Sniffles – Sorry. Can’t stop. I’m hooked on whining since I came off the glue. And I still hate D’Arcy.

Kirk – You are a gentleman too. And a scholar. Thousands would tell the truth, but I say you are.

Ann – You have half the answer there: Growth and wealth but still run things shabbily – we didn’t know how to handle it after years of living hand-to-mouth on borrowings and being in a position where planning beyond tomorrow wasn’t possible. Why we haven’t learned since is another thing.

Medbh – Eh, I eh, actually didn’t mean to. The post began some time ago just as a story about two different building experiences and just took on a life of its own. Don’t tell anyone though – I’m all chuffed now that I’ve used a metaphor. If anyone asks, tell them that’s what I really meant to do.

In Ohio, you can get a driving test scheduled within days of asking for it, sometimes even the very next day. I know, it’s not an entirely fair comparison, since Ohio has something like 4 times the people, but still.

I really don’t understand how Ireland could have had all these years of unprecedented growth and wealth but still run things so shabbily and made such crazy choices.

… I’ll get back to the rest of yez later …

I haven’t a good bridge story for you, but we did build a tunnel specifically for trucks that some trucks couldn’t fit into.

Really? You got pictures or even just an article about this? I gotta have it! That’s unbelievable. When I read that I laughed my…well never mind then. But if you have a source I’d love to read it. I know that kind of mees up is pretty pitiful but thanks for the laugh anyway!

I agree and with what you say and you also remind of Fergus Finlay, a fella I admire. But if you get tired of saying and writing the same things, I also think we get tired of hearing the same stuff, not here in your good blog, but on Joe Duffy, in the media, in the pub and wherever discourse happens. And we become desensitised to a point where we can’t tell an issue from a crisis.

I still like Ray Darcy.

Damned things aren’t even endangered. 3 million! Pissed away! I’m all for fish ladders and sustaining ecology and habitat but this was a plan that never had a hope of success, ironically actually disturbing wildlife in its implementation. They knew the dam was coming down anyway – they knew!

Grannymar – I will never run for government, but every time I meet an elected official I am tempted to make a run at them.

Sniffles – Moving on means ignoring the problem and hoping it will go away. That’s never a course of action I would take.
If you, or anyone else lives in my general area and genuinely needs the builder’s number, drop me a mail. He really is that good.

White girl – I’ll certainly put it to him. We might even pay for it – the UN asked us last week to foot Kofi Annan’s bill and we agreed – I’m sure an extra few quid could be spared.

Kirk – I’d better take these one by one:
· It’s gone like that around here too. I remember a neighbour’s farm buildings being demolished in a storm about 30 years ago and the community restoring them.
· I’m extending, not building from scratch. No, I’m nowhere near Grandad, but I see where you’re coming from.
· The tram lines not connecting wasn’t an error – it was intentional. Stupid, but intentional. I haven’t a good bridge story for you, but we did build a tunnel specifically for trucks that some trucks couldn’t fit into.
· Now that’s how the points system should work. Fair play to ye!

Sam – I could fill the blog with these screw ups. A number of blogs probably.
Will the trout be back once the dam has gone or have the stocks died out?
Hey! You will get to see the tram lines in less than a month. And get to see their absence too. Excited?

Our town invested 3 million in a fish-ladder for steelhead trout knowing full well that there was a better than 50% chance the dam they were climbing would be scheduled for destruction within 5 years time. Since it was constructed the camera meant to capture the teeming fish captured just two photos. One was too grainy to be sure what it was and we got our first verified trout-sighting the other week. The dam will be down by this time next year.

I see more and more these days that if you want something done properly don’t let the government do it. Look at New Orleans.

This was a great post by the way. The irony of car-free day being the day that bus-riders need to take their cars is beautiful in its ineptness. And the missed rail connection – that’s priceless. Priceless too on account of how much that mistake cost, no doubt,