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Sonnet for Stephan Hugh McGirr

Jun 10, 2026 | ,

Stood tall, pick in hand, in Ballykillowen,
Gath’ring winter turf, turning over stone,
Moving wood and earth, in a place our own,
One child of many, and all of them grown.

Work’d across the sea, suffering few fools,
He served his country; fed as a granger.
Man of telecom, white van filled with tools,
Connecting the towns, meeting no stranger.

To raise his children, he did all he could,
Hoping for more; education, and class.
The troubles of life, against storm he stood,
Financial collapse, no more parting glass.

So to my father; who loved a Western,
Rest now as you can, ‘til sunrise again.

Opening Oration for the Society of Beef Cobblers

Jan 9, 2026 | ,

We bear hard these slights of the winters freeze,
With shov’lling of snow and cracking of ice.
Awaiting spring and her freshening breeze,
As wish and want, seem now doubled in price.

We try to keep warm our friendships embrace,
The years, as always, pass on their baton.
We’re implored (!); fast, and sweat, toil, and be chaste.
As hearts and hearths turn cold in frosty dawn.

Ahh, but Rejoice! Within halls of winter,
Oo’er scone, cake, beef, beer, and vege-tables,
With meals made warm; by bonds that shan’t splinter,
For refuge abounds at neighbours tables.

I call now to order (I shall be brief);
This; the society of cob’lers beef.

Blue Mountains – Digital Painting

Dec 29, 2025 |

A digital painting made in Krita using only Grey, White, Black, and shades of BlueMade using a Wacom Intuos that was a Christmas Gift and free/open source software Krita.

The speed at which I’ve picked up the software (Krita) makes it a recommend for me. It definitely helps that it is free and open source. Zero AI used here – this is all me, a Bluetooth drawing tablet, and free Bob Ross tutorials on YouTube. I recommend this to absolutely everyone, it’s very fun, and you get to learn a new skill.

I’ve been working on making more things of my own lately, because making things is cool and good. A year from now, I’ll be a year older, so instead of spending that time fighting with an AI system to make images, I can simply learn things using the resources available to me via YouTube and other online tutorials. I invite you to do the same, as efforts are underway to undermine all creativity, which feels like the thing that makes us people.

The particular Bob Ross Tutorial is “Shades of Grey” Season 2 Episode 4.

Snooker Championship with Grandad Kelly

Aug 20, 2025 |

Winter drawn in, now enveloping days;
Suppertime done, and attention astray.
Chatty memories, noisy Blind Date plays,
Novembers long, and Christmas weeks away.

Cars wet and slow go forth to town and bar,
No light coming from the darkening stairs,
Watching raindrops obscure the evening star,
Down the long hall, with siblings unaware.

The tube TV glows, In this halcyon,
The back sitting room, against the arm chair,
On green baize, we now watch the champions;
With Silver Mints, we are as millionaires.

Right here; with quiet man, this quiet place,
Silent but gathered; a moments embrace.