom asked, noting of late that Danielle was not the least bit interested in continuing their house hunt.

“Well, it's scary investing in a second home there if all that is going to happen is I will be forced to sell soon.”

“You're in England with nearly a decade, I cannot see this going that badly, but if it does, you're so long in Britain, you could not possibly be forced to leave.”

“It's just worrying. I want us to know that if we do this together, it is not going to be a waste of our time. I want whatever we get to be the house we want, the one we still love in a decade.” She looked at him and smiled.

Tom smiled back at her and took her hand in his before kissing it. When he went to leave go again, she gently tightened her grip, telling him she wanted to keep the contact. Both enjoying the anonymity of the city none would expect to see them in.

*

It was the next day when the DNR form Catherine signed became relevant. After a goodbye and a kiss on the cheek to her grandmother, Danielle said goodbye to Sheila for the last time. She stood stoically next to Tom as the doctors walked out of the ICU with Catherine and Margaret, another of Danielle's aunts and gave their condolences to the family. Tom stayed beside Danielle, letting her know he was there for her. He had sadly lost his grandparents, so he knew the sensation, but the words she said on the road from the hotel resonated with him, she was losing her ties to Ireland and in many respects, Tom felt saddened for her, for very obvious reasons but part of him also hoped that Brexit would not chase her way as it was doing other Irish people.

The funeral was small, they went to West Cork to the small parish that her grandmother was from for the funeral, which he noticed was all done in Irish, Danielle reading a piece from the altar for part of it, Tom fascinated by the manner in which she spoke, her voice sounding entirely different in Irish. The whole affair was quiet, until after the meal in the hotel close by, after that, he was slightly startled by the show of music that took place. He looked to Danielle for an explanation.

“Nan was mad into music, so naturally, we remember her this way.” She smiled sadly.

“What's that little accordion?” He pointed to the instrument he had seen a few occasions before in lock-ins but did not know the name of.

“A concertina.”

“How old is that girl?” He asked in shock at the young child playing the instrument diligently.

“She is nine, she's been reared with music in the house and been taking lessons since she was four, her father is a huge trad man, goes to the Willie Clancy in Clare every year.” Tom gave her a confused look. “It's a trad festival, a week-long, with trad groups from all over Ireland go and just play together in one town in Clare, it's a big deal.” She smiled. “Mam would make sure we were there every year without fail, it was one way to guarantee she'd see her lot for a few days, Dad would just be happy in a corner with his whiskey and a good song.”

Tom smiled at the fondness Danielle had for her old family occasions. She clearly spent time with her cousins as a child as he had his, but again, the words she had regarding not having much by way of family ties to Ireland came to him.

For the most part of the evening, they sat in a corner, listening to the music and occasionally talking to family or old friends of her grandmother and grandfather that recognised “Bridget's girl”. Many got curious as to the English fellow she had and more than one checked was there Scottish in him, to Tom's surprise, that seemed acceptable to the majority of them and apparently negated a lot of his English-ness.

One man made it very clear he was less than fond of Sheila and Daniel O'Brien's granddaughter being with a British man. But Catherine shooed him off and informed him Sheila had met and adored Tom, talking fondly of the lovely man her Danielle had brought over to meet her from England, informing one and all Sheila's thoughts of him. It was the only time Tom really felt a moment of uncertainty and a tad unwelcome in the whole situation, he wondered if Danielle ever felt similar; the manner in which she rubbed his hand when Catherine defended him made him think it was something she knew something of.

When the evening turned to night and the celebration of the life of Sheila began to come to a close, Tom was startled when the final song was requested of Danielle, who to his utter shock, sung a song he had heard before but listening to the words, he realised were sadly poignant to the saying of goodbyes.

They were staying in the hotel the afters of the funeral were in, so with goodbyes to her family, he and Danielle went upstairs to their room. Inside, Danielle sighed and took off the clothes she had borrowed from a cousin for the funeral. Tom had hired a suit from a tailor not too far away, so he tidied it into the wardrobe for the night for them to return before their flight the next day.

“I am sorry about Sean Daly.”

“Who?”

“The fella that was not quiet of his dislike of Brits.”

“I was in Bangor for a while, I think it is safe to say, I have been in more hostile company.”

Danielle laughed. “Tom, Love, I hate to break it to you, but Bangor is fairly Unionist and Protestant, so you were under little to no threat there. If you said it was the Falls or the Bogside, I'd sympathise, but Bangor is fairly safe. So is Cork, but still. I know it's never pleasant to have people be so averse to you for no reason. I know I joke and comment on the whole Irish and British thing, but still, it's not nice when people say so aggressively.”

“Do you get it often?” Tom asked curiously.

“Not in London, it is more tolerant and multicultural but on some sets in more remote areas, comments occur, yes.”

Tom said nothing for a short time before getting into the bed, Danielle quickly following after and curling up against him. “Elle?”

“Mmhmm?”

“I didn't know you could sing.”

“I'd hardly call it singing.”

“But what was that tonight?”

“Mam and Nan loved me singing that song as a child and there is no way you decline a wish of the deceased. I sang it at Mam and Dad's funerals and she told me to sing it at hers, I couldn't decline.” She explained.

“Well, I have to say, I am somewhat startled, I never knew it. What is that song?”

“The Parting Glass, an old folk song, made more famous by being in an Assassin's Creed game and I am fairly sure Ed Sheeran covered it.”

“You sound different when you speak Irish and sing, your accent is stronger.”

“You're making me self conscious now.” She admonished before toying with some of his chest hair. “Thank you, Tom. For being here for all of this.”

Tom frowned at her. “Elle, I would be nowhere else, you silly woman.” He dismissed. “I am here for you Elle, no matter what.” He kissed her head. “I love you.” She just continued to lean against him and say nothing as she processed the act of burying her grandmother, a woman she always loved dearly and admired.

[kmalexander]

My Reading List for 2020

It’s no secret 2020 has been a challenging year. While upon reflection, I found it to be surprisingly full, like many of us, I still spent the majority of my time at home. One benefit of our new socially-distant stay-at-home culture was the amount of reading I managed to accomplish. Just like previous years, I’ve compiled a list of the books I’ve read over the last three hundred and sixty-six days, and as always, I want to share them with everyone.

This year was hit-or-miss for me reading-wise. There were books I loved and many books I ended up loathing. I found books I know I will re-read and proselytize, but they were often mirrored by other books I hate-read. I also found myself reading a few histories for pleasure, not something I normally do, and I dipped into science fiction much more than in previous years. Audiobooks (

) used to be the mainstay of my daily commute, and this year they became the soundtrack to housework. Not a bad tradeoff. Oh, and as always, I beta-read a couple of great books, and I’m excited to see where those go in the future.

This list correlates with my Goodreads 2020 Reading Challenge, but it always includes a few extra since Goodreads doesn’t let me count beta reading, and I don’t list comics or short stories or poetry (new this year!) over there. Remember, this is all strictly reading for pleasure—I typically forgo listing any research/history books I’ve read for a project as I read those differently than I do fiction. This list is always enormous, so l skip reviews except for my favorites in each category. However, I’d invite you to follow me on Goodreads, where I occasionally leave other reviews.

New for this year: with a few exceptions, most links now go to IndieBound instead of Amazon—2020 has been rough on small businesses, and now more than ever, be sure to support your local bookstore. When possible, I am now linking to each author’s personal website—if you’re on the list and I didn’t find your website, please let me know about it. (I won’t link to social media, sorry.)

Novels & Novellas

Trail of Lightning (The Sixth World #1) by Rebecca Roanhorse

Gideon the Ninth (The Locked Tomb #1) by Tamsyn Muir

City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1) by Cassandra Clare

Prosper’s Demon by K.J. Parker

The Crimson Campaign (The Powder Mage Trilogy #2)

by Brian McClellan

Jade War (Green Bone Saga #2) by Fonda Lee

Artificial Condition (The Murderbot Diaries #2) by Martha Wells

Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland

by Patrick Radden Keefe

The Field of Blood: Violence in Congress and the Road to Civil War

by Joanne B. Freeman

They Mostly Come Out at Night (Yarnsworld, #1) (Link goes to Amazon) by Benedict Patrick

Frank on a Gun-Boat by Harry Castlemon

A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay

On Basilisk Station (Honor Harrington, #1) by David Weber

The Reign of the Kingfisher

by T.J. Martinson

RADIO by J. Rushing

Neuromancer (Sprawl, #1) by William Gibson

The Fireman

by Joe Hill

The Cipher by Kathe Koja

The Mist by Stephen King

Control Point (Shadow Ops #1) by Myke Cole

Blood Standard (Isaiah Coleridge #1) by Laird Barron

City of Miracles (The Divine Cities #3) by Robert Jackson Bennett

The Iron Ship (The Gates of the World #1) by K.M. McKinley

Vita Nostra (Metamorphosis Cycle #1)

by Sergey & Marina Dyachenko

Thieftaker (The Thieftaker Chronicles #1) by D. B. Jackson

BETA READING (Literature) by REDACTED

Circe by Madeline Miller

Terrier (The Legend of Beka Cooper #1) by Tamora Pierce

Red Storm Rising 

…. again. by Tom Clancy

The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

Clutter: An Untidy History by Jennifer Howard

The Half Killed by Quenby Olson

The Toll by Cherie Priest

Jurassic Park …again. by Michael Crichton

Seveneves  

by Neil Stephenson

Night of the Mannequins by Stephen Graham Jones

In the Valley of the Sun by Andy Davidson

Foundation (Foundation #1) by Issac Asimov

Consider Phlebas (Culture #1)

by Iain M. Banks

BETA READING (Historical Horror) by REDACTED

The Worm and His Kings by Hailey Piper

Wake of Vultures by Lila Bowen

Metro 2033

by Dmitry Glukhovsky

Favorite Novel of 2020

In the Valley of the Sun

by Andy Davidson

This sun-baked vampire horror set in Texas unexpectedly became a new favorite. A surprisingly tense, character-focused narrative. Brutal. Anguished. Tormented. Bloody. Lyrical in ways that remind me of Cormac McCarthy without the weight. It’s not shy of confronting the cracked ugliness of humanity and finding the beauty between the fissures. Davidson is an incredible writer, and I immediately purchased his more recent novel after finishing In the Valley of the Sun. We need more horror like this.

Favorite Novel Runners-up of 2020

RADIO

by J. Rushing

A jazz-infused, opium-soaked, historical fantasy that explodes from the opening chapter and never relents until its final pages. A thoroughly fresh debut that’s unlike anything I’ve read before. Rushing brings his unique, well-researched world of 1920s Paris to life with a captivating voice. Don’t expect a saccharine overly-romantic version of Paris; this is a stained, broken, and bloody place—a welcome addition to modern fantasy literature. Jim’s a friend of mine, so be sure to read my interview with him.

City of Miracles

by Robert Jackson Bennett

In recent years, the Divine Cities have become one of my favorite urban fantasy series, mostly for its fresh approach to the genre, atypical characters, and serious exploration of themes oft-ignored within mainstream fantasy. With City of Miracles, Bennett wrapped up the trilogy with a heartbreaking yet thoroughly satisfying ending. This story is a bit tighter and more focused than the previous two while wrapping up various loose ends rather nicely. It’s rare to find a final book in a series that resonates with me as much as City of Miracles did—it’s easily my favorite book in the trilogy.

 Honorable Mentions of 2020

I started doing Honorable Mentions in 2018 so I could highlight some of the other standout novels from my year of reading. Below you’ll find many more excellent books, I’ve listed them in order of reading.

Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse A unique southwestern approach to post-apocalyptic urban fantasy.

Prosper’s Demon by K. J. Parker A subversive fantasy with a fresh voice and plenty of twists. Nice quick read.

The Crimson Campaign by Brian McClellan An excellent sequel, one of the best examples of massive and complex military operations in fantasy.

The Field of Blood by Joanne B. Freeman Phenomenal nonfiction detailing the history of violence in Congress leading up to the U.S. Civil War.

The Cipher by Kathe Koja Deeply unsettling transgressive horror that felt far too familiar. Visceral and enthralling.

Blood Standard by Laird Barron A dark crime/P.I. novel with a heart and a sense of humor. I will be reading more in this series.

The Iron Ship by K.M. McKinley Thoroughly fresh fantasy—huge world, great characters, interesting plot, unique setting. Nearly made my runner up list.

The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones Disturbing modern horror built around the experiences of first-nation people and the rural poor.

Clutter: An Untidy History by Jennifer Howard The history of stuff told from an all-too-relatable personal experience. Ended up buying a few copies for my family.

Seveneves by Neil Stephenson The moon is destroyed, and humanity only has a short amount of time to survive.

The Worm and His Kings by Hailey Piper Unique cosmic horror that explores gender identity, relationships, and poverty with a fresh perspective.

Short Stories

An Inhabitant of Carcosa …again. by Ambrose Bierce

And Now His Lordship is Laughing by Shiv Ramdas

How the Trick is Done by A.C. Wise

The Yellow Sign …again. by Robert W. Chambers

Ten Excerpts from an Annotated Bibliography on the Cannibal Women of Ratnabar Island by Nibedita Sen

Give the Family My Love by A. T. Greenblatt

The Dead, In Their Uncontrollable Power by Karen Osborne

The Masque of the Red Death …again. by Edgar Allen Poe

The Repairer of Reputations …again. by Robert W. Chambers

Paper Menagerie by Ken Liu

Seasons of Glass and Iron by Amal El-Mohtar

Tideline by Elizabeth Bear

Favorite Short Stories of 2020

The Dead, In Their Uncontrollable Power

by Karen Osborne

Generation ship! Class struggle! Religious ritual! Rebellion! Murder! Control! The complexity told within this genre-mashup was astounding. Such a rich world crafted in a way that feels effortless while maintaining a rich narrative was impressive. It’s no secret I’m drawn to stories that are hard to pigeon-hole into a specific genre, and that is fully represented here. Well worth a read.

 Favorite Short Story Runners-up

Paper Menagerie

by Ken Liu

This heartbreaking story about magical origami, cultural identity, and family was the first piece of fiction to win a Hugo, a Nebula, and a World Fantasy Award. And after reading it, it was easy to see why. Touching and reflective. A masterwork of speculative short fiction.

 Graphic Novels

Preacher: Book One by Garth Ennis (Author) & Steve Dillon (Artist)

Saga, Vol. 8 by Brian K. Vaughan (Author) & Fiona Staples (Artist)

Preacher: Book Two by Garth Ennis (Author) & Steve Dillon (Artist)

Once & Future, Vol. 1 by Kieron Gillen (Author), Tamra Bonvillain (Artist), & Dan Mora (Artist)

American Vampire, Vol. 2 by Scott Snyder (Author) & Rafael Albuquerque (Artist)

Paper Girls, Vol. 2 by Brian K. Vaughan (Author), Cliff Chiang (Artist)

Preacher: Book Three by Garth Ennis (Author) & Steve Dillon (Artist)

Die, Vol. 2 by Kieron Gillen (Author) & Stephanie Hans (Artist)

 Favorite Graphic Novel of 2020:

Preacher: Book One

by Garth Ennis (Author) & Steve Dillon (Artist)

I didn’t expect to like Preacher. I bounced off the series hard when I was younger, writing off Ennis as a “blasphemous shock jock” and nothing more. But revisiting it as a middle-aged adult revealed a different sort of comic. The offensive transgressive material is still there, but beneath it is something much more—a book with more heart and humanity than one would be able to judge by its surface and laced with merciless satire that still rings relevant twenty-five years later.

 Favorite Graphic Novel Runner-up of 2020:

Paper Girls, Volume 2

by Brian K. Vaughan (Author), Cliff Chiang (Artist)

Volume 1 nearly made my runner-up list last year. On the surface, it’s a time-jumping story about a group of friends caught in the middle of a future war. But beneath those sci-fi trappings, there is so much more here. It’s a book about being a kid and the expectations therein, complications with friendship, and the complexities of growing up. The characters are fantastic, and the story moves along at a clip, making it impossible to put the trade down. I’m ready for volume 3.

 Poems

So this year, I’m including some of the poems I read in 2020. I hinted at doing this last year. But this is really a trial run. In reality, I read more poems than listed below, but I didn’t do an outstanding job keeping track of them. Because this is the first time for poetry on this list, I’m going to skip picking a favorite. Hopefully, I’ll be back on track next year.

Small Kindnesses by Danusha Laméris

The Peace of Wild Things by Wendel Berry

Beneath the Sweater and the Skin by Jeannette Encinias

The Woods by Melanie Batista

I Confess by Alison Luterman

The Waste Land …again. by T. S. Eliot

Near a Raven by Mike Keith

Insha’Allah by Danusha Laméris

We Lived Happily During the War …again. by Ilya Kaminsky

Christmas Greetings to Felis …again by H. P. Lovecraft …again.

Passing Solstice by Ken Hada

Winter Solstice by Hilda Morley

Childhood Memory from the Old Victorian House on Warner by Beth Cato

Raw With Love by Charles Bukowski

So that’s my reading list for 2020. It’s been an interesting year in reading for me. As promised, we now have a poetry section, and I hope to expand that in the future. There are some great poems there, so be sure to explore them further. Despite my ups and downs, I’m overall quite happy with the books, stories, graphic novels, and poetry I read over the last twelve months. They were excellent distractions from the chaos of the year, and it was refreshing to lose myself in other worlds. 2020 will be behind us soon, and I am looking forward to the worlds I’ll discover in 2021.

How about you? What were the standout books, graphic novels, short stories, or poems you read this year? I’d love to hear about it. Leave a comment and let me know!

Are you looking for a good book? Want to see my reading lists from previous years? Check any of the links below and see what I was reading in the bygone days of old.

• 2013 • 2014 • 2015 • 2016 • 2017 • 2018 • 2019 •

Next year, why not join me? Goodreads does a reading challenge every year, and I am an active participant. First, follow me on Goodreads (leave me a review while you’re there), and once the New Year arrives, participate in the Goodreads Reading Challenge for 2020.

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The way this is phrased really makes it sound like Yeats's corpse is the pokestop