The Emptiness Of Keir Starmer
Keir Starmer is a bit of a paradox. I’m fascinated by how unfascinating he is. I’m intrigued by how unintriguing he is. Did you ever do that thought experiment where you ask the question, “What is nothing?” So you might conclude, “When I close my eyes, I’m seeing nothing” but you’re not, you’re seeing blackness. Or you might…
How Long Will The Silence Continue?
I recently saw a video that absolutely broke my heart. In tears, Sudanese American mother Daad Khojali talks about how, no matter how brutal, no matter how evil what happens in Sudan is, very few people come to the protests. Daad is talking in the aftermath of an emergency protest for Sudan, when the RSF killed 1500 people…
This SHOULD Be Obvious, But Fox Hunting Is Evil
During the Summer, when the evenings were long, I used to cycle into the countryside, camera and recorder ready, to get some bird photos and record some bird vocalizations. And every so often something would happen that would make my heart stop (metaphorically, don’t worry!) I would stop the bike, and approach a field, maybe because I’d seen…
Humanity Is At A Crossroads
There’s a part of me that hates arguing that if we allow the genocide in Gaza to continue, humanity as a whole is at stake. Because, I just wish the suffering, and deaths, of the people of Palestine was enough by itself to convince everyone that this horrific mass slaughter needs to stop. One day, I hope to…
No, The Titanic Is Not A Monument To Man’s Hubris
Every few years or so, I become what I like to call “Titanic Brained”. I start obsessively learning the details of this ship that bumped some ice on its first voyage. And I’ll start telling you, “Boat 7 was the first boat to launch,” and “Boat 15 almost crushed boat 13” and “Collapsible Boat B went upside down”…
Climate Change, Gaza, And Mutually Assured Destruction
The day before yesterday I watched the film Threads. There are three main reactions to Threads that people have. 1. Traumatized. 2. Quite Traumatized. 3. Extremely traumatized beyond belief. But why? Were the acting, dialogue and special effects really that bad? No, I’m not going for a silly joke like that here. Threads is possibly one of the…
Should We Disbelieve What Our Eyes And Ears Are Telling Us?
Good Afternoon, I’m Completely Empty BBC Presenter, coming to you live from the town of Forecastle-Upon-Gooseberry-Hill. To my left you will see what appears to be a hospital burning to the ground, its inhabitants trapped, with little if any hope of survival unless somebody does something. And, like any sane, sensible, and moral person, I was just about…
Have You Ever Looked At Africa’s Borders? Why Are They Like That?
So I was just looking at a map of Africa, and the borders are an atrocious state of affairs, an atrocious state of affairs I fear. The borders of Egypt and Mauritania, as an example, are so rectangular I have to assume that they must violate the will of God in some way. While on the other hand,…
Trans People Exist, Why Are You So Weird About It?
I remember my first introduction to the fact that transgender people exist. It was when Israeli* contestant, Dana International, won the Eurovision. I was 12 at the time, and I have to admit, I didn’t understand at all. My painfully misinformed understanding, was that a “man” had gotten surgery to turn themselves into a woman. The understanding that…
Blood Seen From Space, The Horror In Sudan Continues
Ever learn something, and you don’t know how you’ll think of anything else, for the rest of the day, for the next few months, or even that you might find yourself reflecting on it time and time again, for the rest of your life? For me it’s this, the mass slaughter that is happening in Sudan, is so,…
Servitude Or Death, The Fate Of Earth’s Animals.
I talked in my previous blogpost: about how the slender billed curlew is extinct. There are no more of them left. Any sighting you get of one, will be a photograph. Any sound you hear from them, will be a recording. Now, let’s contrast that with another bird. The domestic chicken. How many of them are there? 26.56…
A Ceasefire Has Been Declared. So Why Still Protest?
A question that is being asked of the pro-Palestine movement over the last few days is, now that a ceasefire has been declared, why do we still protest for Palestine? Isn’t our job done? Can’t we now find something else to do with our time? I’m going to try and answer that question, but in this post, there’s…
The Somud Flotilla Has Been Intecepted, What Has It Achieved, And What Now?
As of the time of writing, all boats from the Somud Flotilla have been intercepted by Israel, their crews kidnapped and now in Israeli custody. I, like many people, fear for their safety. While Israel has returned members of previous flotillas that they intercepted to their home countries, the Somud flotilla was such a massive defiance of Israeli…
Gaza, Is It Time For A Different Type Of Hope?
It’s coming up to October. Which means, we have spent the last two years witnessing one of the worst genocides of the 21st century. Live-streamed. There are horrors burned into my mind that I don’t think I’ll ever forget. The last ever phone call of Hind Rajab. Learning of human beings being deliberately burned to death. The sight…
What About The Other Injustices?
If you are an activist for trying to end the mass slaughter of the people in Gaza, a question you will sometimes be asked is, what about the other injustices in the world, surely it’s not just Gaza where there is a mass slaughter happening? And that is absolutely true. The sad, horrifying reality of it is that,…
Trying To Make Sense Of Absolute Insanity
This blogpost is partly inspired by this video, featuring Taigh Hickey and Greta Thunberg: Before this video was released, if you told me there was going to be a video with Taigh and Greta, I’d have been like, “Yes, this is the best thing that ever happened ever! Like one of those Marvel crossover events, where Dirtbike Girl…
The Cynical Canonization Of Charlie Kirk
To start with an obvious statement, the assassination of Charlie Kirk is completely unacceptable, and has no place in any civilized society, or even semi-civilized society. The police already have a man in custody, and, if he is found guilty, he deserves to spend a very long time in prison (I don’t agree with the death penalty.) However,…
How I Went From Hating The Irish Language To Wishing I Was Able To Speak It.
Like most Irish people, I’m a monolingual English speaker. That’s broadly how it is across the country. Within Europe, Ireland is a weird outlier in that way. Before I developed severe travel anxiety, I visited Germany, France, Portugal, Hungary, Poland, Iceland, Italy and Norway, and there, people who speak both their native language and English is quite common.…
An Update From Germany Regarding Their Government’s Complicity in the Palestinian Genocide
Hi all, a good friend of mine, who lives in Germany, has sent an anonymous letter (it has to be anonymous because of the situation in Germany) about Germany’s shameful complicity in the Gazan genocide. What follows is the text of that letter. Dear Colm, This letter is somewhat long overdue. Here is another update from Germany. After…
We Should STILL All Be Screaming.
I was looking back on when I wrote some of my blogposts, and I realized it’s been close to a year since I wrote this: And I entertained the idea of waiting until the 25th of this month to write this, but I thought, writer’s block being what it is, better not risk it, better write this now…
Should We Take Action To Save This Drowning Man?
Good afternoon, I’m Completely Empty BBC Presenter, coming to you live from the seaside village of Stokesly-Upon-Tyne-Berry-South-Livercastle. And today the show is a little bit different, but I hope you’ll enjoy it. Let me explain. An argument between two locals has erupted, which resulted in one pushing the other into the water. The man who has fallen into…
Should We Lift A Finger To Help The People Of Gaza?
Good evening, I’m Completely Empty BBC Presenter. And you’ll be glad to know, I’ve been subjected to enhanced conditioning, so I won’t go off and become an insane leftist like the previous Completely Empty BBC Presenter. The question we’re discussing today is, should we lift a finger to help the people of Gaza? To argue that we shouldn’t,…
Does Israel Have A Right To Defend Itself From Imaginary Things?
Good Evening, I’m Completely Empty BBC Presenter. And we’re here to have a very exciting talk today, the talk of our times, the talk of every time, perhaps the talk of from the big bang to the eventual heat death of the universe. We will be asking the question, “Does Israel have a right to defend itself from…
Should Humanity Itself Be Made A Proscribed Organization?
Good Evening, I’m Completely Empty BBC Presenter. Recently, the British Government made the decision to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist group. Now, some may be thinking, that’s a bit extreme. But I’ve got news for those extremists who think that’s too extreme. Through modern technology, we’ve managed to figure out what Osama Bin Laden would say about…
Finding Hope Along the Cork Harbour Greenway
I feel for the last few years hope is something that’s been in short supply. The horrific genocide in Palestine, the re-election of Trump, the seemingly unstoppable climate change catastrophe, well, it could be stopped if the powers that be wanted to, but they won’t, and the fact that an unbelievable amount of birdlife in Ireland and abroad…
Do You Condemn Nat Turner?
Hello, I’m Completely Empty BBC Presenter. And by BBC I mean British Bookreading Corporation, because this is the 19th century. As we all know, there was a completely unprovoked and unconscionable attack that took place in Southampton County, Virginia, in the United States last week. The white population there had the decency and kindness to provide employment and…
Should Oxygen Be Considered Anti-Semitic?
Good afternoon, I’m Completely Empty BBC Presenter. The question of our time, should oxygen be considered anti-Semitic? To argue that it should be, we have Suzanne Candlecuddle, from The Center For The Advancement Of Israel’s Interests Above Humanity’s Interests, and to argue it shouldn’t be considered anti-Semitic, we have some leftist troublemaker with some sort of stupid t-shirt.…
Should Kneecap and Bob Vylan Be Sent To The Gallows?
Good evening, I’m Completely Empty BBC Presenter. We are here to debate whether Kneecap and Bob Vylan should be sent to the gallows, on one side, we have Barry Constantbladder, who supports the mass slaughter of the Palestinian people and wishes Kneecap and Bob Vylan to be sent to the gallows, on the other side we have David…
Fuck It
There’s a comparison I’m very reluctant to make. Because it’s a very overused, and abused comparison. I feel if I made this comparison, I would be deploying the oldest trick in the book, and really, what would that say about……. Fuck it. I’m comparing the way the Western Media genuflects to Israel to the classic dystopian novel 1984!…
Bottlehill Forest Is A Great Place To Listen To Bird Song. But It Shouldn’t Be.
One of my favourite places to listen to bird song, and record bird song, is Bottlehill Forest (I’m not sure if that’s even the exact name of the place, but that’s what I’ve come to know it as.) Some of my clearest recordings of robins and chaffinches were recorded there. And now I look forward to my next…
How I Went From A Mess Of Thought Terminating Cliches To A Supporter Of Palestine
I think I probably have a reputation among people I know as, that guy who never shuts up about Palestine. Palestine this, Palestine that, has he anything else to say for himself? And I get the impression, that I come across as someone who has been a supporter of Palestine for years, if not decades. But that’s not…
How To Pretend To Care About Palestinian Life
My friends, we all knew this dark day would come. I just didn’t think it would come so soon. Our Lord and Saviour, Bono, has stated that Nehenhayu has been very bold this year. If even the Crown Prince of Lethargic Centrism has offered a fairly mild criticism of Israel, then I’m afraid we may be in trouble.…
I Have Watched Almost All 889 Episodes Of Doctor Who, But I Won’t Be Watching The Next Episode
To say I love Doctor Who would be an understatement. I remember it being a constant feature in my house as a child, those constant U.K Gold reruns, but that’s not when I got into it. I started watching it when, as is the case for many sci-fi fans, the revived series saw Christopher Eccleston playing the Doctor,…
Transphobia Is A Useless Distraction From Your Real Problems, Don’t Fall For It!
I remember, starting around 2020, it could have been before that but this is just when I became aware of it, trans people really started to become a target. It started as something I would witness from afar in Britain and the United States, but as the years went by, I would gradually meet Irish people who’s whole…
It’s Almost That Time Of Year, Boycott The Goddamn Eurovision Again!
I’m not a fan of the Eurovision, but strangely, the beginning of my activism against the genocide of the Palestinian people began with the Eurovision. My first ever act of protest against the genocide was to write an email to RTE asking them to pull out of the Eurovision, in protest of Israel’s participation. They didn’t respond, how…
RFK Jr has a horrific illness, why do people have to be so mean?
I’m tired of all these people making fun of Robert F. Kennedy Jr! It’s so horrible! The poor man, it must be a struggle, EVERY, SINGLE, DAY, for him, why have people got to be so callous and cruel!” No, I’m not talking about the fact that he has dystonia. I’m not talking about the worm in his…
Does Ireland Support Palestine?
Ireland is famous as that country that really supports Palestine. Indeed, we’ve gotten the nickname “Paddystilians”, because of it, intended as an insult of course, but many here in Ireland take it as a compliment. But, I think the question of whether or not Ireland is a good ally to the people of Palestine, is actually a quite…
Pseudoscience, Ableism, and Callous Greed Led To the Horrific Death Of A Five Year Old Boy
I sometimes find myself grieving for those, who through horrific bad luck, live very short lives. If I hear a story about a teenager who dies of cancer, or a four year old killed in a house fire, or a young adult who dies by a brain aneurysm, I’ll often be deeply upset, for the rest of the…
Biden Was Horrific When It Came To Palestine, But It Doesn’t Follow That Trump Is Any Better
So, I could write many blogposts, and probably will, about the election of Trump at the end of 2024. The reason I haven’t wrote about it so far is that, I don’t even know where to start. Do I write about how I breathed a sigh of relief when Robert F Kennedy Jr, an advocate of the pseudoscientific…
No More Excuses For The Brutal Murder Of Hind Rajab
Content Warning: Descriptions of Hind Rajab’s last phone call Today marks exactly one year since the horrific murder of Hind Rajab, killed by the I.D.F. Have the excuses for this brutal genocide of the Palestinian people stopped? No. Oh sure, there’s a “ceasefire”, and many are now complaining that the protests against Israel’s actions are still proceeding, despite…
A Letter From Germany Regarding That Country’s Complicity in the Palestinian Genocide
Hello all, something a bit different today. A good friend of mine lives in Germany, and has spent the last few months having conversations with me about how bad it for the Pro-Palestine movement over there, and the German government’s utterly indefensible complicity in the mass murder of the Palestinian people. Because of the difficulties involved in protesting…
Most Of The Birds I Have Encountered in Courtmacsherry Are In Danger Of Extinction
I am currently staying in Courtmacsherry, where, I am seeing such an amazing variety of birdlife that it’s overwhelming. And it’s exhausting. Yes, I experience such intense happiness that I experience exhaustion, there are so many weird, wonderful and amazing birds down here that sometimes my brain just goes, “That’s enough for today, recharge by staring at paint…
On “Separating The Art From The Artist”
So, let’s start with an obvious statement. Brilliant musicians are often shitty people. Miles Davis, who re-invented jazz so many times that you can nearly get a good idea of the genre’s history just by listening to him, admitted to beating his third wife, Cecily Tyson. https://www.gq.co.za/culture/entertainment/miles-davis-a-problematic-life-a-problematic-legacy-46651610 So, it’s a fairly obvious fact, great musicians can be awful…
Sounds That Can’t Be Made, A Late Era Gem From Marillion
Marillion are a band that were in danger of being confined to my list of bands that I’ll never listen to for the remainder of my life. Why was this? Did I hear anything bad about their music? No, quite the opposite in fact. I’d heard nothing but good things. But, there is so much music in the…
How I Fell Down The Pseudo Intellectual Technological Centrist Pipeline, And How I Got Back Out
So, you’ve probably heard of the alt right pipeline. Many straight white dudes aged twenty to forty fall into that. I didn’t. I was in danger of falling into it sure, there were plenty of close calls as I look back on it. But I don’t think I ever fell down that. The pipeline I fell down was…
How To Not Give A Shit About Palestine
Content Warning: Dark Humour About The Palestinian Genocide So, as you may have read, or encountered in one of these, TikTok videos, despite your best efforts to ignore it, there’s a bit of trouble going on in Palestine. And, the more you hear about dead babies and entire families being wiped out, your guilty conscience may start demanding…
The Hypocrisy of Supporting Ukraine But Not Palestine
I remember the start of 2022, and I learned that something awful had happened. Russia had invaded Ukraine. It felt like the start of a nightmare had begun for Ukrainians. They were just living their lives peacefully, and then Putin decided to take over their country? How could something so horrifically unacceptable happen in full view of the…
The Horrific Genocide in Palestine IS an Irish Problem
A few weeks ago, I wrote a post called “Why You Shouldn’t Stay Neutral On Palestine”. I argued against the idea that we should try to fix Irish problems but not international problems. Now, I still agree with the general premise of what I wrote, that there is no particular reason why Irish lives or Irish issues have…
Why Aren’t We All Screaming?
Content Warning: Genocide in Gaza Mohamed Abu Al-Qomasan’s wife Joumana Arafa had just given birth to two babies boys. As he waited to collect the birth certificates, he learned that his two boys, along his wife, and the twins’ grandmother, had been murdered by the IDF. The happiest day of this man’s life was turned into his worst…
The Misogynistic Witchhunt Of Imane Khelif, And How It Is Distracting From the Injustices Of the International Olympic Committee
The internet is, and probably always will be, a bastion of anger before fact checking, and the latest controversy regarding Olympic boxing is no exception to this. This begun when Imane Khelif was fighting Angela Karini, and the fight was stopped after less than a minute, with Angela Karini bursting into tears. And then, an army of people…
Why You Shouldn’t Stay Neutral On Palestine
Today, I’m not going to talk about why you shouldn’t be pro Israel, I don’t think you should be, but that’s not what I’m going to talk about today. I’m going to talk about why you shouldn’t stay neutral. Not being for Israel or Palestine. You can’t be wrong if you stay neutral right? After all, how can…
Ireland Has Failed Women By Infantilizing Men
Awww poor Cathal Crotty! He made a lickel mistake! I’m sure he’s a good boy who didn’t mean to attack that woman! I’m sure he’s a good little boy who feels very very bad about beating another human being until they lose consciousness! Let’s give this little boy another chance by making sure he still has a military…
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 into Rafah. And…
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 Thug, was from…
Why I Haven’t Eaten Meat In Four Years
Context Warning: Descriptions of horrific cruelty to animals. So, since this month marks four years since my decision to give up meat, I thought it might be interesting to talk about why I decided to do this. It’s not technically true that I haven’t consumed any meat since this time. For example, I go to restaurants where the…
Why Robert Kennedy Jr Would Be A Disaster For Autistic People
So recently somebody brought to my attention that Robert Kennedy Jr, nephew of John F Kennedy, is running for president. My first thought was, “good, someone other than Trump or DeSantis might be the next president”. And I can see why at first glance he might be an appealing choice. He’s a Democrat, and while I’m not a…
No, Enoch Burke Was Not Jailed For Misgendering One Of His Students
In Ireland a teacher named Enoch Burke has been sent to Mountjoy Prison. A lot of misinformation has already been spread about this case, namely that the reason Enoch Burke was imprisoned was that he misgendered one of his students. This is not in any way true, and the idea that it is true is dangerous and could…
Ponderings Of An Autist 