Author: colmphilpott

Seeing the Nagle Mountains Through New Eyes, And Hearing It Through New Ears

I only just came back, just under two hours ago, from a cycle to the Nagle Mountains. So, today I'm going to try something interesting. Usually my cycling blogposts about a specific trip don't get written until, at the soonest, a day later, and at the latest several years later (partly because I didn't yet … Continue reading Seeing the Nagle Mountains Through New Eyes, And Hearing It Through New Ears →

Goldenrod Crab Spiders are Adorable And Terrifying, Some Thoughts On Suffering In The World Of Wildlife

https://imgur.com/ijWaRqC Awww it's so cute when they do the thing with their arms!!!!! One of my favourite spiders is the Goldenrod Crab Spider. I often encounter them on top of hogweed. And, before I go any further, learn about the dangers of hogweed if you've any interest in nature and wildlife, I'm always very careful … Continue reading Goldenrod Crab Spiders are Adorable And Terrifying, Some Thoughts On Suffering In The World Of Wildlife →

Even A Minute Matters, Why We Shouldn’t Give Up On Gaza, Even Though It’ll Feel Hopeless At Times

Note: As I was writing this I became aware that I was spelling Nehenyahu's name wrong, but I'm not going to change it and spell it correctly, because he deserves far, far worse than the indignity of having his name spelled wrong. We all knew it was going to be a massacre when Israel went … Continue reading Even A Minute Matters, Why We Shouldn’t Give Up On Gaza, Even Though It’ll Feel Hopeless At Times →

Am I Getting Older Or Are the Hills Just Getting Steeper?

https://imgur.com/a/KRglhg2 Corrin Hill On A Beautiful June Day Okay it’s probably best to humour me. So you could say: “No Colm, you’re as physically fit as you were five years ago, those mean old hills played a trick on you. And I know you’ll still be a cycling superstar fifty years from now!” Why aren’t … Continue reading Am I Getting Older Or Are the Hills Just Getting Steeper? →

Vocal Stimming: The Sound Of Autistic Joy

“The Analogy Of the Goblin Guest!” “The Shadow Of the Demon Lord!” “Roches Stores!” So what do these phrases have in common? What analogy is this goblin fellow trying to make? Is someone trying to summon some sort of demonic entity? And what has a supermarket that was a mainstay of Patrick’s Street for decades … Continue reading Vocal Stimming: The Sound Of Autistic Joy →

Ireland Stood Up For Justice Before, And There’s No Reason Why It Can’t Do So Again

So the Eurovision is over, a contest I've never really had any interest in. But funnily enough, this year, 2024, would have been the first time I ever watched the Eurovision, but I didn't. The reason my interest was piqued this year was because of Ireland's entry for this year. Firstly, the Irish entry, Bambi … Continue reading Ireland Stood Up For Justice Before, And There’s No Reason Why It Can’t Do So Again →

The Somewhat Long Winded Story Of How I Got Really Into Bird And Bug Photography

Note: In order to save on costs I've had to start uploading all relevant images outside of WordPress. For reasons that have me completely stumped, and when I say that I mean I've spent hours trying to fix the problem, the images, which I feel are an integral part of this post, simply refuse to … Continue reading The Somewhat Long Winded Story Of How I Got Really Into Bird And Bug Photography →

The Andy Irvine Gig in St Luke’s Was One Of The Highlights of This Year

So a few weeks ago I reviewed Rainy Sundays Windy Dreams by Andy Irvine. Here’s that: https://autismneurodiversity.wordpress.com/2024/03/18/rainy-sundays-windy-dreams-from-ireland-to-the-balkans-and-back-again And I mentioned in it I would soon be going to see Andy Irvine and Donal Lunny playing in St Luke’s. Sadly, Donal Lunny couldn’t make the gig due to health issues, and I hope he makes a … Continue reading The Andy Irvine Gig in St Luke’s Was One Of The Highlights of This Year →

A Most Excellent Cycle To Kilcrea Castle And Ballincollig Regional Park

The weather is getting better and it’s time to get out a lot more. This time of year can actually be a bit bittersweet for me, because I have quite bad travel anxiety. During the Winter I don’t mind not traveling anywhere, because, it’s Winter. I think, like many people, the thought of going more … Continue reading A Most Excellent Cycle To Kilcrea Castle And Ballincollig Regional Park →