Maclochlainn of Inishowen

I am a McLaughlin from Moville, Inishowen, Donegal, Ireland.

The lion rampant in the crest indicates royalty! The clan motto is: CUIMNIG AR DO GEALLAMNACA. The English translation is: REMEMBER YOUR PROMISES!

My people, mostly now spread all over the place, were the oldest native inhabitants of the plantation town of Moville. The clan features in the ancient annals of Ireland, and can claim royal lineage from the fifth century and a guy called Niall of the Nine Hostages! The name McLaughlin means son of Lochlain, and a McLaughlin was the last man to die King of Ireland. The clan suffered loss of status with the conquest and feudalisation of the nation. We are the people of Eoghan, and Inishowen is the Island of Eoghan.

My great great grandfather was asked to carry the coffin of Bishop Montgomery, a descendant of the planter Samuel Montgomery(and father of Montgomery of El Alamein) in recognition of his status as representative the oldest native clan. So what! They steal your lands and ask you to grieve for them!

When I get round to doing links, I'll link to some good McLaughlin sites. Meanwhile, if you want to know more.......Google!

By the way our castle is Griannan Aileach. The fort guards the entrance to the Inishownen Penislula, and is a must for anyone visiting Derry and Donegal. The view from the fort is spectacular.

Tommy Graveson, he's the man!

Tommy gave the Scottish media club short shrift today. These parasites make their living out of doing Celtic down. They operate to a sectarian agenda that is anti Scottish/Irish Catholic. Celtic people have had to deal with this sniping over generations. Tommy has no time for it and neither do I. So why should we play nicey nicey with them?

He is still finding his feet and will flourish at Celtic. We got turned over by Copenhaven, and good luck to them. They played with passion, especially Kronkjaer who was daemonesque in his desire to win. We had an off-day, but, hey, we are in the last sixteen of the champions league, and sixteen points clear in our domestic league! The January transfer window will see an improvement in the squad to help Tommy and Celtic. Brown and or Thomson from Hibernian, Hartley from Hearts, and Russell Anderson from Aberdeen would help the team. We play Dunfermline on Sunday. Prediction 5-0 to Celtic and a hat-trick for Kenny Miller, hopefully set up by Derek Riordan!

Come on the Celts!

By the way, I was walking the dogs today and got eyeballed by a peackock! Luckily for me the hounds didn't see him . Beautiful creature.

The dog in the picture is Flash the greyhound!

Amsterdam and Celtic

Celnav is back!

Like Ulysses of old, I have crossed the playgrounds of the fish, the fish-infested seas, the highways of the fish...........the wine dark sea...........the North Sea, actually!

I am newly returned with the missus from delightful Amsterdam with her beautiful architecture, canals, barges, bridges, coffee shops and bars. Very friendly people. Straight talking, polite and helpful people. I can't understand much Dutch, and yet felt at ease in a country where people speak English better than a Sassenach!

We got a ferry from Newcastle to Holland. The crossing was comfortable and cheap. The hotels in Amsterdam are reasonable and the city is compact enough for travel by tram, bicycle or on foot. The place is easy going, cannabis culture is part of the establishment. Unfortunately, the sex industry is difficult to avoid due to the spread of the red-light district. Anyway, our time in Amsterdam was spent exploring bars and coffee houses (after the obligatory canal trip). The museums and art galleries will no doubt be visited on future trips: we will definitely be going back!

Celtic play Copenhaven tomorrow night. My prediction: 3-2 Celtic win!

The Bhoys have been grinding out the results and are now 16 points clear in the SPL. The team will improve with the eventual return of Venegoor of Hesselink, Mark Wilson, Shaun Maloney and John Kennedy. Tomorrow will perhaps see game time for Derek Riordan, a fantastic player who will hopefully make his breakthrough at Celtic.

Was talking to the barman at the Wieldman bar in Amsterdam. He noticed I was wearing the hoops and asked about the Man United game at Celtic Park. I said it was a very good result for us. He replied, "It was a fantastic result!" He said that Venegoor of Hesselink was great and, although he was a PSV player, he was a good player and a good man.

He said the Celtic fans are amazing and that Dutch TV showed the fans singing "Walk On" without commentary for ten minutes after the game!

On Saturday our two great Polish players got us our victory over Aberdeen FC. Zurawski scored and Boruc saved brilliantly in injury time.

Come on the Celtic!

Hail! Hail!

Cider, Squirrels and Celtic

Well,

having been indisposed for over a fortnight, I thought it was high time I committed my ruminations to scrutiny again. My lengthy preview of the Man United Game preceded a 3-2 loss for my team. I was wrong about Louis Saha........an excellent forward! We could have won this game but for some slack passing.

Anyway, we went on to win three Scottish Premier League Games(including beating Rangers 2-0); and then defeated Copenhagen 1-0 in our second CL group game.

Celtic are doing fine thank you very much!

We we out for a run in the car yesterday. A meandering drive took us from Grantshouse to Haddington via the Whiteadder reservoir and Garvald. Just outside Abbey St Bathans, we saw a young red squirrel on the road and halted as is slowly made it's way across and into the undergrowth. These beautiful creatures are becoming scarcer. Hopefully the one we saw will produce many others.

The cider we produced is maturing nicely. Fortunately, my daughter's smaller scale brewing exercise did not kill or maim anyone! Her 1.5litre glass bottle specimen exploded in the kitchen two nights ago. Glass and cider flew all over the place, breaking a window and a picture glass. Shards embedded several areas of wall and ceiling. The cat may have detonated the mixture as it leapt from the room as the bomb went off. No harm done. We fixed the window and the picture today. Our cider brew will kept in the garage as a precaution!

Our three hens have disappeared, no doubt in the direction of the fox's lair. It will be a while before I consider keeping hens again.

More later,

like the terrier being in heat for the last fortnight(we have four dogs and one bitch!); my indisposition; the last days of Socrates; how to thwart aggressive geese; and other matters.

Manchester United versus Celtic

Manchester United versus Celtic

This match will, in my humble opinion, be the making of a great Celtic side. Probable team selection:

1 Artur Boruc

For the first time since Pat Bonner, we have a class-act between the posts. The Polish keeper is the reason why I'm sticking my money on a Celtic win tonight. He is a shot-stopper in the Schmeikel mould.

2. Mark Wilson

Wilson has made an excellent start to his Celtic career. Energetic and thoughtful in his play, he will look to create opportunities for his team-mates rather than simply tackle and hoof. Consistent performer.

3. Lee Naylor

Impressive in his first few games. Again, consistent and thoughtful. An attack -minded overlapper. Needs support behind him when he takes off down the wing. Terrific long throw and has a reputation as a dead-ball expert. Played for nine years at Wolverhampton and seems to have been underestimated in his career. An excellent player.

4. Garry Cauldwell

I really rate this guy. Was captain of Hibernian prior to joining us. A ball-playing defender, he has had a few mixed reviews from less patient supporters. He looks like a future club, and international captain. Reminds me of Hanson in his youth. A big performance tonight may well be the making of him.

5. Stephen McManus

With a good season under his belt, McManus seems to be forging a real partnership with Cauldwell. Looks like an old fashioned stopper in the McCarthy mould. Needs a performance tonight and consistently over the CL group if he is to aspire to anything approaching McNeill status. Solid no-nonsense, player-finding (or at least non-opposition finding) clearances please!
More than capable centre-back.

6. Neil Lennon

Top player and Celtic captain. Not the fastest but quick thinker. Brilliant positional sense. When Neil plays well (which is 99% of games) Celtic win. Breaks up opposition attacks, steadies the ship with changes in tempo and intelligent passing. Calm in tight play, always available for an alternative pass.

7. Shunsuke Nakamura

Class act. A very skillful player. Small in stature, big in heart, takes a lot of physical punishment. Can drift out of the game. I therefore see him used in part tonight. Can score from free kicks and excellent passer. Needs referee protection to express his magical skills.

8. Thomas Graveson

Powerful, skilled, dominant attacking midfielder. A fantastic acquisition by the club. A real leader.
Will, without question, be a candidate for man of the match in any game he plays.

9. Kenny Miller

I highly rate this player. Has struggled to score goals in his short Celtic career. He offers much more than just goals however. He set up the winner at Aberdeen on Saturday and will run himself into the ground for the cause of Celtic and Scotland. Expect no less tonight. An excellent defending attacker!

10. Jan Venegoor Of Hesselink

Two games, two winning goals. Great start for Celtic. Strong personality. Powerful physical presence. Experienced international and CL campaigner. Expect a goal(s) from him tonight.

11. Aiden McGeady

Class act. Has improved his body strength in last year. Confident on the ball and becoming more and more a team player. Sometimes criticized for failing to beat his man. This is unmerited as he, along with nakamura will beat his man more often than not and will perservere in dribbling. An exciting and skillful player. Can be a matchwinner and has the stage at Old Trafford to show his brilliance.

Subs Stephen Pearson

May start the game. A favourite of mine (great player and real Celtic-minded guy). Powerful and direct. Another match-winner. Needs a decent run in the team. Seen as a back-up player. Can defend and is very fast. Will do a job tonight if asked.

Scot Cuthbert

Reserve team captain. Centre-back who will provide cover in in case of defensive injuries. Youthful and full of promise.

Derek Riordan

Yet to play his part since joining from Hibernian. Rumours of a bust-up with the manager. Has been injured recently. A fantastic player who could set Old Trafford on fire with his attacking skills.

Magic Zurawski

May start match. Slow start to the season . Prolific goalscorer. Great movement in the channels. Miller has the edge in terms of sheer energy. Could easily score tonight.

David Marshall

Not many starts since Artur Buruc became first choice keeper. Has failed to inspire on the few occasions called on recently.

Evander Sno

Excellent acquisition in the summer. May not have the experience for a game of this magnitude. Next year maybe. A very skilled midfield prospect.

Jiri Jarosik

May well feature as part of a five-man midfield tonight. Has skills and energy. Needs greater positional awareness, or at least awareness of his team-mates and their strengths and weaknesses. A very skillful player who may well come into his own in the CL.

Craig Beattie

Last season blighted by injury. A goal machine in the making(hamstring permitting). Fast, direct, and has the confidence to take his chances. If he gets an opportunity he will do the business for Celtic tonight.


Manchester United (probable)

Edwin Van Der Sar is an excellent keeper.

He is a bit suspect on high balls.

Gary Neville:

a hard working team captain. Can be beaten with pace and dribbling. Also can get dragged out of position, leaving defensive gaps.

Wes Brown:

poor concentration and lack of positional sense will be exploited by Celtic

Rio Ferdinand:

arrogant and lacking in concentration at times. Guilty of underestimating opponents. Seems more interested in his looks than his job on the field.


Mikail Silvestre:

average full-back. Lacks vision in attack and poor passing ability.

Michael Carrick:

big money buy. Yet to find his feet at United and midfield lacks balance. Excellent skills on the ball but can be marked out of the game. Can get lost in a battle.

Darren Fletcher:

execellent player. Has the skill, vision and sheer energy to hurt any team. Well known by his fellow Scottish internationals in the Celtic side. Will need close attention tonight.
Paul Scholes:

brilliant midfield general. Celtic will need to play close attention to this guy. Can be a match winner. Also inclined to see red. Graveson will go head to head with him.

Lous Saha:

flatters to deceive. Misses the target more often than not and can drift out of a game.

Wayne Rooney:

fantastic player. Difficult to stop when he drives with the ball at his feet. Fearless and inclined to get himself into trouble with referees. Clumsy in the tackle and can injure himself as well as others when he dives in. Is undoubtedly, with Fletcher Scholes and Giggs, a dangerous adversary.

Ryan Giggs:

brilliant winger. Must not be allowed space to run. Can be marked out of the game. Drifts out of things when he doesn't get his own way.

My prediction:

Celtic will be up for this one. Although United have four supremely gifted players, in Fletcher, Scholes, Giggs and Rooney, Celtic will use pace and passing to surprise our hosts. Celtic will attack when we have the ball and press when we don't.

Mental strength, concentration and desire are key to this game. Celtic have the TEAM to beat United's individuals. Our manager is no mug. Sir Alex might have done it all in the past. However, one can't help wondering if his United are coming to the end of an era. Strachan's Celtic are definitely at the start of something big. We also have our terrific support to drive us home!



Manchester United 0 Celtic 2

The cat!

The cat climbed up a tree in the garden. We knew this because she ran back down again with a pigeon's egg in her mouth, dropped it and ran away. The egg rolled under the verandah and my wife retrieved it. The egg was warm, so I decided to try and put it back in the nest. Unfortunately, the ladder couldn't reach. We have a few doves living behind the gable of an old tin shed. I took the egg and placed it with four other warm, white eggs. Will it hatch? The egg incident happened about two weeks ago so time will tell!

The cat is cheeky; the cat sleeps a lot; and, when awake, the cat is hyper! She likes running about the place, climbing (rapidly) up curtains, trees, walls, fences........She likes tormenting the dogs. Her claws are particularly sharp when she decides to rugby-tackle you or jumps on your back or head. Apart from that I like the cat.

Celtic play Manchester United at Old Trafford tomorrow night. The press are writing us off. Old players berate our lack of skills. Paddy Crerrand and Lou Macari say we will get well beaten. Old-media hacks say we will be out-paced and out-classed by the mighty Man United.

We will see about that! I'll be putting my fiver on a Celtic win.

The match is sold-out and there will be plenty of green and white scarves in the stadium. Our fans will make a difference. Much is being made of the pre-season friendly when a young Man United team outplayed a Celtic team without many first team players. Tomorrow night will be totally different. Nakamura says Celtic are not ready for this match and didn't play well as a team on Saturday. Something might have gotten lost in translation, since team mates Thomas Graveson and Jan Venegoor of Hesselink, not to mention manager Gordon Strachan were quick to praise the team after the Aberdeen win.

It will be down to mental strength and desire to win. Our players are good enough to beat Manchester United.

I hope we run them ragged, and our keeper, Artur Boruc plays like the cat!

My prediction 2-0 to the Celts!

The Kingfisher Navigates

At Houndwood, a hamlet by the A1 trunk road, there is a walkway (contructed as part of a dual carriageway project a couple of years ago) which is roughly circular and crosses the Eye Water via two bridges. Wild flowers are beginning to take hold (harebells, reed mace, geraniums, cowslips, ragged-robin, pink campion, meadowsweet, yarrow, vetches, peas, and masses of oxeye daisies.........and the river supports plenty of wild animals. Dragonflies, butterflies of all shades and colours, small brown trout aplenty, supporting Kingfishers, Herons.......... and, for a month or so this summer a Black Stork(a very rare migrant first spotted in Scotland by me and the Mrs! at about 6pm on 25th June as it landed in a field across from the house!).

Buzzards, hawks, ducks, jackdaws, carrion crows, magpies, jays, wrens, dunnocks, snipes, treecreepers, nuthatches, dippers, grey wagtails, swallows, sandmartins...........
the area supports plently of wild birds and mammals, rats, weasels, otters, badgers, deer, squirrels(red and grey), bats........... All find homes where the East-Coast Mainline Railway, The Great North Road, and the little Eye Water pass by.

As I walked the dogs, I stopped by the larger of the two bridges. As I looked north- westwards along the Eye Water a beautiful irredescent Kingfisher flew towards the bridge. It was intent on passing under the bridge but noticed me, made a u-turn and headed back up the river about fifty yards. It then turned round again, flew back towards me, veered to my left and passed by the side of the bridge. The Kingfisher then flew back onto the river and made it's way south eastwards and out of sight in the distance. A thrilling sight!