Sunday 5 October 2008

WISDOM OF THE WORLD - WEEK 30



A farmer and his three sons were working hard in the fields, when he realised he needed a message from the town. He sent his eldest son into the village, where the Buddha happened to be talking to the local people. The eldest son got caught up with the message of the Buddha and stayed to listen. The farmer got fed up when the boy didn’t return, so he sent another son to see what was happening. He too became interested in the Buddha’s message and didn’t return home. The farmer was getting most irritated as there was so much work to be done. “Go and see what is keeping your brothers and get them home straight away, he ordered the lad. Off went the youngest son, but coming across the Buddha, he too couldn’t tear himself away from the teachings.

By this time, the farmer was really angry. He stormed into the village and saw what was happening. He strode up to the Buddha and angrily, began to confront him. “What kind of teacher are you, that keeps honest boys away from their work. I have crops in the fields and they won’t bring themselves in.” The farmer ranted angrily for about ten minutes, while the Buddha just sat peacefully. At last, the farmer ran out of steam. “What do you have to say for yourself?” he challenged the Buddha.

“Well,” replied the Buddha. “If you gave somebody a present and they didn’t want it, who would the gift belong too?”

The farmer was nonplussed by the question. “What? It would still be mine” began the farmer, “but I don’t know what you are talking about”

The Buddha smiled at the man, with compassion. “I don’t accept the gift of your anger,” he replied.

Traditional Buddhist

45TH PLATOON TRAINING AT DUNREE








"We are at war and I am the war photographer. All of a sudden it doesn’t feel like a game anymore."





“Any ideas where I could find Lieutenant Martin Crumlish?”

I am at Dunree Fort just north of Buncrana to take photographs of the 27th Infantry Battalion, 45th 2 Star Platoon who are here for a training exercise. They arrived last Monday and have come from Monaghan (It took them 6 hours to travel up - they had to avoid the North).

“He’s out to get some provisions,” said a young lad in full camouflage gear walking out of the hospital building. It has been converted into the mess for the week. “Well, he’s popped down to the chip shop, he’ll be back in a bit. Try the information building. Sgt. Cannon will fill you in on what’s happening today.” I dutifully oblige…. It must be the uniform.

Sgt Vaughan Cannon gets up from his camping bed, one of about twenty that have been put in the conference room to accommodate some of the group. His face is covered in camo cream and it looks as though I have disturbed his much needed rest. I apologise.

“Nice bed.” I say looking at the green fabric stretched between two metal poles.” “This is luxury compared to where the Privates have to sleep.” He tells me happily. “They are in one of the old buildings with no floors, tin sheeting over the windows and gaping holes in the roof. That’s luxury to them though as they have been used to sleeping under tarpaulin sheeting in woodland and living for 72 hours in dig in’s (holes in the ground, more commonly known as trenches). They are not complaining” he smiles. “What can I do for you?”

“Who are the 45th 2 Star Privates?” I ask, getting down to business.

“Well, there are 54 of us, all based in Monaghan,” he begins. “There are young recruits from the ages of 18-25 and we are all part of the 6,500 people in the Irish army. The team here is split into; 6 people on security, 27 lads, 1 girl, (the recruits), 26 support staff and 8 people who are here as ‘The Enemy’. The group are in training; they do 5 months in Dundalk, 10 weeks in Monaghan and also do on site training here and another base down in Cork. They finish their training on the 16th of October so this exercise here is the result of a lot of hard work.”

I am intrigued by his earlier comment. “What do you mean by ‘The Enemy?’” I ask.

“We are House Clearing this evening.” Sgt Cannon explains. “It’s all about combat fighting in built up areas. We are starting at the entrance to Dunree and will systematically work our way through all of the buildings, searching for The Enemy. The Enemy make the exercise more effective as they put up resistance.”

“Shall I just take some posed photo’s of the soldiers before they start?” I ask feeling a bit nervous that I too will go under the banner of “The Enemy.”

The Sergeant thinks for a minute. “It might be a better idea if you do.” He suggests, “The group can get pretty psyched up when they are on a mission, see what Lt. Crumlish has to say. He’s just turned up.”

“Thanks,” I say taking my leave. Lt Martin Crumlish is carrying a delicious smelling brown paper bag full of provisions.

“Hi Martin,” I say informally. “I’m here to take some photos for the Inishowen Independent.” I am mumbling, not knowing if its appropriate to salute. “That’s great, you’ll need these.” Martin passes me a pair of khaki muffler earphones. “It gets a bit noisy when the guns and grenades go off.”

Guns and grenades? “I was thinking of taking a few posed shots before you start.” I said, getting a bit worried. “Not at all.” Says Marin casually, “You’ll get better shots if it’s a real situation.”

Now the only shots I am comfortable with are photos and I am starting to feel a little nervous.

Lt. Martin Crumlish is from Moville and knows the area well. “We’ll be up at the gates at 1800 hours, see you there.”

It feels like the calm before the storm. But it does give me a chance to take in the atmosphere. The fort is no stranger to the military having accomadated both the British and the Irish armies in the past. Dunree, or Dun Fhraoigh in Irish means, “Fort of the Heather,” has been an important defensive site throughout history.

HISTORY
The area surrounding me along the Swilly has also been of immense historical significance. The Norsemen and later the Anglo-Normans and the mercenary soldiers, the Gallowglasses, used the Swilly when coming to Ireland. Wolfe Tone was taken under naval arrest into Buncrana in 1798 and in recent times during World War I, it stood guard whilst Admiral Lord Jellicoe’s fleet anchored in Lough Swilly prior to engaging the German Navy at the Battle of Jutland. During World War II Irish forces were stationed here to prevent the warring nations violating the country’s neutrality. I am always fascinated by the fact that although it is a military camp there are signs of quieter times with careful tender planting of aromatic daffodils and seaside shrubs, obviously planted with care by the soldiers who wanted to make the place a bit more like home.

My daydreaming in the sun is interrupted. “We’re starting” Martin calls out, “Follow me.” I do. Without question. It’s the uniform.

“Just before we go to war” I begin, “are you using live ammunition?” It’s probably the most ridiculous question I have ever come out with, but it needs to be asked.

“F*** no!” came the reply which made me feel a little better. Worryingly enough though it made me realise that I was still going ahead with the photos even if the ammunition was real….I’d like to think it was anything for a photo, but it is probably that I am used to doing what I’m told.

Like the 45th 2 Star Privates, I have no time to ponder. We are at war and I am the war photographer. All of a sudden it doesn’t feel like a game anymore.

The squad are wearing all of the gear, heavy packpacks, helmets, painted faces, hand grenades, smoke bombs, battering rams and machine guns. With military precision they are hiding in the hedgerows and undergrowth, making their way to the first building. Two smoke bombs are thrown. I am standing down wind so there’s not much chance of a picture, so I run up the hill. “Go, Go, Go!” A voices shouts as three soldiers break the door down under the cover of white smoke.

“Grenade!” Another shout. Followed by a massive bang in the building. That’s why Martin gave me the earphones… I put them on.

“What do you see?” shouts a voice to the three inside the building “Door to the left, three to the right!”

ADRENALIN
My adrenalin is pumping now and I decide to get closer. I carefully go inside the tumbledown building with the rotting floorboards and I can immediately feel the tension. As I walk past the doorways through the clearing mist from the grenades, I see the wide eyes of the team look at me through the darkness, all the more striking with the war paint. Some turn quickly and raise their guns…. I could be the enemy after all. It feels like I am in an American film where the cops have to identify innocent members of the public from the bad guys in a split second - and I am not pushing a pram.

The silence is broken “Grenade!” Another blast, this time the mufflers were on. “Clear. One enemy dead!” shouts a Private. The team assemble outside and make their way to the next building.

“There are a lot of buildings around the fort and every one of them has to be cleared,” Martin is telling me as the lads push ahead. “This will be going on until midnight.” The light is going fast and this type of work will be even scarier in the dark. “When we have finished here, the recruits will be heading to the top of the hill, where the guns are, for some night time surveillance with night vision cameras.” The Lieutenant is explaining. “The enemy will be flushed out again. You can join us if you like. We will ne starting at 0300 hours” I stammer out some excuse about finding it difficult to take photos in the dark and we move on.

The Irish army are the 6th highest contributing force in the U.N. and in a real situation I would have probably been shot in the first minute of combat. I am standing between the soldiers and the Enemy far too often. The recruits are getting into ‘the zone’ and I realise now what Sgt. Cannon meant by the privates getting psyched up in combat.

As buildings continue to be cleared, more grenades are thrown and shots are fired, the atmosphere becomes more and more charged. It’s getting really serious now… it has to. They are being trained in the event of real combat situations. And if that time comes I am sure they don’t want a civilian with a camera standing between them and the Enemy.

5 MINUTES WITH - LOWRY WASSON


Lowry Wasson has run Moville Pottery for over 32 years. Four years ago they moved to a fantastic, purpose built workshop and retail shop just up from the Co-op. The quality of their ceramic ware is well known worldwide as they do mail order across the globe. Closer to home they have just finished supplying the 5 star Lough Eske Solis hotel with ceramics. Lowry also runs pottery-painting workshops for groups, as well as hosting birthday parties where you can get behind the potters wheel. On Friday the 7th of November, the pottery will be having their annual open evening where there will be 20% off all of the goods and the Cava wine will be flowing. There will also be music and a free €300 draw on the night. It starts at 7 pm and ends at 10pm, so make a date and don’t be late

What music do you like?
I enjoy a broad range of music. Rock, jazz, R+B as well as young modern acts. I particularly like Teddy Thompson (son of Richard Thompson). His new album A Piece of What You Need is very good.

Do you play an instrument yourself?
I do, I play the drums and am a member of a bad called Zig-Zag. We play Van Morrison type songs as well as jazz and blues. We don’t play as much as we should though.

What would you never throw away?
I wouldn’t throw away CD’s or LP’s although most of them are scratched. I treasure them but they get a lot of play, which is what they are designed for.

What book are you reading?
I read a great book on holiday recently. Bill Bryson’s Notes from a Big Country. He’s a great writer and is very witty and observant. It’s a really fun read.

What was your favourite childhood game?
I wasn’t in to games so much. I used to get really frustrated, especially with board games. I tended to make things out of Meccano, which was far more satisfying.

Have you been to the cinema recently, what did you see and was it any good?
I went to see P.S. I Love You when it came out. I didn’t think I would enjoy it as it is targeted towards women, but I thought it was entertaining. Harry Conick Jr was in it and brought a bit of comic relief. I enjoyed the last Die Hard movie with Bruce Willis. It is high action and entertaining.

What section of the newspaper do you turn to first?
I dive into the middle pages then see what grabs my attention; this decides whether I go backwards of forwards.

What is your idea of a good night out?
If it is at all possible I would like to see a good band, lots of chats with friends and a few drinks. The last great band I saw was the Rolling Stones in Slane… magic.

Most embarrassing moment of your life?
I was singing a song to a group of friends when one of my teeth dropped out. I discreetly pushed it to one side, pretending nothing had happened and hoped no one noticed. I found out later that they all did.

Have you a favourite TV programme?
Dragon’s Den. I love to hear success stories from people who put a lot of work and energy into their ideas. It amazes me sometimes when people go on the show and they don’t have a clue about their business. It makes for good viewing though.

How do you relax?
Apart from friends, music chatting and walking the dogs, I enjoy travelling. There’s something very soothing about travelling and seeing new places

What job did you want to do when you were a child?
Originally I wanted to be an architect and still love good design now.

Where would you like to go for your holidays?
Anywhere with interesting architecture. It doesn’t have to be grand chateaus or cathedrals either. I was in the Loire valley recently and found the architecture of the small houses fascinating. The caves where the Troglodytes lived were amazing too. Some have been turned into luxury accommodation with BMW’s outside, which was a bit weird.

Your idea of heaven?
Drumming in a tight rock band playing in front of 2000 people.

Your idea of hell?

Living in a world without family and friends- it’s what life is all about.

What famous people would you invite around for dinner and why?
I would invite Elton John. He is witty and entertaining, Bruce Springsteen could make an appearance and I would also invite Van Morrison. Contrary to popular belief, he is supposed to be a bit of a laugh.

Favourite animal?
Dogs. I have two. Bruno, a colly and Kerry, a retriever named after Kerry Jolly the novelist.

What couldn’t you live without?
Being able to make things.

Biggest fear?
Running out of good conversation. I don’t think it will ever happen though, there is always someone else to pick it up.

Biggest thrill?
Going on white knuckle rides in theme parks like the “Big One” in Blackpool.

The world’s most irritating invention?
Mobile phones, especially in public places.

What is your idea of a good night in?
More or less the same as going out. Friends, food and music. In fact I prefer to be in my own home when I am socialising.

Do you have a hobby?
Cooking. I get ideas from recipes then make up my own variations.

Which period in history would you most like to have lived through?
Now. It’s as interesting as it’s ever been in history. There are massive advances in technology, communications and politics.

World’s most useful invention?
The telephone. It sounds a bit mundane but it keeps you in touch with home and loved ones.

What do you have for breakfast?
Tea and toast, sometimes lemon and lime marmalade and other times Marmite. Every one has an opinion on Marmite, you either love it or hate it, there’s nothing in between.

What is the best piece of advice you have been given?
Be yourself and don’t put on airs or graces.

Personal philosophy?
Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. It’s a good base for politicians to start……

FALLASK FURNITURE







“A place for everything and everything in its place” Alain Liault Chairman of CéLio

Fallask Furniture pride themselves in supplying discerning customers with high quality, value for money furniture.


Fallask Furniture, the suppliers of classic and contemporary furniture, have moved into new showrooms. The McDaid brothers opened the doors of the original premises in 2003 and over the years the company has grown and extra space was needed. They have located to a brand new premises behind the new Maxol petrol station in Umrycam on the main Carndonagh road out of Buncrana. Their new site is really convenient, on the main road with loads of parking spaces.

There is a wide range of furniture to choose from in the two well-stocked showrooms. Upstairs there is a great choice of bedroom furniture manufactured by top class companies. The bespoke designs can be ordered to suit your living space and takes only a short space of time to be made and delivered to your door. In the downstairs showroom there is a huge range of bookcases, dressers, tables and chairs as well as three-piece suites, coffee tables and lamps to suit all tastes. It’s all about quality at the right price at Fallask Furniture in Umrycam.


Fallask feel that it is important to stock attractive, quality furniture at the right price. They hold the exclusive rights and are the sole distributors of many high quality stock items, that you won’t see anywhere else in Donegal.


The friendly, professional staff are always on hand to advise how you can get the most from your living space.



Some of Fallask Furniture’s exclusive ranges are from these quality manufacturers:

CéLio
CéLio Bedrooms have upheld the finest traditions of cabinet making for two generations. In this time they have developed an aesthetic approach to storage that can be adjusted to suit your needs with the emphasis on user comfort. The large range includes bedside tables, walk in wardrobes and wardrobe doors with full sized bevelled mirrors.

HEMELAER

Hemelaer produce stylish and innovative furnishing concepts. The combinations of classic and contemporary collections stocked by Fallask Furniture are complemented by a fantastic range of accessory items, giving a complete designer look. Fallask Furniture know that it is important to get a balance of affordability and inspirational styling to satisfy even the most choosy of customers.

MARK WEBSTER
Mark Webster is a family run business that places great emphasis on quality design. Fallask Furniture stock a wide range of elegant yet commercial furniture all aimed at providing your home with the lifestyle and look you have always dreamed of. Choose from their unique collection of leather sofas or upholstery range with classic designs using the very latest fabrics all put together to offer the ultimate in style and comfort.

LASSERRE TRADITIONAL FURNITURE
Lasserre furniture is made from solid oak wood sourced and manufactured in France. Albert Lasserre, founded the company in 1942 and has two main passions; value for top quality workmanship and value for the customer. Fallask Furniture carry on this philosophy and include both traditional and modern designs to suit all tastes.

DE SPIEGHEL

If its painted furniture you love, then look no further than Fallask Furniture. They stock a wide range of De Spieghel furniture made from high quality teak, oak and rattan. Based in Holland, De Spieghel pride themselves in re-creating that old world charm that is so appealing and attractive in the Irish home.


EDITORIAL FOR TIERNEY'S CHEMIST IN BUNCRANA

Shopping for bargains at Tierney's



Healthwise Pharmacies – Caring for Your Community

“To mark this special occasion we have some fantastic reductions – while stocks last…” Liam Grimley

"Healthwise an Irish owned pharmacy group and is totally committed to supporting Irish owned manufacturers and distributors"


GRAND OPEN DAY
Walking into Tierney’s new, well-designed pharmacy, on the high street in Buncrana, you know that the layout has got the customer in mind. All of the fully stocked shelves are brimming with top brand-name products to keep you healthy and beautiful. Today the staff are buzzing with excitement as Mrs Brigid Tierney has officially opened the brand new premises at 9:30 this morning (Tuesday).

FAMILY CONNECTION
“Brigid Tierney’s husband, Eamon, owned the shop for years. He originally started work here in the early 1960’s and moved us to this site from the original shop across the road, way back in 1983,” says Liam Grimley, the current owner. “We thought it would be fitting to ask Brigid to cut the ribbon as she has been connected with the company since it started. Their daughter Siobhan works in the shop too so the associations are still very strong.”

LONG SERVING STAFF

Marie Gately has a strong relationship with the shop too. She is the longest serving member of staff, having been with the company for 36 years now, “and counting”- as she says. “We keep them a long time here.” Liam jokes.


BEST VALUE

Tierney’s are part of the Irish owned, Healthwise Pharmacy group and the Head Office is now in the new building in Buncrana. Liam is one of the directors. “There are 14 shops in the North West under the Healthwise name. We employ over 100 people in the local area and are committed to giving the best value and service to customers in Donegal.” Liam says proudly.


A BIG THANKYOU

“We would all like to thank our customers for being so patient with us whilst this building work has been going on.” Liam says. “Our long suffering neighbours deserve a big thank you, as they have had to put up with a cloud of dust for months. You can see though, that it has all been well worth it and we look forward to seeing everyone here soon to snap up the special opening bargains”.

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