Lonely Planet’s Cork and Cowen’s Head Taking Off

One good cut (in time saves nine ...)!

The biggest gimmick of last week must have been Lonely Planet’s inclusion of Cork in its ten best destinations for 2010. Oh come off it like, as we say around here. What sort of a langerated idea is this?  Or to put it another way, ‘Do you think like we came down in the last shower?’

Marketing by Lonely Planet, I think.  Not that the ‘tourish (sic) industry’ didn’t dine out on it for a few days and clap themselves on the back.  It was just what they needed: ‘Oh come here, really do, so we can RIP you off big big time.’

But anyway, none of this is to take away from the fact that we are special down here in Cork. Everyone knows that.  Any by way of an example, here is what I have to offer up –  take a gawk.  Isn’t that something?  I took the photo on the huge ‘Get Up, Stand Up’ march against the cuts that passed through ‘pana’ on Friday afternoon last. Now  that WAS something to see.  And pride of place for me goes to this great placard which got to the nub of the matter.  Surely like.

One good cut!  Now that’s the spirit of the Rebel County…

Are Ye Trying To Fill The Graveyards Quicker?

I have been to a lot of protests over the years in Cork.  A few stand out and yesterday’s protest against the recently announced Government cuts in the Medical Card entitlements for the over 70s was one of them. It was an unexpectedly big march that got under way at 3 pm.  From the beginning there were lots of people on the march that hadn’t been on a protest for a long time.  And yet they were determined to be there.  It was great to see.  Once the march got under way, it received an ovation from the those standing on the pavements watching – Saturday afternoon shoppers; families in town for a stroll.   There was a really buoyant air of protest and anger to the march which grew and grew as it made its way along Patrick’s Street.  I was reminded of that tremendous march in Cork city centre against the Iraq War back in 2003 when the huge crowd was mesmerised by its own sheer size.  On that occasion a sit down protest followed and there was a feeling in the air of the power of people standing together and for something.  Something to see indeed! There was sometime similar in Cork on Saturday.  Maybe not as strong but there nonetheless – tremendous all and all.  I got to take some photos and a number of placards stood out: one said are “Are Ye Trying To Fill The Graveyards Quicker”.  Another was of a young   holding a placard saying leave my grannies Medical Card alone!

More protests are planned and there is every chance that this particularly cut will be reversed. That would be great.  People power is a wonder!  Nonetheless it doesn’t take from the fact that the Government has the ordinary person in their sights when it comes to finding someone to pay for the disaster that is this present economic crisis.  I suppose no surprise there.  Absolutly none at all.  There is more on march at http://www.wsm.ie/story/4646 and athttp://www.indymedia.ie/article/89514. If you get a chance get out on the street too!