U. Cronin's Blog, page 19

The Ebola Diary: Monday, Oct 6 2014, Madrid

Ebola is the furthest thing from my mind as I put the dishes in the dishwasher after our evening meal. The girls are in the living room, the eldest embroidering a treble clef onto a pouch for a flute, the youngest … Continue reading →

Would You Go for a Pint With Your Ancestors?

Another ancient bog body has been accidentally uncovered this week. No doubt he will become known as “Rossan Man” after the Co. Meath bog in which he was found and join the illustrious list of similarly named Irish bog men: … Continue reading →

Excerpt from Well I Wonder

In this excerpt from Well I Wonder, narrator Fergus and friends listen to the results of 1995’s divorce referendum coming through on the radio. All had been deeply involved in the Yes campaign and are nervous and expectant. Everyone was predicting a … Continue reading →

Templecronan Looped Burren Walk

I’ve wanted to take my kids on a walk in the Burren for years, it being somewhere that never fails to humble and inspire me and lift my spirits with its mysterious beauty and the sense of otherworldliness it gives … Continue reading →

Short Story: Townies, Part III of III

Mikey Heavey’s people were also old townies, but their history in our town was of a diametrically opposite kind to that of the boys’ family. For as far back as anyone could remember the Heavey name had been associated with … Continue reading →

Short Story: Townies, Part II of III

In spite of being one of the town’s most prominent businessmen and coming from one of its oldest and most respected families — members of the boys’ entire extended family were widely and admiringly referred to as “old townies” by … Continue reading →

Short Story: Townies (Part II of III)

In spite of being one of the town’s most prominent businessmen and coming from one of its oldest and most respected families — members of the boys’ entire extended family were widely and admiringly referred to as “old townies” by … Continue reading →

Short Story: Townies, Part I of III

I only run into the boys, as they are called around town, now and again these days (in reality they are three middle-aged bachelor brothers all living under the same roof). Each time our paths cross I notice an unwillingness … Continue reading →

Voles from the Sky: a curious urban legend

I came across a very strange urban legend recently. One of my partner’s aunt’s melon patches was destroyed by voles but these were no ordinary critters — they came from the sky. Or at least they were delivered into her … Continue reading →

Review: Eels, Teatro Circo Price, July 14, 2014

The last time Eels played Madrid, just over a year ago, the band was wearing retro Adidas track suits and it was a FUN night. It was up. It was loud. It was cookin’. They rocked our world. This time … Continue reading →