Irish Garlic Chips (Fries)

Irish Garlic Chips

Serves: 4

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons canola oil

3 large baking potatoes, 12 ounces each

1/2-teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

Method

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Heat the garlic and oil in a small saucepan over medium heat for 2 minutes. Strain the garlic from the oil with a small mesh strainer. Set both garlic and oil aside.

Cut the potatoes into 1/4-inch sticks. In a large bowl, toss the oil, potatoes and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and spread the potatoes onto it in a single layer. Bake until golden and crisp, about 35 minutes.

Remove potatoes from the tray with a metal spatula. Toss with parsley, reserved garlic, and additional salt, to taste.

Serve immediately. Easy to make.

Freed

The Irish Government has despatched the government jet to bring Sharon Commins home from the Sudan after she was released Saturday.

Commins - who worked for the Irish aid agency GOAL - was kidnapped along with a colleague Hilda Kawuki 100 days ago.

They were abducted by an armed gang in the Darfur region on July 3.

Both Commins and Kawuki released a statement saying that they could not wait to gtet home and spend time with their loved ones.

'We are naturally thrilled to be released after such a long period in captivity. We know it must have been a traumatic period for our families especially and for our friends.

'We want to express our heartfelt thanks to the Irish Government, the Sudanese authorities and our colleagues in GOAL, who all worked tirelessly to secure our release. We'd also like to thank everyone in Ireland and in Uganda who offered so much support to our families - we know our families appreciated that very much.

'It was of course, a difficult time - but we found strength in each other and in our friendship.

'We now can hardly wait to get home and spend time with our loved ones'.

Remembering Our Ancestors

Mourners gathered at St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church on Staten Island Saturday to bury the dead, but this was no ordinary funeral. The two coffins contained the final remains of immigrants who died over 150 years ago.

Members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians escorted two caskets - one a small, white children's casket with golden angels; the other larger and pearl-colored - into the church as bagpipes played "Amazing Grace."


The remains represent the thousands of unnamed Irish and German immigrants who came to America in the mid-19th century, looking for a new and better life, but instead ended up in quarantine on Staten Island because of severe illness. Many of those confined never made it out, and were buried in mass graves with little fanfare or record.

Workers found the bones during the construction of a new courthouse in St. George in 2000. At the memorial, attendees from the community, many wearing sashes with the green, orange and white of Ireland's flag, lined the pews along with local politicians, a representative from the German consulate and Irish ambassador to the U.S. Michael Collins. Edward Cardinal Egan, former archbishop of New York, presided over the interfaith ceremony. His sermon emphasized why, more than a century and a half later, it is important to honor the immigrants who had lain neglected for so many years.

Stephen Gately Funeral

Several thousand mourners lined the boyhood streets for Stephen Gately, of Boyzone, to watch his funeral pass by. The thirty-three year old singer died of natural causes according to the coroners report.

The four remaining members of the band sang and spoke at the service which fans listened to through speakers.

Ronan Keating, Mikey Graham, Shane Lynch and Keith Duffy spent the night at the church with the West End star who they call their brother.

Members of Westlife, composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, Elton John's partner David Furnish and former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern attended the service.

Mr Gately's grief-stricken bandmates last night carried his coffin into the church near the family home in the north inner city.

Sir Elton, who is on tour, sent a bouquet of yellow flowers, which was placed near the entrance of the church. Singers George Michael and Cheryl Cole plus members of Take That were among others to send condolences.

At the end of the service, the four remaining Boyzone members helped carry the coffin out of the church. Each also bore a tattoo with the dates "76 09" to honour Gately. They spent Friday night holding a wake at the church in the working-class neighbourhood where Gately grew up.

His parents, Margaret and Martin, brothers Mark, Alan and Tony, sister Michelle and his civil partner Andrew Cowles had also visited the church for a private prayer vigil.

An Autumn Day

Dublin Docks Rainy Day

Scottish Brothers

Naked Rugy Studs Max and Thom Evans

You can thank Hamish for this video.

Flu

Just got back from sea, its early morning Sunday. I have a fever and in the middle of having the flu. It's so good to be home. I'm going to get a hot shower, drink some tea, take some medicine and crawl under the covers. They actually quarantined me on the ship and one of my shipmates printed out this photo which basically sums up my week.

Temptation

My friend Anthony sent me this, thought I would share.

John Duddy - Irish Boxer

Fighting in Madison Square Garden this Saturday. One of the things I've wanted to do since coming to Ireland is work on my family tree and trace my roots. I've being working on my family tree shortly after moving here and found out recently John is a cousin of mine. I need to finish that family tree, but its hard to get past the 1860's with any information. Now that I have some free time with Gareth being gone, I'm going to get back into this project and see what I can find out and maybe meet some of my family living here now.

I'm Back, Go Ahead, Be Thrilled

Just got home, early morning, still dark. Threw my duffle bag by the front door, took my shoes off, dropped my clothes in the bedroom, took a nice warm shower, put a tshirt and shorts on, drank a glass of milk, fed the cats who I think are as happy to be back home as I am and now its time to get some sleep. To those just getting up, sucks to be you. lol To those just going to bed, have a good sleep and sweet dreams. Hamish if you ring my doorbell this morning, I will kick your ass. Love you.

Cork

Autumn Stroll

Don't Answer The Door

Even though I made it clear (or so I thought) that I wanted to spend the weekend alone just relaxing around my flat sitting in my underwear, snacking, sleeping, and watching the telly I was awakened from my sleep by the sound of my doorbell ringing. I tried to ignore it, but someone was continuously pushing the button. The sound startles my cats and sends them flying around the room and pouncing on me until I get up and open the door and let out a pissed off "What the hell?" At this point I realize I answered the door in my underwear, but it turns out it was only Hamish and thankfully not some little girl scout selling cookies.


Did you ever have one of those friends that just won't go away? Well, that is Hamish. As I crawled back under the blanket on my couch to go back to sleep he sits in the chair nearby talking of what he wants "us" to do today. I quickly reminded him that 'us" isn't doing anything today because "I" am already doing what I want to do for the day. No sooner had I finished stating this, my doorbell rings again. Hamish answers the door and I watch as our friend Jillian walks in with two of her guy friends. They just walk right in talking and laughing as if its the middle of the afternoon.


Apparently they have been invited to meet at my place because we're all doing breakfast. At this point I'm barely awake, very tired, and now pissed off as they begin to question Hamish on why I'm not ready. To which he replies I'm just running late and I correct him by stating I'm not going.


Ignoring all of this, my friend Jillian sits on the couch next to me and starts talking to everyone about this guy she met last night. As she mentions this, one of her guy friends squeals with delight and the other wants to know the details which she happily tells. I quickly realize they are not only friends of Jillian, but friends of Dorothy as well if you know what I mean. Now, I like Jillian and normally would be supportive of her and listen to her story of last night, but its early morning, my space has been invaded and I'm just staring at Hamish thinking what the fuck? Just minutes ago I was sound asleep.


Noticing my irritation Hamish says something about how he promised Gareth he wasn't going to let me mope around the house being depressed. I told him I'm not moping and I'm not depressed. He replied oh yeah, you ate half a pan of brownies since yesterday, that's depressing. Not feeling like arguing about my mood and the thought of brownies actually made me realize I was hungry, I wrapped the blanket around me and got up from couch and headed to the bathroom. As I walked by Hamish I told him I hated him and that I was changing my phone number so he can't call me anymore. He calmly replied in his Scotch-Irish accent "Jest make sure ye shave when ye take a shower, you look like a terrorist." So much for growing a beard.


Now, I'm back home, alone. Breakfast was actually fun, we had some good laughs. I even got my dishes washed by Jillian and Hamish as I got a shower. Although I did notice they ate most of my brownies! Now I can crawl back under the covers and relax and enjoy a peaceful, sleepy Sunday afterall.

Full Moon