Election time is near......

With the election nearing with every minute that passes the question must be asked "Who will be our new Taoiseach?" and better yet "Will they be any better than the last?" Little else has featured so prominantly in the media over the last few weeks and I must admit I will be happy once the election is over....at least then all the fighting, sniping and mud-slinging in the press will be over.

A poll on the Irish Independant website today showed the ranking of parties in the polls:

Election 2011

Tuesday February 22 2011

Which party will get your first preference?

• Fine Gael 40%
• Fianna Fail 14%
• Labour 16%
• Sinn Fein 13%
• Green Party 2%
• Other 7%
• Undecided 8%

If we are to belive these, then it would be clear that Enda Kenny will be our next Taoiseach but  can these pre election day polls be deceiving?...Only time will tell!!

It's that time of year again.....

Once again that iconic time of year is approaching, one week once a year when it is acceptable to go out every single night of the week. I must admit however that a certain sense of melancholy accompanies this RAG week as it is of course my last. I suppose I can't complain however as by the time my college days are over I will have enjoyed four epic RAG weeks the likes of which will never be bet.

Of course over the years the true meaning behind RAG week may have been lost and the week has earned a poor reputation with people all over the country. It has become associated with general anarchy and divilment.

http://irishexaminer.ie/ireland/gardai-to-lead-ucc-rag-week-crackdown-111352.html

It should be remembered however that while a small proportion of students are running wild there are many that are doing their best to stick to the true values of raising and giving. The measures that some students will go to raise money for charity is amazing:

I for one cannot wait for RAG week and I believe everyone should experience it at least once in their lives. All I can say now is.......Bring It On.

My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding

Switching aimlessly around the tv channels the other day there was one program which caught my eye. The colour, the extravagance and the tradition means that this program is my new guilty pleasure.

The dresses are flamboyant and colourful and while they are something that most of us would never wear, there has to be some respect for these young women who know just what they want.

Along with the extravagance of the wedding this documentary gives us a great insight into the lives of young gypsies living in England today. These girls are getting married at 17 or 18 years of age and some are as young as 14 when they get engaged. In today's world it is amazing to see how driven by tradition these people are and how they live their lives by the history of their people. It is also interesting to see how they handle discrimination against them and how they deal with discrimination on a daily basis.

The serious issues of this documentary are very much balanced by the glitz of the weddings and this ensures that this is one program which will have my attention for a long time.

http://www.metro.co.uk/metrolife/813871-my-big-fat-gypsy-wedding-was-a-show-to-remember