#irish guards 15

[princesscatherinemiddleton]

The Princess of Wales Winter 2024 Photo Challenge!

Day Two: Favourite photo(s) of Catherine on St Patrick’s Day/St David’s Day/St Andrew’s Day

The last St Andrew's day activity that was St Andrew's day related being in 2012 while she has 47 thousand photos available to show her celebrating St Patrick's day... something something

[vox-anglosphere]

Formal rehearsal for Trooping the Colour with added canine charm.

8th June 2024. According to the British Army's X post today, "More than 1,200 soldiers took part, together with 242 horses and an enormous dog."

They were taking part in the Colonel's Review, the final rehearsal of next week's Trooping The Colour.

The enormous dog is my friend Seamus, officially named Turlough Mor, mascot of the Irish Guards.

Do not panic Seamus... I will be there next Saturday!

[theplotmage]

50 Supernatural Entities to Haunt Your Halloween Night for Paranormal Fantasy Writers:

1. Vampire

Description: Blood-drinking creatures of the night.

What They Do: Feed on the blood of the living, sometimes charming their victims first.

Appearance: Pale skin, sharp fangs, often dressed in dark, old-fashioned clothing.

2. Werewolf

Description: Human by day, wolf-like beast by full moon.

What They Do: Transform into violent wolves and hunt at night.

Appearance: Muscular, covered in fur, with fangs and claws; halfway between wolf and human.

3. Ghost

Description: Spirit of a deceased person.

What They Do: Haunt places they have ties to, usually in a restless state.

Appearance: Translucent, often resembling the person they were in life.

4. Banshee

Description: A female spirit who forewarns of death.

What They Do: Wails loudly to signal someone’s impending death.

Appearance: Gaunt, with long hair and wearing white or gray robes.

5. Poltergeist

Description: Mischievous, noisy spirit.

What They Do: Throws objects, slams doors, and causes disturbances.

Appearance: Invisible but known for chaotic energy and moving objects.

6. Revenant

Description: Corpse risen from the grave for vengeance.

What They Do: Seeks revenge on those who wronged them in life.

Appearance: Decayed and skeletal, with tattered clothing.

7. Wendigo

Description: Cursed, cannibalistic spirit.

What They Do: Feeds on human flesh and spreads madness.

Appearance: Tall, emaciated with antlers and pale, cold skin.

8. Zombie

Description: Reanimated corpse, often mindless.

What They Do: Wander in search of living flesh to consume.

Appearance: Rotting, decayed, with vacant eyes.

9. Ghoul

Description: Creature that feeds on the dead.

What They Do: Raids cemeteries, feasting on corpses.

Appearance: Grayish, decayed, with sharp claws and teeth.

10. Shadow Person

Description: Mysterious dark figure, often seen in peripheral vision.

What They Do: Follows or observes humans, inducing fear.

Appearance: Tall, dark silhouette without detailed features.

11. Lich

Description: Undead sorcerer who achieved immortality.

What They Do: Uses dark magic to control other undead beings.

Appearance: Skeletal, with tattered robes and glowing eyes.

12. Mummy

Description: Reanimated, embalmed corpse from ancient tombs.

What They Do: Seeks vengeance or protects their treasures.

Appearance: Wrapped in bandages, often missing pieces.

13. Grim Reaper

Description: Personification of death.

What They Do: Collects souls of the deceased.

Appearance: Hooded figure in a black robe, carrying a scythe.

14. Succubus

Description: Female demon that seduces men.

What They Do: Drains life energy through intimate encounters.

Appearance: Attractive, sometimes with bat wings and horns.

15. Incubus

Description: Male counterpart to the succubus.

What They Do: Preys on women, draining their life force.

Appearance: Handsome, often with dark or demonic features.

16. Dullahan

Description: Headless horseman from Irish mythology.

What They Do: Rides a black horse, heralding death.

Appearance: Carries their own head, glowing eyes, wearing dark armor.

17. Necromancer

Description: Sorcerer who commands the dead.

What They Do: Raises and controls undead creatures.

Appearance: Dark robes, carrying a staff or book of spells.

18. Hellhound

Description: Fiery, demonic dog from hell.

What They Do: Guards the underworld, hunts souls.

Appearance: Large black dog with glowing red eyes and flames.

19. Draugr

Description: Undead Norse warrior.

What They Do: Guards treasure and attacks intruders.

Appearance: Bloated, decaying corpse with armor.

20. Chupacabra

Description: Beast that preys on livestock.

What They Do: Drains blood from animals, mainly goats.

Appearance: Reptilian, with spines and sharp teeth.

21. Djinn

Description: Ancient spirit capable of granting wishes, often with a trick.

What They Do: Manipulates wishes to harm the wish-maker.

Appearance: Wispy, ethereal, with sometimes human features.

22. Yurei

Description: Vengeful spirit from Japanese folklore.

What They Do: Haunts those who wronged them in life.

Appearance: Pale, disheveled, with long, dark hair.

23. Headless Horseman

Description: Decapitated rider seeking revenge.

What They Do: Rides at night, often hunting for a head.

Appearance: Headless, in dark clothing, riding a black horse.

24. Gorgon

Description: Snake-haired monster that can turn people to stone.

What They Do: Hunts or curses those who look upon her.

Appearance: Female, with snakes for hair and a terrifying visage.

25. Kraken

Description: Giant sea monster, often attacking ships.

What They Do: Destroys ships, drags sailors underwater.

Appearance: Gigantic, tentacled beast resembling an octopus.

26. Nosferatu

Description: An older, monstrous version of a vampire.

What They Do: Preys on blood, more feral than elegant vampires.

Appearance: Rat-like features, bald, with elongated claws.

27. Shtriga

Description: Witch from Albanian folklore that preys on children.

What They Do: Sucks life energy from young children.

Appearance: Elderly, shriveled, with a long, pointed nose.

28. Jiangshi

Description: Chinese hopping vampire.

What They Do: Drains life force, hopping instead of walking.

Appearance: Rigid, dressed in ancient attire with a pale face.

29. Aswang

Description: Filipino shapeshifting creature.

What They Do: Hunts humans, especially at night.

Appearance: Changes from human to monstrous form with long tongue.

30. Noppera-bo

Description: Japanese faceless ghost.

What They Do: Terrifies people by erasing their face.

Appearance: Normal human but with a blank face.

31. Kitsune

Description: Fox spirit from Japanese folklore.

What They Do: Plays tricks on humans, can possess or enchant.

Appearance: Fox with multiple tails or as a human with fox traits.

32. Rakshasa

Description: Demonic being from Hindu mythology.

What They Do: Devours humans, uses magic to deceive.

Appearance: Animal-like face, often with fangs and claws.

33. Wraith

Description: Malevolent spirit tied to a place of death.

What They Do: Harms those who enter their territory.

Appearance: Shadowy, with skeletal hands and a hooded cloak.

34. Ghast

Description: Larger, more terrifying version of a ghoul.

What They Do: Consumes living and dead flesh.

Appearance: Grayish, skeletal, with sharp teeth.

35. Kappa

Description: Water demon from Japanese folklore.

What They Do: Drowns humans and feeds on them.

Appearance: Humanoid with a beak, webbed hands, and water-filled head.

36. Selkie

Description: Mythical seal creature that transforms into human form.

What They Do: Lives as human on land, as a seal in water.

Appearance: Human with soft features, seal-like in water.

37. Manananggal

Description: Filipino monster that detaches its torso to fly.

What They Do: Feeds on unborn children and blood.

Appearance: Upper body separates and grows wings at night.

38. Gashadokuro

Description: Giant skeletal monster from Japanese folklore.

What They Do: Crushes and devours people.

Appearance: Enormous, skeletal, with fiery eyes.

39. Pontianak

Description: Vengeful female spirit from Malaysian folklore.

What They Do: Attacks men, especially those who wronged her in life.

Appearance: Beautiful, but transforms into a blood-stained, terrifying figure with long nails.

40. Strigoi

Description: Undead creature from Romanian folklore, precursor to modern vampires.

What They Do: Rises from the grave to feed on blood or energy.

Appearance: Gaunt, pale, with sharp teeth, sometimes bearing claw-like nails.

41. Demon

Description: Evil entity from various mythologies.

What They Do: Possesses or torments humans, spreading chaos.

Appearance: Often with horns, red skin, and menacing features, sometimes invisible.

42. La Llorona

Description: “The Weeping Woman” from Mexican folklore.

What They Do: Wanders near bodies of water, crying for her lost children.

Appearance: Pale, drenched in white, with a sorrowful, ghostly presence.

43. Kelpie

Description: Shape-shifting water spirit from Scottish folklore.

What They Do: Lures people, usually children, into water to drown them.

Appearance: Often a beautiful horse, but can appear as human.

44. Dybbuk

Description: Malevolent spirit from Jewish folklore.

What They Do: Possesses living people, usually to fulfill unfinished business.

Appearance: Invisible, but exerts dark energy around the possessed.

45. Hag

Description: Wicked, old woman often associated with witchcraft.

What They Do: Casts curses, manipulates people, sometimes feeds on fear.

Appearance: Elderly, with wrinkled skin, often carrying magical trinkets.

46. Mare

Description: Spirit that causes nightmares.

What They Do: Sits on the chests of sleeping people, creating disturbing dreams.

Appearance: Shadowy, mist-like figure, sometimes with a vague human shape.

47. Fenrir

Description: Gigantic, mythical wolf from Norse mythology.

What They Do: Destined to bring about Ragnarok, devouring gods.

Appearance: Massive, fierce wolf with powerful jaws.

48. Tengu

Description: Supernatural creatures from Japanese folklore, part bird and part human.

What They Do: Mischievous or malevolent; protect forests and mountains.

Appearance: Humanoid with bird wings, red face, and often a long nose.

49. Doppelganger

Description: An exact double or duplicate of a living person.

What They Do: Appears to forewarn misfortune or even bring harm.

Appearance: Identical to a specific person, but with an eerie, lifeless presence.

50. Nightmare Horse

Description: Fiery, demonic horse that haunts dreams and the night.

What They Do: Gallops through night skies, bringing fear to those who see it.

Appearance: Black horse with glowing red eyes and flaming mane and hooves.

[thepastisalreadywritten]

Trooping The Colour 2024

Prince William, Colonel of the Welsh Guards, rides down The Mall on horseback after attending Trooping the Colour on 15 June 2024 in London, England.

Trooping the Colour, also known as The King's Birthday Parade, is a military ceremony to mark the official birthday of the British Sovereign.

The ceremony takes place at Horse Guards Parade followed by a flypast over Buckingham Palace and was first performed in the mid-17th century during the reign of King Charles II.

The parade features all seven regiments of the Household Division with Number 9 Company, Irish Guards being the regiment this year having their Colour Trooped.

📸: Max Mumby / Indigo / Getty Images

[seastarblue]

Character Intro: Harper O’Kennedy

“Oh, I wouldn’t do that if I were you, dear.”

Basics:

Pronouns: he/him

Species: Human

Age: 25

MBTI: Idk

Voice Claim: Idk but he sounds Irish 🫶

Physical:

5’10” (≈175 cm)

Build: Skinny (ahh mf)

Skin: Medium brown, patches of vitiligo on right side of face, arm, and right hand

Eyes: Grass green

Hair: Dark red, short (like a grown out pixie cut), kept under a cap, slightly curly

Special Features: Scar just under his heart

Picrew refs:

Personality:

Harper is quite jovial most of the time. He is almost always smiling and making snarky remarks. He does know when to quit it, but he pointedly ignores that sense. He’s quite good at slipping on different masks of indifference, mellowness, etc.

Speaking Style: Harper is very, very chatty. Sometimes it’s like he doesn’t know when to quit. He speaks quite well, as he’s a bit of a logophile (lover of words), and likes using random obscure ones to mess with people.

Likes: music, the sea, clouds, magic, making people laugh, conversation, banter (literally his favorite thing ever), his family and friends (duh), shiny stuff, smaller spaces

Dislikes: traitors, boring people, being ignored, corruption, secrets (he understands why ppl keep them but still), injustice, being hungry, talking about when he was younger, wide open places with nowhere to hide, leaders thinking that they’re all that, the Guard, the Azari, law enforcement in general

Main Goal: “Well, fuck, I’m just trying to Not Die. Or Not Go to Jail again.”

Backstory (in progress—return of the bullet point format nyeheheheh):

Born in [insert town in another country]

got dragged away from [x] by Bad People at around 8?

Subsequently got dropped into the Bay

now he’s an urchin

steals and stuff to live

gets really good at stealing (partial credit to Le Song Magic)

^so he gets cocky

And tries to steal from a mob boss

(Aged 14-15 here)

oh snap mob boss got him

oh wait no wait she’s …. Taking him in?!?!

oh wow so anyways he’s running with Victoria O’Kennedy’s (The Mob Boss’s) gang now

ah yes everything is all well and good—“wait a damn minute you CANNOT do that shit Vicky what r you on”

^harper when he saw Vicky doing something Not So Moral and Very Much Against Younger Gang Members (like Harper aged 17ish now)

”oh man what do I do, New Friend who Is DEFINITELY Not Part of Any Rival Gang Trying to Kill Me?”

”… fight her or smth idc. (if he actually listens my job is gonna be way easier helloooooo payday ✨)”

so he (harper) waits.

and waits. He’s now 19. Vicky did something Morally Ambiguous again

”nah I gotta fight her” “bro u r not fighting her shushhhh” “nah id win”

^he didn’t win. He got shot and now he and Friend From Rival Gang are avoiding Vicky’s gang like the plague

ta da 🎉

[world-of-wales]

CATHERINE'S STYLE FILES - 2024

15 JUNE 2024 || The Princess of Wales attended the Trooping the Colour celebrations in London.

Catherine was in -

↬ Bespoke Sheath Dress in White & Black reworked with Ribbons by Jenny Packham

↬ OC 155 Saucer Hat in 'Black & White' by Philip Treacy

↬ 'Cavolfiore' Pearl Stud Earrings from Cassandra Goad

↬ Irish Guards St.Patrick Star Regimental Brooch

↬ 'Bayswater' Clutch in 'Black Suede' by Mulberry

↬ 'Romy 85' Pumps in 'White Leather' by Jimmy Choo

[juniper-divination-and-witchery]

The Evil Eye in Irish Folklore

In pre-modern Ireland, like in many other cultures, the power of the gaze held immense significance. Practices and customs associated with the evil eye were passed down through generations, and many were collected in The School's Collection in the 1930s.

The School's Collection has proven to be an indispensable asset in my exploration of Irish paganism. However, it can be quite a task to read, classify, and integrate all the materials on any given topic. The following are my notes from what I've encountered searching the records, but I hope they'll prove useful to others.

What is the evil eye in the Irish folk tradition?

In Irish folk traditions, the evil eye was believed to possess an otherworldly power, capable of causing illness, misfortune, and even death.

It was believed that those who possessed the evil eye could knowingly or unknowingly project this baneful magic onto others simply through their gaze. The evil eye could affect many aspects of life including people, livestock, and crops.

This ability is often referred to as "overlooking" or "blinking" in the Duchas records and the terms can be used interchangeably.

In this locality, long ago, it was a common belief, that if people met with any reverses, or suffered any loss of property, the misfortune was due to "the evil-eye," meaning that some person supposed to have an evil eye "overlooked" their property, and that was considered the reason for the particular piece of ill-luck. If a person with an "evil-eye" took particular notice of any animal, for example, the animal would either do himself an injury or pine away gradually. Usually, the possessors of the "evil eye" were not aware that they had such a particular kind of eye, or were connected with other people's misfortunes. Duchas.ie

What causes the evil eye?

There are numerous things that could cause someone to be born with the evil eye (people are generally considered to be born with it rather than acquiring it later in life). Some of the reasons recorded are:

Having the surname Marrinan 1, 2, 3 or Kingfisher 4.

Being born on Whit Sunday (the seventh Sunday after Easter) 5, 6 or on June 29th 7

Babies returning to breastfeeding after being weaned 8, 9

Babies seeing their baptismal towel before it was washed 10

Your Godparents omitting a word during your baptism 11

Prevention of the evil eye

To protect themselves from the ill effects of being overlooked, people developed customs and rituals, the most popular of which included:

Waiting to light their fires on May Day so that the evil eye did not take their luck and profit for the coming year 12

Placing St. Brigid's crosses around the home (and outhouses) 13, 14

Nailing a donkey's shoe to the threshold of the home (this also helped to guard against the Good Neighbors) 15

For animals, placing a Gauldoron Garragh knot on their back would provide protection 16

Using red items (usually cloth) to distract the evil eye 17, 18, 19, 20, 21

Asking God to bless the person or thing being talked about after you suspect an overlooker (a common term for those who possess the evil eye) has spoken about them 22, 23, 24, 25

Jumping through the flames at midsummer 5

Cures for the evil eye

If all your preventative measures failed, there were several cures that could be tried.

For a baby born on Whit Sunday or another unlucky day, the cure was to place green sod over them three times 4, 6, 8

A cure commonly used with animals thought to have been overlooked was to write the overlooker's name (if known) or the entire alphabet (if the overlooker's name is unknown) onto a piece of paper or other burnable material and burn it under the animal's nose so that it inhales the smoke 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

A piece of thatch from the overlooker's house, or even a piece of their clothing can also be burned under an animal or person's nose (or burned and then the ashes put into a drink) to cure the evil eye 27, 28, 29

Water from a place where three townslands meet can cure when sprinkled on the overlooked animal or person, but the person who gets the water must not speak to anyone on their way there and back 30

Forge water can also be used in the same way 31

While the belief in the evil eye has faded over time, the echoes of these traditions can still be felt in Irish culture today. These records serve as a reminder of the deep-rooted folklore and superstitions that once shaped the lives of the Irish people and can help inform our Irish pagan practices today.

[aimeedaisies]

The Princess Royal’s Official Engagements in June 2024

04/06 As Master of the Corporation of Trinity House, attended the Trinitytide Anniversary Annual Court Meeting, Church Service and Luncheon. 💼⛪️🍽️

As Colonel-in-Chief, The Royal Corps of Signals, this afternoon inspected The Queen’s Gurkha Signals Regiment on public duties at St James’s Palace. 🫡

As Chairman of the International Olympic Committee Members Election Commission, held a Members Election Commission Meeting at St James’s Palace. 💼

05/06 With Sir Tim As Colonel-In-Chief of The Royal Regina Rifles, unveiled a statue and attended a Reception at 10 Place des Canadiens, Thue et Mue, Bretteville. 🇬🇧🇫🇷🇨🇦

With Sir Tim Attended a service of commemoration and reception to mark the 80th anniversary of the D-Day Landings at Bayeux War Cemetery. 🪦🪖

With Sir Tim As President of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, attended the Annual Service in Bayeux Cathedral to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day Landings. ⛪️

With Sir Tim As President of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, attended a service to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings at Bayeux War Cemetery. 🪦🕯️

06/06 With Sir Tim Attended the Annual Founder’s Day Parade at the Royal Hospital Chelsea. 💂

As Colonel of The Blues and Royals (Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons), attended a Household Cavalry Council Meeting at Hyde Park Barracks. 🐎

07/06 Opened Forest of Dean Community Hospital. 🏥

Visited Ruskin Mill Trust in Nailsworth. 🏫

09/06 Attended the Bramham International Horse Trials Prize Giving, on its 50th anniversary. 🏇🏼

11/06 Opened Mercator Media Limited’s 25th Anniversary Seawork Marine Exhibition in Southampton. ⛴️

As Patron of the British Nutrition Foundation, visited the British Armed Forces Nutrition Programme at The Royal Logistic Corps Regimental Museum in Winchester. 🍏🍊

As Patron of Farms for City Children, and Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Butchers, attended a Festival of Learning at Butchers’ Hall. 🥩🥓🍖

Unofficial Sir Tim attended a reception at the King Edward VII Hospital and unveiled a plaque dedicated to Sir Jameson Boyd Adams. 🍾

With Sir Tim As Royal Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, attended The Prince Philip Fund Commemoration Dinner at Prince Philip House. 🍽️🍾

12/06 On behalf of The King, held an Investiture at Windsor Castle. 🎖️

As Chancellor of the University of London, attended the School of Advanced Study 30th Anniversary Reception at Senate House. 📚📖

As President of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Commonwealth Study Conferences, attended a Dinner. 🍽️🗺️

13/06 As Patron of Transaid, visited the Multimodal 2024 Exhibition. 🛻

As Patron of the Townswomen’s Guilds, attended the Annual General Meeting. 💼

As Patron of the Foundation for Future London, attended the UK Cultural Exchange launch. 🇬🇧🗺️

With Sir Tim As President of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, attended a President’s Panel Discussion and Dinner. 🎤🍽️

14/06 Presided over a conference attended by the Colonels of the Regiments of the Household Division. 💂

Cavalry Regiments

Blues and Royals - Princess Anne

The Life Guards - Non - Royal

Footguards

Grenadier Guards - Queen Camilla

Coldstream Guards - Non - Royal

Scots Guards - Prince Edward

Irish Guards - Catherine, Princess of Wales

Welsh Guards - Prince William

Reserves

London Guards - Prince Edward

15/06 With Sir Tim Trooping the Colour

17/06 With Sir Tim Attended a chapter of the Most Noble Order of the Garter in the Throne Room, Windsor Castle. 🏰

With Sir Tim Attended a luncheon, hosted by the King, at Windsor Castle. 🍽️

With Sir Tim Attended an Installation Service was held in St George’s Chapel at which The Duchess of Gloucester was installed as a Lady of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. 🪽🎖️

18/06 unofficial Attended day one of Royal Ascot. 🏇🏼

19/06 unofficial Attended day two of Royal Ascot. 🏇🏼

20/06 unofficial With Sir Tim Attended day three (Ladies Day) of Royal Ascot. 🏇🏼

21/06 With Sir Tim Attended the RNLI Beating Retreat, Reception and Dinner at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich. 🛟🥂🍽️

22/06 With Sir Tim As Patron of the Eric Liddell 100, attended a Service in St Giles’ Cathedral, followed by a Reception to commemorate 100 years since Eric Liddells Olympic gold medal win. 🥇

~ Engagements cancelled due to hospitalisation ~

Total official engagements for Anne in June:

2024 total so far:

Total official engagements accompanied by Tim in June:

2024 total so far:

FYI - due to certain royal family members being off ill/in recovery I won't be posting everyone's engagement counts out of respect, I am continuing to count them and release the totals at the end of the year.

[ninyard]

i have to ask, do you have any kevin hcs from his childhood in ireland?

yes :) yes I do :) depending on how long he grew up there some of these might be irrelevant but here’s some baby kev in Ireland (these are kind of stupid but regardless here they are)

- While Kayleigh had him playing no-contact kid safe Exy, he also played hurling. It’s an Irish team sport that is played using a stick and a small hard ball and a lot of Irish kids play it. It’s a pretty big sport in Ireland, it’s really fast paced, and the only protection players wear is a helmet with a grate/face guard thing. You can “check” other player with your shoulder so long as the other person has the ball and you have one foot on the ground and tbh if you read the rules it wouldn’t surprise me if it inspired Kayleigh to invent Exy in some manner

- he went to a gaelscoil (Irish speaking school) for his first two years or so in school. This means they only speak in Irish and learn all of their subjects through Irish. Because of this Kevin can count and knows colours in Irish but doesn’t really know a whole lot else

- Kevin is naturally unbothered by cold weather because he spent those early years of his life in Ireland. He’ll wear shorts when the sun is barely peeking out of the sky and it’s only like 15 degrees Celsius outside because that’s just what Irish people do. We savour the sun in the tiny bits we see of it.

- Irish people love famous Irish people, so I bet Kayleigh would’ve been on local TV quite a lot. There’s a couple of interviews and videos of Kevin as a tiny Kevin playing baby Exy out there that he keeps hidden from the foxes. NOBODY knows they exist. Also as a tween he probably did some more interviews from the US for Irish TV. If somebody found them he would die on the spot.

- Kayleigh lived in Dublin before she had Kevin, and her family were from much more rural areas on the other side of the country, so Kevin doesn’t remember meeting her family at all. He would’ve met his grandparents a handful of times, but because he was so young, he doesn’t remember it. They were fluent Irish speakers, though, so Kayleigh always spoke in Irish around her family.

- Kayleigh’s funeral was in Ireland, and that was the first time Kevin had been back in Ireland since they moved to the US full time. It was really overwhelming for him, because so many memories kept coming back to him, memories he’d forgotten because he’d been so young.

- his grandparents call him by his Irish name, not Kevin. He doesn’t like it, but it’s their native language so he just accepts it. If any one of the foxes thought of calling him Caoimhín he’d kill them.

- (Kayleigh’s family make fun of his American accent. Irish people love making fun of Americans)

Kevin doesn’t remember a lot about living in Ireland but what he does remember is a lot of fond memories of his mom, and if he wants to feel close to her, he reminisces on it a lot. He has as many old interviews of her as he could possibly find, videos of her in university, and as much as it pains him to watch his mother beside Tetsuji as business partners, he watches those too. One interview is his favourite, one that Kayleigh did for the Irish language news, and it’s an interview where she’s talking about Exy as gaeilge/in Irish. She doesn’t falter, or trip over her words, or have to think at all about what she’s saying. It’s her first language, and she falls into it so easily. It makes him sad to think of how different his life would be if they’d stayed, but he would never go back in time and ask her to. She achieved her dream, she represented Ireland at their first Olympics, and the USA once she’d gotten her citizenship. He would do anything to have her back, but he wouldn’t change that.

[blackswaneuroparedux]

The road to the next duty is the only straight one.

- George MacDonald

General Sir Mark Carleton-Smith was the youngest Head of the British Army in over a century, the longest serving Chief of the General Staff since the Second World War and the most senior Special Forces officer in Defence.

The son of a major-general, Carleton-Smith went to Eton and later Durham University to read history. He joined the Army 40 years ago in 1982 on a university scholarship and graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst as an Infantry officer in the Irish Guards. 

He passed the SAS Selection Course in 1990 and served around the world with the SAS for most of the following 15 years in the Gulf, South America, Africa and the Balkans. Carleton-Smith was Commanding Officer of 22 SAS Regiment after 9/11 and commanded all Special Forces operations in Iraq, Yemen and Afghanistan.

He subsequently assumed command of 16 Air Assault Brigade, the Army’s high readiness parachute intervention force which culminated in his command of all British Forces in Afghanistan during one of the war’s most intense periods.

Promoted to Major General as Director of Special Forces, he commanded all the United Kingdom’s Special Forces for 3 years which included implementing the strategy to defeat ISIS in Syria and Iraq. 

Prior to taking up the post of Chief of the General Staff, the professional Head of the British Army in 2018, he was Defence’s Director of Military Strategy and Operations which included directing the UK response to Russia’s invasion of Crimea and military support to Ukraine. 

General Sir Mark Carleton-Smith has also been Honorary Colonel of the Irish Guards and of Oxford University OTC and also been a member of the England Rugby mentoring team preparing the squad for the 2023 World Cup and Colonel Commandant of the SAS.

Photo: General Sir Mark Carleton-Smith, KCB, CBE (As Colonel Irish Guards) Portrait Sitting London. (Rory Lewis Photographer) London 2023.

[princesscatherinemiddleton]

IRISH GUARDS | The Princess of Wales attending the annual St Patrick's Day parade with the Irish Guards

[luimagines]

Hey Pinky I am back with my Lynel Farm something that came to my mind because of irish!Reader but it has more with the mythology that kicked my brain. I am ancient compared to most people for the category of Anime. I watched Beyblade Metal Fusion as a kid but it's not about that even if it would be funny. But I write about another childhood series I saw, Inuyasha. As I don't know if you know this Anime I make a little headcanon. This is Inuyasha!Reader.

They lived in the feudal lands of Japan.

Reader may look young, like 15 to 17, but they are actually over 200 years old.

They are a Hanyou, which means they are half human and half Youkai, a half-demon.

Even though their mother had a title that is the same rank of a princess, they were treated horribly with only their mother as support.

But demons didn't accept them either as they were still part human.

Their father was a dog demon, a strong one at that, with the title of the Lord of the Western Lands.

And his blood is strong which is why Reader has white silvery hair with golden yellow eyes.

Except it's a new moon, in this phase of the night they lose all their abilities they have as a Hanyou, don't worry I will list them later.

At the new moon they have the hair colour of Reader with their eye colour as it's their human part and they hate the new moon as it also makes them vulnerable.

They wear the Robe of the Fire-Rat, it's from their father, with a white hadagi undershirt. And with this they are fireproof. They can walk through a forest fire and come out alive and without a scratch. And they always go around barefoot.

Their abilities are enhanced jumps, they can jump from a one story house up to the roof of a four story high house. They have superhuman strength like Reader punches through solid steel. Superhuman speed, they can outrun a horse without problems and as their stamina is inhuman as well. They can run through the whole day and still make it through the complete nightshift. Their agility and reflexes are nothing to brush off either, they can catch and destroy arrows mid air even if they stand with their back to their opponent or opponents. Their durability and accelerated healing will shock the Chain, especially Hyrule. They can get impaled through their stomach and survive it while fighting! And within a day the wound is gone without leaving a single scar.

As a dog demon they have enhanced senses of smell and hearing. They can smell the hints of blood from kilometres away and can hear what people were whispering from a great distance away. They also have dog ears which are very fluffy like the ones from an Akita Inu.

Their fighting style is unorthodox to say at least as they are extremely stubborn and refuse to back down, even when their life is in danger. As they won't back down and fight with their claws if their sword isn't available or they don't want to use it and they can solidify their own blood and make it into flying blades.

Now to their sword. It's called Tessaiga which is the sword that can "kill a hundred demons in a single stroke" and it looks like a Katana that's about to break until they draw it to protect someone, who is dear to them. Then it looks like an overgrown dog fang and its cross guard has a large patch of fur also similar to the one of a dog. But it only changes into this form by Reader's hand only.

But their demon blood is also their weakness. You see Tessaiga is practically suppressing and sealing Reader's demon half away to a certain content. When they are in life danger and don't have Tessaiga with them they can become a full-fledged demon and attack every living being they deemed as a threat.

They also have an older half-brother and they hate each other. A deceased wife and a daughter which is a quarter part demon.

Now to the group. They will be so suspicious of each other. Reader is half demon but not with Ganon, they don't even know who that is and they don't understand one word from each other. Reader will be confused with them as in their home people with pointed ears are normally demons but the Chain don't look, smell or fight like one.

But after they learned the language I think they will tolerate each other but begin to trust after a while. Well except for Wind he loved to be carried by them as they are fast and jump far away. Four screams at them because of Tessaiga's broken form until they show him the real one. Then he is all over them and their sword as it's made out of the fang tooth of their father and its attacks are very destructive. They also can fight through an army of monsters and even without breaking a sweat and without injuries on them.

But also can find traces far easier than Twilight as they have a more sensible nose than him. But they can't stand him, they have bad experience with wolves, one tried to court and kidnapped their late wife. So they often say to him "Wolf-Cub", it was an insult for the wolf demon back then.

But Reader and Legend will have so many fights as Reader is pretty hotheaded and got betrayed the worst possible way. Their first love pinned them with a seal and an arrow onto a tree. They were hated by humans and demons alike so they are harsh. Hyrule still wants to heal them after they encounter a tough opponent even if Reader can lift a Lynel and can bite through the neck of a Gleeok. Time will be impressed as he is not half as nimble as they are. Yes, Wild is technically 117 years old but he slept 100 years but Reader was only sealed away for 50 years until they were back kicking and screaming so they have his respect.

Sky will be the most suspicious one at first as they are a half demon after all. But he will notice that they are really protective over the people they care for and see as their friends and family. And as he asked about their life, after they trust the group. They talk about their daughter, their late wife, the adventures they went through, their deceased friends, their half-brother, how they met their wife and so on and Sky as the true romantic he is will ask more about the missus. Wars tries to get them to stop being so reckless even if they eliminate 100 monsters alone he can't allow that. Wild will ask about recipes from their homeland and they have some, which their mother shared with them when they got sick, which is a very rare occasion.

But they definitely disappear when it's the new moon until dawn so they don't see their human form. It's stuck with them since they were a child, to hide when its new moon as they are vulnerable at this time and feel pain. Or have their abilities anymore but if one of them saw that they will threaten the Link with his life.

I've got no notes. XD

I think you've covered most, if not, all of the bases. I know what anime you're talking about but I've never seen it. I have the faintest suspicion that this is more or less the timeline/backstory of the dog man half demon from the show. XD

Actually, I lied. One note.

I don't know if Twilight would register "Wolf-Cub" being an insult or not. He'd probably think it was just a nickname and that Reader just straight couldn't care less about him. Kinda like "Yes, I am a wolf. Thank you for noticing. Why say it like that?"

Unless he starts to think that it's actually a term of endearment because Reader is a dog demon and also calling him pup/cub from time to time like Time does (in fics- I forgot if that's canon or not.)

With all of this in mind, I think that it would lead to a funny one-sided hate/tolerate relationship where Twilight just doesn't register Reader hating his guts for literally no reason. XD

[beardedmrbean]

A fire at a site in Coolock that was being renovated to accommodate asylum seekers has been brought under control.

It is understood gardaí (Irish police) believe it to be arson.

Dublin Fire Brigade attended the scene at a former Crown Paints factory on the Malahide Road in the city.

They were called there at about 21:00 local time on Thursday.

Hoses were put over the wall and smoke was seen coming from the building.

The fire brigade said that two fire engines were on scene and that the fire in the lobby has been contained.

Irish broadcaster RTÉ has reported that the property was not badly damaged but gardaí preserved the scene.

What is the Coolock site?

The site at Coolock in North Dublin was being renovated to become accommodation for asylum seekers.

Work had been due to begin on the Malahide Road site later in the week.

It had been the centre of protests and violence earlier in the week over the plans.

On Monday protestors took to the site on after machinery and pallets were set alight causing a large fire.

More than 200 gardaí were deployed.

Three Garda cars were been damaged, one of which was set on fire.

It said pepper spray was used by police as a security guard and a number of gardaí were injured during clashes with protesters.

Petrol bombs and fireworks were thrown, mattresses were set on fire damaging a JCB and fires were lit on the roads during the disturbances.

Gardaí described the disturbances as a public order incident and the road was closed for a period.

Twenty-one people were arrested and charged, 15 of whom appeared in court on Monday and six on Tuesday afternoon.

[manybcdthings]

practice tent

dorian duvall and ines alvarez @rviner

When Ines first arrived at the circus, Dorian couldn’t help but notice her. A tiny, intriguing speck of a girl with a sense of humor as sharp and dry as a desert wind. She caught him off guard, even made him dig up his best (if questionably effective) flirtation tactics, which mostly involved annoying her. But then, so casually, Ines said. You remind me of my cousin. And just like that, he'd been cousin-zoned. But enough time had passed, in his loose sense of it anyway, for Dorian to be perfectly content being her accidental, makeshift cousin. So, naturally, he decided it was the perfect time to show her a 15 year old song. And the fact that he knew every beat of the choreography like it was tattooed on his bones.

"You know what always cracked me up about this?" he said, breath jogging with the rhythm as he bounced, fists pumping with exaggerated energy. "Ireland goes feckin' mad whenever one of us gets famous." he threw in a spin and a dramatic punch. "We treated this song like a national anthem." another laugh, a feigned look of scandal as he leaned toward Ines. "But it's a French feckin' chorus!" with a final burst of absurd flair, he finished with fists waving inches from her face. "THEY SAY I FOIGHT LIKE ME DA AS WELL!" he belted in time with the song, before running completely out of steam. His steps went sloppy, his gasps got louder, but he kept at it, grinning even as his footwork lost all rhythm.

Finally, the music cut out in perfect sync with his wheezing stop. Dorian blinked, as if suddenly remembering himself, and questioning why he had even done any of this. But it was all shrugged off with an easy grin. "There you go. Some Irish culture for ya." he said with a laugh, a lazy wave of his hand, still trying to catch his breath. "Beats hearing about our potatoes getting stolen, huh?" and then he gestured for the stage to be all hers. "G'then, show me this Mexican song."

[world-of-wales]

─ •✧ CATHERINE'S YEAR IN REVIEW : MARCH ✧• ─

1 MARCH - Catherine accompanied William in presenting Leeks to the Welsh Guards during the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards St. David's Day Parade at Combermere Barracks. 2 MARCH - Catherine and William received The Crown Prince and Princess of Norway at Windsor Castle. They later held a Meeting with Norwegian business delegates accompanied by the Crown Prince Couple. 7 MARCH - Catherine held an Early Years Meeting. 8 MARCH - She visited 1st Battalion Irish Guards at Salisbury Plain Training Area in Wiltshire. 9 MARCH - Catherine and William were received by Ms. Manju Malhi (Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London) at the Hayes Muslim Centre in Middlesex. 13 MARCH - Catherine and William attended the Commonwealth Service in Westminster Abbey. 14 MARCH - She received Professor Eamon McCrory (Board Member, the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood Advisory Group) at Windsor Castle. 15 MARCH - Catherine held an Early Years Meeting. 17 MARCH - Catherine and William attended the 1st Battalion Irish Guards' St. Patrick's Day Parade in Aldershot. 19 MARCH - Catherine, George, Charlotte and Louis appeared in a new photograph for Mother's Day. 21 MARCH - Catherine held a Meeting to launch a Business Taskforce for Early Childhood at NatWest Head Office. 24 MARCH - Catherine authored an article - "Investing in early childhood is a down payment on all our futures" for the Financial Times. 25 MARCH - Catherine appeared in a video with Richard Walker (CEO, Iceland Foods) for the Shaping Us Campaign.

[100ducksizedfolignos]

minnesota wild players as dog breeds

who asked for this? nobody. who thought of this? me. i made one comparison in an unrelated post and as such. this is happening.

strap in everyone. this is very long so i'm read more-ing so you don't all hate a list of 20+ players with included pictures. so open this one up just to see some cute dogs even if you don't care about the rest.

#2 calen addison - french bulldog

just incredibly chilled out but a jester in his own right. very square head.

#4 jon merrill - irish wolfhound

a calm, even-tempered gentle giant with a love for kids. incredibly social and kind. great hair choices.

#5 jacob middleton - giant schnauzer

i’m gonna be real this one is mostly for the stache but ALSO. smart, extremely protective and loyal, sturdy, energetic. bred both as a herder and a guard dog.

#12 matt boldy - golden retriever

outgoing, playful, loving, loyal, and smart while being also kind of a dope. incredibly popular. floppy with incredibly pettable hair.

#13 sam steel - swedish vallhund

sturdy and no-frills, cheerful and sociable. this one’s really a dart throw sorry guys

#14 joel eriksson ek - kuvasz

big and sturdy and an excellent protector. intelligent and determined and can be hard to train (develop) properly. can be deceptively quick.

#15 mason shaw - schipperke

sturdy, lively, curious, mischievous, energetic. very protective. loves his people.

#17 marcus foligno - chesapeake bay retriever

not strictly a guard dog but does well in the role if need be. intelligent, upbeat, high-energy, with an independent streak. incredibly loyal and affectionate to his people.

#18 jordan greenway - great dane

i guess he could knock you over if he tried. bighugeboi but also kind of a layabout.

#21 brandon duhaime - bull terrier

absolute comedian and rascal. high-energy, tenacious, playful, devoted, with an independent and stubborn streak. robust and muscular with a distinctly-shaped head. obsessed with “fun and games”.

#24 matt dumba - bulldog

loyal, courageous, easygoing, tenacious. playful and affectionate. extremely sociable and good with kids. used to be a lot tougher and stronger than he is now for reasons out of his control.

#25 jonas brodin - puli

some snippets from the akc page: “agile and light on their feet” “acrobat of the dog world” “do not suffer fools lightly” “no problem humiliating you in public”. the dog version of brods’ exceptional skating and willingness to use it to absolutely stonewall everybody. incredibly intelligent and loyal.

#26 connor dewar - manchester terrier (standard)

keenly observant and intelligent. loves a challenge. affectionate to its people. active and particularly quick - akc calls out the breed’s motor and “muscular caboose”, which. well.

#29 marc-andré fleury - weimaraner

incredibly active, friendly, and affectionate, and probably too smart for his own good. an icon.

#32 filip gustavsson - great pyrenees

big, gentle, quiet, but bred to be a guardian. a big cute loveable softie and defender.

#33 alex goligoski - bedlington terrier

lanky fellow. versatile, energetic without causing trouble, loyal, loving to family.

#36 mats zuccarello - west highland white terrier

strong, tough, and courageous, especially for his size. playful, energetic, independent, incredibly smart. beloved everywhere he goes.

#38 ryan hartman - staffordshire bull terrier

stocky and fearless. instinct to fight can get him into trouble. unfairly maligned. loyal, playful, and affectionate to his people.

#46 jared spurgeon - miniature poodle

small and delicate-looking, but wickedly smart and athletic. affectionate and companionable. underestimate him at your own peril.

#75 ryan reaves - rottweiler

big, muscular, sleek, and strong - playful, loving, and incredibly gentle to friends and family but knows how to protect and by god is he willing to do it. calm and confident and incredibly sociable.

#89 freddy gaudreau - border collie

incredibly smart with an inexhaustible energy and work ethic. playful and affectionate with loved ones.

#97 kirill kaprizov - siberian husky

deceptively strong, and used to the cold. extremely friendly and social, and can be prone to whining, although it’s very funny when they do so. boundless energy and seemingly never tired of work and play. (the siberia bit was indeed happy coincidence btw)

bonus: dean evason - boxer

you know why. strong, protective, deeply funny without even trying. prone to throwing the body around at anyone in sight.

bonus: bill guerin - chinook

smart, patient, calm, confident, outgoing. very mellow when not in work mode. a blend of strength and speed.