Wexfordmusings

Wexford Labour Party

2010-01-10T03:11:00.001Z

Hi All,

To those interested, the Wexford branch of the Labour Party has expanded their internet presence with a facebook page, that is, so far, proving popular with over 250 friends in under a week.

Check it out at:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?ref=profile&id=100000658230272

regards

Sean

Under the Dome

2009-11-24T01:01:00.002Z

Forgot to mention during the weekend as i am engrossed but am reading Stephen Kings latest - UNDER THE DOME - and it is fan-tab-u-lous.

Not to be cliche, but it has to be said, Top drawer stuff, an epic of epic proportions and epic talent, King back as the King of Writers.

John

World Cup Champ Cheats?

2009-11-24T00:09:00.003Z

Well everyone who never had an interest in soccer knows who Henry is at this stage, but I have to ask myself, why should we care.

The Irish team had umpteen chances to win the game and didnt take them. In fact, this was the fist match I have painstakingly watched in about 2 years that Ireland actually tried to win, so we have nobody to blame only the team. And no, dont blame the different coaches over the last few years, they are not on the pitch. Also, if the team were good enough they would not have had this nailbiter of a last-ditch-attempt qualifier anyway. Then again, I have been telling everyone that all soccer is, is 22 puffs jogging around a pitch pretending to be injured. And lets not forget the traitors who wont play for their country because they dont like the management and abondon their team and loyal fans because the other players pitch is greener - Roy Keane. It is an honor to play for your country/county in whatever competition it may be, lets start thinking about the kids and create a future for them instead of this whinging, diving, cheating world we live in.

But there is a silver lining, we can now ignore soccer for a few years and concentrate on the wonderful game of rugby who manage to use a TV ref, call correctly "off the ball" incidents, penalise when necessary but above all have the much vaunted "Fair Play". The only way to get soccer played fairly is to have the charades refereed better and get rid of all the money. Ask yourself who had the most to gain - oh ya, thats was Henry, he got a bonus of something like €440,000 for that handball...

Ireland, get a little perspective and herald those true stars we have, to name just a couple - Mary Robinson & Brian O Driscoll, lets build on what is great and boycott the crap.

Thats my tuppence worth

John Ryan

Shattered Love

2009-11-14T01:14:00.002Z

After Reading some of Tina's posts, i remembered that I once wrote a poem - many years ago. This is how it went:

Shattered Love.

The Screaming silence of my solitude,
Would shake the soundest foundations
For what is love only a declaration of soul,
Reminiscent of a sunset.
Forever resulting in emotions being destroyed –
Would we be better without?

With reckless abandonment we destroy, it awakens my sobriety –
Love of out country is tantamount,
To our very own identity.
But will the fanatics go to far?
It causes us to hate, how ironic is that!
Would we be better without?

Lust, power, domination, passion, desire, craving…
We’ve all glimpsed love in its myriad of forms,
It’s an illogical struggle, that always equates with endings,
But all is forgiven with that one emblazoning kiss,
Love is like a sunrise
Could we survive without?

test

2009-11-06T17:32:00.000Z

test

Raven Art Exhibition 2009

2009-10-27T11:33:00.002Z

Hi Everyone,

I'm delighted to be exhibiting my photos at the RavenArt Exhibition in 3 Rowe Street. Check out another fantastic artist - Nicky McGuire, who I am slo following.

To see a selection of my recent photos check out www.pix.ie\wexfordmusings

I have a 2010 calendar in he printers at the moment, here is a preview of the photos in it. There is also a haiku for each month. Hope ye enjoy

January

Icy winds, frozen ground,
Numbing fingers, numbing toes,
Jack Frost nips around.

February

Underneath the chestnut,
In the churchyard, white with snow,
Brave daffodil peeps.

March

Wind, hares and March madness,
The winter clouds scuttle on,
Earth ‘wakens once more.

April

April we find,
Cloud dotted skies, blues, oranges,
Spring finally sprung.

May

Stark against a sky,
Time to remember brave men,
Sky as red as blood.

June

Wow! Sunshine, rock, pools,
Scuttling crabs, slimy seaweed,
Castles, shells and waves.

July

Peeping through the trees,
Behold! Majestic Johnstown,
Beauty in nature.

August

Harvest sunset glows,
Brightly on the calm water,
Casting eerie shadows.

September

Yellow corn heavy with grain,
Ripe and ready for the chop,
Here comes the combine.

October

Among the jagged rocks,
Lashed by wind and flying spray,
Stands the lighthouse proud.

November

Shooting, exploding,
In frenzied colourfulness,
Festival again.

December

Cheerful gatherings,
Parties, indulgence galore,
Year drawn to a close.

Toodles

John Ryan

WEXFORD CAMPUS - IT Carlow

2009-09-29T16:27:00.002+01:00

The Wexford Campus IT Carlow Clubs and Societies day is on this Thursday, 1st October 2009 from 10.00am to 1.00pm

I have arranged to have a table set up for the Labour party so this is a perfect opportunity to recruit some new members and expand Labour Youth in Wexford. It will also be a good opportunity to speak for the last time on Lisbon.

If anyone can come in for a while and help me out, please phone me on 086 395 3846.

Thanks

John Ryan

Recruitment

2009-07-19T12:18:00.002+01:00

So, after a fantastic election, we now need to capitalise.

Every Labour branch out there should start up a recruitment drive and particularly aim at young people. But where do you start. For those counties who are lucky enough to have a third level college, you have a ready made audience but for those counties who do not, eg Wexford, where do you go. Its not really a good thing to go out to pubs on a thursday and friday night to recruit, so then where.

I think each member should start with asking their freidns and family. I bet there isnt one existing member who doesnt know somebody who would join. That means that within the matter of a couple of weeks, if each existing members recruited 1 person, we would double the membership. Bloody hell, why not just start a pyramid scheme...

Anyway, does anybody have any ideas? Mail me.

Toodles

John

2009-05-26T16:47:00.002+01:00

The Governmanr want to close the 24 hour A & E Service in Wexford Hospital. This means that if any thing happens after midnight you will have to drive to Waterford for A&E.

This is confirmed in the Irish Independent yesterday with the "downgrading of Carlow, Clonmel, Wexford & Kilkenny. How many people will be going to Waterford at this stage - all of the South East.

This is another example of how Fianne Fail have finally failed the country and a sahmbolic attempt at trying to save a few euros in the mess that we laughingly call the HSE. Just think about it, what country has a Health Board (I wouldnt even pretend to call them an executive - this gives the too much credit) that doesnt know what they are doing with in turn the Minister for Health not responsible for what happens in the HSE. Bloody horse-crap. This is another example of the government stealthily trying to remove services from the people of Wexford (particularly after Wexford people raising so much money for the hospital)

Please let all you friends and colleagues know what is planned and ask them to sign the petition on www.brendanhowlin.ie to stop this happening.

To follow what others think check out the following topics on boards.ie and gaire.com (and please add you tuppunce worth to keep the topics active):

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055574918

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055574920

http://www.gaire.com/e/f/view.asp?parent=1223855

Thanks

John

21st Century Commission

2009-04-09T17:21:00.005+01:00

Well after a resounding 10 - 1 majority vote to accept the changes proposed in the 21st Century Commission report I fell its a good idea, after the dust has settled to put in my tuppence worth.

I doubt many of us would disagree that some changes are necessary and the proposals were widely accepted as being positive and progressive - 21st Century here we come. Then again I do not need a 100 page report to tell me that as a party we need to communicate better. Point in fact - how many members have received a copy of our new amended constitution with all the changes brought in! Neither do I need a 100 page report to tell me that as a party we need to use the internet/emails more often, fundraise better and recruit better. But at least now we have an idea where to go and a blueprint to work upon.

So, next thing, (say in July), I think all branches need to look at the proposed changes and see what we can do at a grass roots level. We know that from the top changes will start to filter down, but why dont we meet in the middle? How to do this - well each branch should discuss how to bring in the desired changes over the next 6 months - take one topic/area at a time at a branch meeting, discuss what we can do at the grass roots level and come up with new ideas and start implementing them.

Of course, we were also asked to examine the report and if necessary submit motions next year for any changes we feel necessary (when we were asked to vote for the motion) so whilst over the next 6 months the branches discuss the different areas of change we might also come up with some necessary changes to submit. The advantage of starting in July and taking 6 months to look at all the different areas gives us enough time to see what will work and gives us sufficient time to properly draft motions, if necessary, for the conference next year, rather than putting something together at the last minute!

Anyway, heres to the future !!!

John

Photos of Labour Party Events

2009-04-09T17:18:00.001+01:00

For anyone interested.

Links as follows:

2009 Gorey (Wexford) Selection Convention - http://pix.ie/wexfordmusings/album/340119

2009 Enniscorthy (Wexford) Selection Convention - http://pix.ie/wexfordmusings/album/340120

2009 Party Conference - http://pix.ie/wexfordmusings/album/340121

I would also urge people if they want to share their photographs, (Labour Party and otherwise) to use our own home grown website - www.pix.ie - rather than flickr. Same service but all Irish!

regards

John Ryan
Wexford Town Branch

Our Future Project Update No. 1 - (Saturday, 10th January)

2009-01-11T01:11:00.001Z

Firstly I would like to thank everyone that has donated computer equipment and all those people who have helped out so far. The first stage of collecting equipment is now nearly finished and we had a fantastic response, so much so that I ran out of storage room. I would like to thank the SIPTU offices that allowed me to use their space last week and I would like to thank the Friary who are letting me use their hall at the moment. So far the essentials I have collected are as follows:

34 Computers, 39 Monitors, 35 Keyboards & 25 Mice

And extras such as:

23 Printers, 16 Scanners & 14 sets if speakers.

We have wiped and reinstalled software on 6 computers so far and hope to have another 6 done by the end of the weekend. During the week we intend doing 3 computers every evening so by the end of next week we will hopefully have about 25 computers that can then be donated to schools in the town.

For anyone who would like to help out if you have an hour to spare some evening it would be fantastic, just give me a call. Even if you have no experience with computers, they all need a good clean and polish!

Alternatively, we will be short mice so if you have €3.99 to spare, pop over to Tesco’s and buy one of their own brand mice, or, buy a ream of paper to donate. Also, if you have upgraded the RAM on your own PC, it would be great if you could pass along your old RAM card to us to make the units we have work quicker.

Again, thanks everyone,

John Ryan
18 Francis Street
Wexford
Wexford.musings.2009@gmail.com
Tel: 086 395 3846

Equality for Some

2009-01-10T04:40:00.001Z

Recent laws in Ireland (Employment Equality Act and the Equal Status Act) recognises and protects people from being treated differently under, the now famous “9 Grounds”. Conveniently, this is also a good starting point in saying that the government recognises that there are different groups of people in the modern Ireland of today (and we can give them many titles from disadvantaged, special needs, minority groups etc). For me I prefer not to use any label and to say that there are many different types of people with unique problems and issues that need to be addressed. For those not aware of the “9 Ground”, they are:

· The gender ground: A man, a woman or a transsexual person (specific protection is provided for pregnant employees or in relation to maternity leave);
· The marital status ground: Single, married, separated, divorced or widowed;
· The family status ground: A parent of a person under 18 years or the resident primary carer or a parent of a person with a disability;
· The sexual orientation ground: Gay, lesbian, bisexual or heterosexual; (The Court of Justice in PSV held that discrimination against a transsexual constituted discrimination on the grounds of sex.)
· The religion ground: Different religious belief, background, outlook or none;
· The age ground: This applies to all ages above the maximum age at which a person is statutorily obliged to attend school;
· The disability ground: This is broadly defined including people with physical, intellectual, learning, cognitive or emotional disabilities and a range of medical conditions;
· The race ground: A particular race, skin colour, nationality or ethnic origin;
· The Traveller community ground: People who are commonly called Travellers, who are identified both by Travellers and others as people with a shared history, culture and traditions, identified historically as a nomadic way of life on the island of Ireland.
(Should you want any more information the first port of call should be the Equality Authorities Website at http://www.equality.ie/. – as they are experiencing some staffing problems at the moment)

This brings me to the problem. The Wexford Town & Environs Development Plan is currently on public display and there is a good attempt at a policy in the community development section as follows:

(page 53 – section 6.1.4)

“6.1.4 Special Need Groups
Some groups will have more barriers than others in accessing the same opportunities, services and facilities, whether through unemployment, disability, age, gender, location, origin or language barriers. These groups include children/young people, older people, women, people who are ill or those with various disabilities, members of the travelling community and members of Irelands existing and new ethnic minority groups.”

It seems to be a deliberate omission to not include the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community (i.e. the ground of “sexual orientation”) as the Council are well aware at this stage that we exist and that we want recognition. To rectify this matter and to force the council to recognize all the different groups we would ask that you write into the Council asking that the above paragraph be changing to read along the lines of

“6.1.4 Special Need Groups
Some groups will have more barriers than others in accessing the same opportunities, services and facilities, whether through unemployment, disability, age, gender, location, origin or language barriers. These groups include children/young people, older people, women, people who are ill or those with various disabilities, members of the travelling community, members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community, those of a different religious or ethnic or race origin and members of Irelands existing and new ethnic minority groups.”

Your submission should be in sent in immediately by post (on or before 28th January) to –

Forward Planning, Planning Department, Wexford County Council, County Hall, Wexford.

OR

The Town Clerk, Wexford Borough Council,Crescent Quay, Wexford.

or email niall.mcdonnell@wexfordcoco.ie

The full draft plan and maps can be found at:

http://www.wexford.ie/wex/Departments/Planning/DevelopmentPlans/ProposedAmendmentsDraftWexfordTownPlan/

You should also contact the Wexford Borough Councillors as follows:

Mayor:

Howlin, Ted
Labour
Rocklands, Wexford
Work phone: 053-9124686
Mobile phone: 087-9788959
Home phone:
Fax number:
Email: ted.howlin@wexfordcoco.ie

Deputy Mayor:

Carr, Thomas
Labour
76 St. Aidan's Crescent
Wexford
Work phone:
Mobile phone: 087 976 9080
Home phone: 053 914 1627
Fax number:
Email: tommycarr@eircom.net

Byrne, Gus
Fianna Fáil
19 Thomas Clarke Place
Wexford
Work phone:
Mobile phone:
Home phone: 053 912 2408
Fax number:
Email: gusbyrne@wexcouncil.com

Fenlon, Anna
Fine Gael
1 Wolfe Tone Villas,
Wexford
Work phone: 053-9146965
Mobile phone: 087-6615346
Home phone:
Fax number:
Email: anna.fenlon@wexfordcoco.ie

Furlong, Willie
Non Party
6 Harbour View
Maudlintown
Wexford
Work phone:
Mobile phone: 085 1426411
Home phone:
Fax number:
Email:

Hynes, David
Labour
48 Davitt Road South,
Wexford
Work phone:
Mobile phone: 087 2290248
Home phone: 053 912 2838
Fax number:
Email: dhynes@indigo.ie

Kelly, Anthony
Sinn Fein
3 Glenbrook
Wexford
Work phone:
Mobile phone: 087 1361785
Home phone:
Fax number:
Email: cllrakelly@eircom.net

Lawlor, George
Labour
12 Richmond Drive
Wexford
Work phone:
Mobile phone: 086 8164128
Home phone:
Fax number:
Email: geolaw@indigo.ie

Nolan, Paddy
Fianna Fáil
9 Hantoon Road
Wexford
Work phone: 053 914 2233
Mobile phone:
Home phone: 053 912 2074
Fax number:
Email:

Reck, Padge
Non Party
"Sunrise", Mulgannon,
Wexford
Work phone: 053-9144666
Mobile phone: 087-6175675
Home phone:
Fax number:
Email: padge.reck@wexfordcoco.ie

Roche, Philomena
Fine Gael
Ballygoman
Barntown
Wexford
Work phone:
Mobile phone: 087 2058442
Home phone: 053 912 0618
Fax number:
Email: cllrphilroche@eircom.net

Ryan, Joe
Labour
40 Cromwellsfort Drive
Wexford
Work phone:
Mobile phone: 087 6149350
Home phone: 053 912 3031
Fax number:
Email: cllrjoeryan@eircom.net

Selection Convention, 15th December 08

2008-12-17T02:32:00.000Z

Selection Convention, 15th December 08

Well we had a fantastic convention last night with a huge turnout. Unlike Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, the Labour party gave its membership a democratic vote as to whom would be selected rather than running interviews and head-office dictating to the branch what to do, so to start with, its a victory for Democracy.

Labour will run 5 candidates in the local Wexford Borough Council Election next June (keeping in mind we currently hold 5 out of 12 seats anyway) as follows:

Theresa Walsh (fantastic)
Cllr. Ted Howlin (Mayor)
Cllr George Lawlor (Previous Mayor 07-08)
Cllr. Joe Ryan
Cllr. Davey Hynes

Labour will run 3 canidates in the Wexford County Council area (currently holding one out of 5) as follows:

Cllr. Ted Howlin (Mayor)
Cllr George Lawlor (Previous Mayor 07-08)

with a third candidate to be selected as soon as possible.

The campaign Manager and campaign team will be organised before Christmas and the team wil be hitting the highways and byways in the New Year.

With over 6000 new people on the register after the expansion of the Borough Boundary and over 1000 households not yet on the register, there is plenty of votes there for Labour to secure the necessary new votes whilst retaining and gathering more from the old town boundary area and are confident in reaching their targets.

I would like to take this opportunity to everyone who turned up tonight and allowed Democracy to win...

regards

John

Our Future Project

2008-12-04T01:17:00.003Z

So, we've all heard from just about every party at this stage that one thing we need to do is attract the "high-end" jobs to Ireland, re-train the nation and get ready for the time when we leave recession behind. Of course this is made even easier by the government slashing I.T. funding in Schools by 39%...

I know in the medium to long term this issue will be addressed (starting with the INTO organised protest this Saturday to the time when the current Government gets changed) but in the short term this is an issue which the Labour branch in Wexford are going to address on a local level, with a simple, easy solution;

The Future Project over the next 3 weeks are asking all households that are replacing their computer this Christmans to donate their old equipment to us so that we in turn can redistribute it to schools. Most of the schools in Wexford town have been contacted at this stage and are interested in taking part. A full list of the participating schools will be available by the end of the week.

So, if you have any old computer that deserves a new home, let us know. If you have any other equipment that may be of use, for example a mouse, keyboards, printers, scanners, screens or even maybe an old digital camera hanging around let us know. If you would like to help but have no spare equipment, go up to Aldi and but a reem of paper to donate, costing around €2.00 - to borrow a line - every little helps.

If you are a business or know of a business that sells computers please let them know to ask customers to pass on their old equipment to us. If you collect any suitable items under the WEEE initiative let us know also.

Anyway for more information contact me John Ryan on 086 3953846.

Thanks

John

Ending Homelessness by 2010

2008-11-26T01:50:00.000Z

Just a short blog because its late (and take with a grain of salt)...

I just had an epiphany, I now know how the Government is going to deliver on its promise to end homelessness by 2010. It will be by stealth (wow theres a surprise) by bringing in individual pieces of legislation that will all accumulate to getting rid of homelessness.

Step 1
Make it illegal to be on the street in the first place (like begging, standing outside a particular business - aledgedly harrassing people - rather than the truth that the door is open and they have one of those lovely big fans pumping out warm air just over the inside of the door etc)...

Step 2
Bring in anti-social behaviour laws so that same homelessness person who is now not allowed to beg or stand near a particular shop, is settling down to kip for the night and to get rid of the cold and dispair has a nice large 3 litre bottle of some rank cider, but hang on thats anti-social and cant do that so the homeless person will have no 3 litre bottle of devils bit - so instead will have the 4 euro extra per day in their pocket (oh hang on, they won have the moeny cause there not allowed to beg) to get a mortgage for a new house...

Step 3
Destroy certain areas of the country, get rid of all the jobs, the foreign nationals will all leave the country so there will be vacant houses, give the banks all the tax payers money so in turn the banks can turf people out of their houses and thats loads of vacant houses for the homeless to move into...

Step 4
Destroy the housing market so values drop so low that the homeless people can buy the houses nobody wants (with the 4 euro per day saved not buying the devils bit cider)

Woowoo, no homelessness by 2010.

Civil rights in Ireland...

2008-11-24T02:08:00.000Z

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President Obama reigns supreme – but where does Ireland stand on equality?

(John Ryan, November 2008)

Finally, America sees the light and elects a black President – Barack Obama. So, now that the dust has settled and a Clinton will also be back in the White House, we can acknowledge it’s not just a great day for America, but for the world also. President John F. Kennedy, in his inaugural speech, on 20^th January 1961, famously said “All this will not be finished in the first hundred days. Nor will it be finished in the first thousand days, nor in the lifetime of this Administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin”. In June 1963 he introduced his Civil Rights Bill although, as we know, he never got to see it pass as he was assassinated shortly afterwards (the bill was passed in 1965). So, we can applaud America, but out of the other 200 or so countries in the World, where do we stand?

Well, in January 1918, women over the age of 30 voted in a general election for the first time - Ireland was only the 14^th Country in the World to give women the vote. In December of that year, Countess Markievicz became the first women ever to be elected as an MP to the British House of Commons, although, as a member of Sinn Féin, she did not take her seat!

The Irish Constitution (warts and all) was passed in a referendum on the 1st July 1937 and included some fantastic pieces of legislation whilst removing references to the Oath of Allegiance, appeals to the Privy Council, the British Crown and the Governor General. It had provision for our civil rights and liberties, including; Equality before the law (as we know not quite there yet), The state is bound to protect "the personal rights of the citizen"; Inviolability of the home; Freedom of speech, assembly worship and association;

The state must not endow any religion and the state may not discriminate on religious grounds. In regards to those in prison, the death penalty is prohibited’ a trial for a serious offence must usually be before a jury and whilst a prisoner is in jail when the prisoner has done their “time” they can still vote – u

nlike many countries that restrict prisoners rights even after they have paid their debt to society.

Homosexuality was formally decriminalised in 1993. This was the result of a campaign by Senator David Norris and the Campaign for Homosexual Law Reform, which led to a ruling in 1988 that Irish laws prohibiting homosexual activities were in contravention of the European Convention on Human Rights. The Campaign for Homosexual Law Reform was founded in the 1970s to fight for the decriminalisation of homosexuality, its founding members including Senator Norris and current and former President of Ireland Mary McAleese and Mary Robinson.

The Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act, 1989 outlaws incitement to hatred based on sexual orientation whilst in latter years 3 pieces of legislation were enacted, the Employment Equality Act 1998 came into force on the 18th October 1999, and was amended on the 25th October 2004 by the Equality Act 2004 and Equal Status Act 2000 came into force on the 25th October 2000 giving us further protections, so, all in all, not too bad.

However, the Irish government have fallen somewhat short in the last 10 years, continuing to allow America to use Shannon as a stop off point whilst bringing people who have been detained without a trial for an undetermined amount of time to Guantánamo Bay (Gitmo for short, you know how the yanks like to simplify everything – somewhat like most of them) for certain torture.

Ireland continues to deny LGBT full equality and instead offers snippets of equality when they need a few extra votes – dog licences here we come.

Specifically, the Irish Blood Transfusion Service still will not take donations from males who have ever had anal or oral sex with another male, even if a condom or other form of protection was usedand even though the IBTS publicly admit this is clearly discriminatory, they still have not taken their finger out, Ireland is the only country in the EU that refuses to legally recognise gender change. There is at present a case being taken by Dr Lydia Foy to have her new gender legally recognised. On 19th October 2007 Dr. Foy won her case in the High Court to get a birth certificate in her female gender however this is being challenged by the government.

Iarnrod Eireann (Irish Rail) have recently put back up posters in train stations banning same-sex couples from travelling on their free passes even though in 2003 an Equality Authority tribunal ruled in favour of a gay couple who claimed CIE -- the parent company of Irish Rail -- was discriminatory in its free-travel pass scheme on the basis of sexual orientation. The Tanaiste Mary Coughlan is the person responsible for this.

So, lets get out there and fight for equality. And I am not going to use the word “full equality” as equality is not debatable. You either have equality or you do not. Its black and white, right and wrong. So, start by talking to the EAGLE committee and talking to your local politicians and businesses. Lets start naming and shaming those who are not for equality and lets start honouring those who are.

(John Ryan, November ’08)

A little about me

2008-11-15T02:23:00.000Z

Okay then, after a couple of false starts, lets get going.

My name is John Ryan and I am from wexford Town. I am 31 years of age.

My hobbies include reading, watching DVD's, keeping track of politics and current affairs, playing Scrabble and working with the local LGBT support group. Last November I also joined the Labour Party.

I was on the first committee of EAGLE - the Equality Alliance of Gays & Lesbians in Eire. EAGLE was launched as a non-profit organisation earlier this year and i am also a board member. I am a fouonder member of the Menapia Scrabble Club (with 3 branches - 1 in town, another in Enniscorthy and the 3rd in New Ross) also the Secretary of RISPA - the Republic of Ireland Scrabble Players Association. So, as the saying goes - if you want something done ask a busy person...

In my spare time I work in the Environment Section of Wexford County Council. I love the Council and if anyone is interesting drop me a line and maybe I can help you make up your mind. I started in the Council in May 2001 - under BLG - in the Finance Section. And before you ask - NO, I DIDNT KNOW SOMEOnE WHO GOT ME THE JOB - I went to college, did Hotel and Catering Management and got a Diploma in Business Studies from Athlone Institute of Technology which kind of helped. Since I have worked in Planning Enforcement, Planning Bonds & Contributions, Roads Section - N11 Gorey to Arklow Bypass Project - back to planning validations office and then to Environment (in that order) - so loads of great experience also - certainly not boring...

Anyway, thats me.

John