Ireland
John Verling is a freelance writer of memoirs and feature articles for newspapers and magazines. He captures the character of a subject, getting the reader to feel they are in the room too. John writes on many topics and likes to have a good story to tell. You can read examples of his work in The Irish Daily Mail, The Irish Examiner, The Irish Post and online publications.
You can contact John at: [email protected]
While standing outside Easons bookstore in Tralee, County Kerry, I see Richard, a man I know, walking through the crowd, head down in deep conversation with an elegant-looking lady. We say a brief hello as he hurries past, and the lady with him glances at me with a look of recognition.
Do you know there are some wonderful Irish castles to visit while on your River Shannon cruise? Castles with history, beautiful craftsmanship and gardens to walk around, all close to a marina or safe harbour. Cruising down the river on a sunny afternoon. Is there a better way to spend your well-earned break this summer?
"We are the EU", so say all 28 countries of the European Union. The UK Eurosceptics though see the EU as 'Brussels', something to be fought, like Henry V did at Agincourt. To its supporters the EU is about unity and treating all members equally. Now the UK is looking to leave the club.
By John Verling I took a left at the Y-junction after Saleen village, but became distracted by the success story on the hill, two turbines turning in the gentle wind. They only become visible on the near approaches, slightly hidden by a dip where the land plateaus at the top of recently harvested fields.
Bars like John Joe's don't exist much anymore. The pub is still there, now called the Quarry Cock, but 2 O'Connell Street, Cobh, Co. Cork will always in my mind have JJ O'Mahoney over the door. That bar as we knew it is long gone and even the JJ (John Joe) was dead long before we became regulars.
There are many differences between today's farms and those of 30 years ago. As I walked around Rigneys Farm, however, it was a similarity more than any difference that struck me. Here, ducks were quacking, hens clucking, geese giving out, and bonhams squealing.
My friend Jerry thinks sport is weird. Politics, debate and linguistic wrestling are more his thing. Jerry loves language, particularly the origin of words and phrases, so when he uses expressions such as 'toe to toe' or 'the gloves are off' I'm quick to explain how they originated in boxing.
It may be obvious but a few words of the native language is always handy before travelling to another country. Gone are the days, or at least they should be, of hoping someone will speak English and if not, a bit of speaking loudly, slowly and clearly will get the message across.
By JOHN VERLING A good start is Dicey Reilly's in Ballyshannon, County Donegal in the far northwest of the country. Located in Ireland's oldest town, it boasts a micro-brewery in the back garden. They do daily tours of the brewery, which need to be pre-booked for groups of ten or more, but are worth it.
A 17th century wreck rose above water level in Co Kerry for the first time in nearly 50 years this autmn. Connie Kelleher, one of the State's three underwater archaeologists, headed down immediately, says John Verling There is freshly broken pottery lying on the wet sand.
Don O'Hara fought in World War II to rebel after his father stopped him going on a date. He landed at Normandy 70 years ago today - and made it home to marry the girl he stood up, says John Verling DON O'HARA sits in his armchair.
Daisy came into our lives when she was about nine months old. We know very little about her, except that she was the youngest of the litter and unwanted by the owner. She is a beautiful little cross, between what and what we are not sure, but there is some Yorkie and a lot of Cairn in the mix.
English is the original pidgin, a wonderful mishmash of other tongues, born over centuries of adding and bastardisation. It is comparatively easy to learn, easy to adapt and very easy to stagger through when stuck for words. Due to its long history, the language is full of odd facts and fun figures, some eyebrow-raising, some a bit so-so.
Slogans, sayings, epigrams and clichés don't add up to a hill of beans in this old world. Think about it for a minute though. 'Make America Great Again!' sounded a lot better than whatever the Democrat 2016 slogan was, and no doubt convinced quite a few voters in the Rust Belt.
When I was a kid, not today or yesterday, though I can still remember it well, Christmas was a lot less commercial than today. Even so, I still have a memory of older people back then, most now long gone, saying: 'Christmas isn't like it used to be.'
Who among us wouldn't love waking to the morning sounds from a Parisian boulevard? The scent of coffee mixing with the freshly baked baguettes and gently wafting in your open window, accompanied by the chatter of locals in the best of French.
Joanne returned from travelling in 2006, and she began the expansion of the Buckley milking yard. It's breakfast time on the Buckley farm near Banteer in North Cork. Joanne has just finished milking the herd of about 130 Friesian Holsteins and is at the table with her father, Billy.
John Verling talks to meat supplier Jerry Kennedy about how he produces such top quality produce. As the big beasts tangle in the farmers versus beef processors stand-off, the local butcher remains the face of the beef industry for many Irish consumers.
John Flahavan takes a scoop of oats from the roaster. They are still warm, smell like breakfast, and taste delicious. We've just been around John's mill, at Kilmacthomas, in West Waterford, and it all seems so simple. Our tour followed the oats from entry to the factory to where they are now, ready for packing.
Waterfall Farm thrived for years until Dunnes Stores ended their contract, but the Martins bounced back Most farms have a scent. On a dairy farm, it's fresh milk; on a crop farm, it's the stored grain. But on Waterfall Farms, it's different again.
At the foot of Hungry Hill, near Castletownbere, John O'Sullivan-Greene has farmed for more than 30 years. A sheep farmer and a hill man, his flock grazes on the Ballard Commonage above his land. Commonage has been part of Irish farming tradition for generations.
There is a sign for Kilumney on the N22 from Cork to Killarney, just before Ballincollig. At the brow of the hill, there is a T junction. No signpost, but instinct tells me to go left. A man standing at a funeral outside Ovens church confirms I'm on the right road.
On the evening I meet with Tomas Bruic, the mist is rolling in off the Atlantic, catching on the hills behind his farm. This is Baile Ghainin Beag in Baile Na nGall, West Kerry, 15 kilometres from Dingle town. The road up to Tomas's farm is storm-damaged, almost eroded before I reach the yard.
Pádraig Sugrue's office overlooks Tralee, and the sloping fields where his crop of Christmas trees is ready for harvesting. It's a dirty November morning, not the picture perfect Christmas setting, but the trees are ready for homes where they will make Christmas perfect for those who love tradition.
On a beautiful morning the only gig in town is to walk the canal. It may be October but a fine autumn morning is as good as you'll get and that slight chill in the air only adds to the magic of the moment.
The jeep slowed about half ways down the street, it was just gone ten on a Saturday morning and cars were still parked either side, making a narrow street even tighter. Not that Seanie noticed. Seanie never noticed much outside of his own world.
The gross profit of a company is the total sales of the firm minus the total cost of the goods sold.
Kerry Mobile Library lends a record amount of books in 2012. A record 64,000 books were loaned from Kerry's mobile library last year. Overall, Kerry Library Service loaned a quarter of a million books in 2012. The two mobile libraries which is the third most popular library service in the county visit 91 locations around the county.
People I meet when on my daily walk. A lead on from my family's weekly life, dealing with everyday events and my son's epilepsy
To find Adrian O’Connor’s house you have to follow his directions... “Take a right turn off the main road, go down around two bends, over a bridge with metal bars and take the next right. I’m the second house on the right, the one with the pink surrounds.” Follow them I did and there was the house, just as he said it would be. When talking to Adrian you’d think everything was that simple. Do this, then do that and there you have it. But when you hear his life story, everything he does today...
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The thing I love about Christmas is the genuine excuse to do nothing. However, last year, by St. Stephen's Day I hadn't been outside the front door since lunchtime on the day before Christmas Eve, nearly four days. That afternoon, the cabin fever began to set in...
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