Magdalene

Long ago, before the bank guarantee scheme; and prior to the austere atonement for our fiscal incontenance, we were bankrupt. Ireland was a state devoid of humanity, of goodwill and of 

If there is one part of being Irish that I am 'shameful' for, it is the Irish catholic ethos that, through osmosis became imbedded in the fabric of Irish society; beneath the shadows cast by the stately house on the hill and the bricks of the steeple festered an acceptance that cruelty and lack of forgiveness for those in front of them was the way to please a concept alive in the thoughts and words of a concept. Gods Geatappo marched us through unspeakable acts of cruelty and to this day lack the ability to make an act of contrition that practices what has long been preached from their own literature.

And just as today where the Irish people are finding it difficult to forgive our financial forebarers, we must seek to ask how we can even begin to do so in our clerical community. The example led by Philomena Lee, whose story is portrayed in a recent film baring her name, is a cherished and deeply needed demonstration of faith and spiritualism over religion...of feeling more than rhetoric....being rather than a staged act.

The magdalen laundries are but one aspect where the Irish Catholic Church has purged a proud nation of its dignities. Their male counterparts in the vestries and classrooms of the institution too knocked us to the point where there is no act in this world that ireland are able to cast a stone at. Not yet. Redress is by no means flowing. The notion is still pursing the lips of many a lip. And while, like their monetary brethren, the thoughts and deeds enforced on the youth of a growing nation are not those of the entirety, there are many that are complicit in the knowledge and as guilty as sin for not standing tall. 

I look to the Philomenas of this world, and there are many, and I find solice in their dignity, in their moral compass and in their comfort of not seeking onto others. In return, we must stand by them and not cloak or nurse the sickly cancer riddled through its core. 

The story told in Martin Sexsmiths book, it's subsequent retelling on the silver screen and in the hundreds and hundreds of stories of abuse on every scale act as a necessary nose-rubbing. We may search for forgiveness but we should never forget. 

   

Jacques Lowe and the Camelot Collection

Jazqyws Lowe's favourite image of his collection on JFK, taken on the campaign trail. All original negatives were kept in a safe in the World Trade Center, and were lost on 9/11. All images are now scans from images

THE LONDON EYE - Weather

London's eye is trying desperately to avoid frostbite. Temperatures have been chilly. More than that, they have been below freezing. Temperatures are breaking all form of current records, negatively. 

This has brought with it, the depression of Gardeners, the frustration of fashionistas who have invested in springtime trends and started to cycle their closet towards less bulk and more flimsy

It has brought with it the naysayers the 'I told you so's' in the climate debate. 

However, the London eye is developing an itch. Is it climate change or is is a meteorological state. Much has been made of the 'chink' in the Gulf Stream, the misalignment that is so severely hampering what have been normal temperatures. weather patterns and,  dare I say it, warmth. Indeed, it is not for one minute believed that it is the placing of a certain rose tint over London's eye that makes its recollections of short sleeved Sundays in march, or sunglasses and heat in Easter. In fact, grass pollen has definitely irritated this eye in the first cut as early as late February in previous years when the pleasant view of crocus bud and the yellow glow of daffodils are gazed upon. 

No, there has been a change alright. This  is climate change - but how permanent or cyclical  is it?

This eye has read many a more learned article on the issue. In fact, so much has been viewed, that the eye almost waters when this issue is dragged out in the media and amongst the dinner tables of soho and the caffes of  Camden. 

THE LONDON EYE- Squeezed middle

The London eye this week is very much trained on austerity. The 1st April bares the brunt of many a new taxation revision that sees, among others, benefit freezes and caps, below inflation tax free allowance,...., cue 'fools day' all iterations in the press!

However, there is also increasing speculation about the suitability about the chancellor, George Osborne - is he the right man for the job? Can he medicate the economy correctly? Has he lost a great inability to understand the plight of the middle class (Sunday telegraphs lead article with an anonymous Tory source. It is the latter that makes the London eye's retina burn. As, while one cornea is focused on London, the other lid is turning and can observe the vista of its nearest neoghbours the Irish, whose reportage could almost amount to a tragic-comedy for 'The Squeezed Middle'. In Europe, there seems to be a believe that it is the middle that is most adversely effected as the lower paid are hit but still buffered while the highest paid are not willing to be lassoed (which too brings a debate in itself about how much you can tax wealth without the wealthy relocating or reconstructing its piles and piles (and vaults!) of hoarded banknotes. London's eye will no doubt cast itself on that issue as Europe and London continue to clash on the issue of bonuses. But right now, it's crossed eyes are askew enough for now, so lets return to 'the middle'.