The long and the short of it.

A number of my ancestors were very active in the War of Independence against the Brits and the blackguards in the Black and Tans in particular.
One guy was a particular thorn in their sides ,so much so that they put a price on his head and after several narrow escapes he was told by his superiors to get to America.
Off he went and returned during the Second World War ,when he immediately joined the Local Defence Forces ,a voluntary stand by back up force for the  regular army in the case of invasion.
Also known as the F.C.A.,this force was also known as the Free Clothes Association because you got boots,a uniform and most importantly a massive overcoat,complete with brass buttons
In those lean years more often than not these great coats supplemented the wafer thin blankets most people had to keep the bodies warm at night time.
In the early 1960's I had one to cover my bed during the summer holidays in Mc Cormacks of the Curragh Boreen.
It found its way to my home in Blanchardstown afterward and many's the morning I  woke up with the brass buttons stuck in my mouth.
Well my ancestor was put in charge of the Unit because of his prior experience during the War of Independence and they drilled regularly.
They got word of an inspection from a career Army man during the winter.
They all stripped the great coats from their beds and turned up ship shape and Bristol fashion for inspection and drilling exercises.
N o problems there.
Then he was asked what steps he would take were a force like his previous Brit adversaries to show up by surprise in the next field ."Damnable long ones"SAID HE.
In Dunderry the craic never ends.
On a more serious note the pillage of rural Ireland resulting from the destruction of the beef trade by an uncaring combination of F.G.and F.F. AND the Greens ,in particular ,aided and abetted by The Squire of Enniskerry ,who is determined make the culchies prisoners in their own homes ,is bubbling apace.
Probably the only reason Suckle farmers and dry stock farmers  were willing to subsidize their farming activities were because they were left at the end of the day with some valuable stock with which to pay their bills .
Now that the stock is worth about the same as they paid for it over two years ago ,after paying for feeding in the meantime they are rightly fecked,to put it mildly.
And do you think that the Politicos will tell Revenue to have mercy on these poor culchies.
You must be joking.
It is only about 150 years ago since upwards of a million people here died of starvation on a mainly vegeterian diet.
Are we stupid enough to re visit that vegatarian scenario by abolishing the beef and mutton option.
Seemingly so.