Alan Johnston
@alanmacseain.bsky.social
Electronics Engineer. Tá beagán Gaeilge agam.
The power has been off here since 2pm and not liable yet to come back on til after midnight. Of course my phone was a 5%. The final was watched by putting my sim card into an old phone on 4g which had more gaps than play.
Finally my daughter arrived with a powerbank and I saw the ending minutes.
Finally my daughter arrived with a powerbank and I saw the ending minutes.
July 19, 2026 at 10:35 PM
The power has been off here since 2pm and not liable yet to come back on til after midnight. Of course my phone was a 5%. The final was watched by putting my sim card into an old phone on 4g which had more gaps than play.
Finally my daughter arrived with a powerbank and I saw the ending minutes.
Finally my daughter arrived with a powerbank and I saw the ending minutes.
This weather is why I don't like Spanish holidays. What's wrong with 16°C? 18 even for short periods. Right now at midnight, the dewpoint is 20°C and it's 22°; that's called "sticky as fuck".
Obscene weather.
Obscene weather.
June 25, 2026 at 10:53 PM
This weather is why I don't like Spanish holidays. What's wrong with 16°C? 18 even for short periods. Right now at midnight, the dewpoint is 20°C and it's 22°; that's called "sticky as fuck".
Obscene weather.
Obscene weather.
I submitted what I think is a solid and novel reason to reconsider the proposed development of a shit ton of houses around the ancient site of "Cúchulainn's Castle" in Dundalk. Read it and let me know what you think.
apps.louthcoco.ie/idocswebDPSS...
apps.louthcoco.ie/idocswebDPSS...
apps.louthcoco.ie
June 19, 2026 at 10:44 PM
I submitted what I think is a solid and novel reason to reconsider the proposed development of a shit ton of houses around the ancient site of "Cúchulainn's Castle" in Dundalk. Read it and let me know what you think.
apps.louthcoco.ie/idocswebDPSS...
apps.louthcoco.ie/idocswebDPSS...
A wee pine marten in my garden. There are only maybe four thousand in the country so I consider myself lucky. Very cat-like, hence their name in Irish: cat crainn, tree cat.
June 17, 2026 at 10:19 PM
A wee pine marten in my garden. There are only maybe four thousand in the country so I consider myself lucky. Very cat-like, hence their name in Irish: cat crainn, tree cat.
I see W.B. Yeats in the census. He, his wife, daughter and son had three domestic servants on Merrion Sq.
May 7, 2026 at 11:03 PM
I see W.B. Yeats in the census. He, his wife, daughter and son had three domestic servants on Merrion Sq.
Reposted by Alan Johnston
The famous Irish author Pádraic Ó Conaire in the 1926 Census, living on his own in Salthill aged 46. He died two years later.
My mother-in-law dressed up as him for "fancy dress" as a child in Connemara. She was his 2nd cousin once removed.
nationalarchives.ie/collections/...
My mother-in-law dressed up as him for "fancy dress" as a child in Connemara. She was his 2nd cousin once removed.
nationalarchives.ie/collections/...
nationalarchives.ie
April 19, 2026 at 11:56 PM
The famous Irish author Pádraic Ó Conaire in the 1926 Census, living on his own in Salthill aged 46. He died two years later.
My mother-in-law dressed up as him for "fancy dress" as a child in Connemara. She was his 2nd cousin once removed.
nationalarchives.ie/collections/...
My mother-in-law dressed up as him for "fancy dress" as a child in Connemara. She was his 2nd cousin once removed.
nationalarchives.ie/collections/...
The famous Irish author Pádraic Ó Conaire in the 1926 Census, living on his own in Salthill aged 46. He died two years later.
My mother-in-law dressed up as him for "fancy dress" as a child in Connemara. She was his 2nd cousin once removed.
nationalarchives.ie/collections/...
My mother-in-law dressed up as him for "fancy dress" as a child in Connemara. She was his 2nd cousin once removed.
nationalarchives.ie/collections/...
nationalarchives.ie
April 19, 2026 at 11:56 PM
The famous Irish author Pádraic Ó Conaire in the 1926 Census, living on his own in Salthill aged 46. He died two years later.
My mother-in-law dressed up as him for "fancy dress" as a child in Connemara. She was his 2nd cousin once removed.
nationalarchives.ie/collections/...
My mother-in-law dressed up as him for "fancy dress" as a child in Connemara. She was his 2nd cousin once removed.
nationalarchives.ie/collections/...
My parents were in nappies at the time of the census in 1926. Just born in time.
April 18, 2026 at 12:14 AM
My parents were in nappies at the time of the census in 1926. Just born in time.
The funeral mass for Moya Brennan at 2pm today will be available on the funeral director's facebook page.
April 17, 2026 at 11:29 AM
The funeral mass for Moya Brennan at 2pm today will be available on the funeral director's facebook page.
M'anam! Ranganna Gaeilge trí Sheapáinis! Ní raibh sin ar mo chárta bingo.
February 26, 2026 at 11:05 PM
M'anam! Ranganna Gaeilge trí Sheapáinis! Ní raibh sin ar mo chárta bingo.
Please support the continued Public Service Obligation for the Donegal-Dublin flights. It's an essential service for the region which is so poorly serviced by other transport means.
c.org/WjzKbCz9zJ
c.org/WjzKbCz9zJ
Sign the Petition
Cosain Eitiltí Ailse Dhún na nGall / Protect Donegal Cancer Flights
c.org
February 4, 2026 at 3:09 PM
Please support the continued Public Service Obligation for the Donegal-Dublin flights. It's an essential service for the region which is so poorly serviced by other transport means.
c.org/WjzKbCz9zJ
c.org/WjzKbCz9zJ
A Canadian friend was intrigued with the St Brigid's cross. He reckoned they were perfect for throwing. "Like a Celtic ninja-star."
After a short thought: "They should be called a frisBríde"!
#seanjócnua ##spéirgorm
After a short thought: "They should be called a frisBríde"!
#seanjócnua ##spéirgorm
February 1, 2026 at 10:07 AM
A Canadian friend was intrigued with the St Brigid's cross. He reckoned they were perfect for throwing. "Like a Celtic ninja-star."
After a short thought: "They should be called a frisBríde"!
#seanjócnua ##spéirgorm
After a short thought: "They should be called a frisBríde"!
#seanjócnua ##spéirgorm
Just how large was Brat Bhríde? According to tradition, when St Brigid cast her mantle to be gifted the land it covered, it stretched from Dún Ailinne to Cill Dara to the Hill of Allen and to the mound at Naas.
That was 125 square kilometers.
#LaFheileBride #LáFhéileBríde #speirgorm
That was 125 square kilometers.
#LaFheileBride #LáFhéileBríde #speirgorm
February 1, 2026 at 1:05 AM
Just how large was Brat Bhríde? According to tradition, when St Brigid cast her mantle to be gifted the land it covered, it stretched from Dún Ailinne to Cill Dara to the Hill of Allen and to the mound at Naas.
That was 125 square kilometers.
#LaFheileBride #LáFhéileBríde #speirgorm
That was 125 square kilometers.
#LaFheileBride #LáFhéileBríde #speirgorm
After what I heard in the past short weeks and confirmed again with this latest Epst document dump, if you had the misfortune to accidently step on to that putrid pustulence of a president, you'd gingerly remove your shoes, jetison them as far as you could and walk home shoeless.
January 31, 2026 at 1:11 AM
After what I heard in the past short weeks and confirmed again with this latest Epst document dump, if you had the misfortune to accidently step on to that putrid pustulence of a president, you'd gingerly remove your shoes, jetison them as far as you could and walk home shoeless.
Ye might want to put on a coat and look at the sky.
January 19, 2026 at 9:49 PM
Ye might want to put on a coat and look at the sky.
Just about all of the decadence of Christmas has been consumed by now. But it's Friday and January is bleak so I was seeking some "nibbles".
My wife said "you know there's a box of crisps in the garage".
Saved!
My wife said "you know there's a box of crisps in the garage".
Saved!
January 16, 2026 at 10:42 PM
Just about all of the decadence of Christmas has been consumed by now. But it's Friday and January is bleak so I was seeking some "nibbles".
My wife said "you know there's a box of crisps in the garage".
Saved!
My wife said "you know there's a box of crisps in the garage".
Saved!
Uh-oh, this does not bode well. Electricity has gone with no sign of it coming back soon.
By way of compensation, my daughter is playing Clair de Lune on the piano by the light of the full moon.
By way of compensation, my daughter is playing Clair de Lune on the piano by the light of the full moon.
January 2, 2026 at 11:49 PM
Uh-oh, this does not bode well. Electricity has gone with no sign of it coming back soon.
By way of compensation, my daughter is playing Clair de Lune on the piano by the light of the full moon.
By way of compensation, my daughter is playing Clair de Lune on the piano by the light of the full moon.
Happy Solstice, people.
Maybe not today, but let's face it, Cos(2°) is 0.9994, which, for humans, is the same as Cos(0°). My Solstice marker is lit!
Maybe not today, but let's face it, Cos(2°) is 0.9994, which, for humans, is the same as Cos(0°). My Solstice marker is lit!
December 20, 2025 at 12:09 AM
Happy Solstice, people.
Maybe not today, but let's face it, Cos(2°) is 0.9994, which, for humans, is the same as Cos(0°). My Solstice marker is lit!
Maybe not today, but let's face it, Cos(2°) is 0.9994, which, for humans, is the same as Cos(0°). My Solstice marker is lit!
I remember the evening of Dec 19th 1975 in Dundalk. I was standing in my bedroom when the window flexed with the blast and I was 1.5km from the bomb.
Two men were killed and many injured in the explosion. It was 100m from where my dad worked. The "Troubles" suddenly came a lot closer to home.
Two men were killed and many injured in the explosion. It was 100m from where my dad worked. The "Troubles" suddenly came a lot closer to home.
December 19, 2025 at 10:00 PM
I remember the evening of Dec 19th 1975 in Dundalk. I was standing in my bedroom when the window flexed with the blast and I was 1.5km from the bomb.
Two men were killed and many injured in the explosion. It was 100m from where my dad worked. The "Troubles" suddenly came a lot closer to home.
Two men were killed and many injured in the explosion. It was 100m from where my dad worked. The "Troubles" suddenly came a lot closer to home.
Reposted by Alan Johnston
My Winter Solstice marker doing its thing. The low sun shines through a high round window fully lighting up a bronze disc on the chimney breast. It's much nicer in real life, something about the sun's glow at this time of year.
December 16, 2025 at 11:11 PM
My Winter Solstice marker doing its thing. The low sun shines through a high round window fully lighting up a bronze disc on the chimney breast. It's much nicer in real life, something about the sun's glow at this time of year.
My Winter Solstice marker doing its thing. The low sun shines through a high round window fully lighting up a bronze disc on the chimney breast. It's much nicer in real life, something about the sun's glow at this time of year.
December 16, 2025 at 11:11 PM
My Winter Solstice marker doing its thing. The low sun shines through a high round window fully lighting up a bronze disc on the chimney breast. It's much nicer in real life, something about the sun's glow at this time of year.
If you're a native of Dundalk and I'm told, way up into the north too, you'd have heard something like "Givvus a lock-ah that cheese". 'Lock of'/lock-ah comes from Irish 'loca' meaning a wad.
#Hiberno-English
#Hiberno-English
December 4, 2025 at 11:37 PM
If you're a native of Dundalk and I'm told, way up into the north too, you'd have heard something like "Givvus a lock-ah that cheese". 'Lock of'/lock-ah comes from Irish 'loca' meaning a wad.
#Hiberno-English
#Hiberno-English
Wife: You're shaffoguie!
Me: What?
W: look it up, you're into Irish, my mother used it. (Her mother was a native speaker from Connemara)
Me (after a wee search): Seafóid? Talking nonsense?
W: Yeah, you're full of it.
Me: What?
W: look it up, you're into Irish, my mother used it. (Her mother was a native speaker from Connemara)
Me (after a wee search): Seafóid? Talking nonsense?
W: Yeah, you're full of it.
November 29, 2025 at 1:32 AM
Wife: You're shaffoguie!
Me: What?
W: look it up, you're into Irish, my mother used it. (Her mother was a native speaker from Connemara)
Me (after a wee search): Seafóid? Talking nonsense?
W: Yeah, you're full of it.
Me: What?
W: look it up, you're into Irish, my mother used it. (Her mother was a native speaker from Connemara)
Me (after a wee search): Seafóid? Talking nonsense?
W: Yeah, you're full of it.
The name Saoirse began appearing in the 1920's after the dust of the War of Indepenence settled.
I'm betting Aontas, as a boy's name, will appear after reunification.
##spéirgorm
I'm betting Aontas, as a boy's name, will appear after reunification.
##spéirgorm
November 27, 2025 at 8:41 AM
The name Saoirse began appearing in the 1920's after the dust of the War of Indepenence settled.
I'm betting Aontas, as a boy's name, will appear after reunification.
##spéirgorm
I'm betting Aontas, as a boy's name, will appear after reunification.
##spéirgorm
I have a hardcopy User Guide for Windows 2.0. I have no idea how I still have it 37 years later.
2.0 introduced overlapping windows and multitasking and came on 5.25" floppy disc, which you installed on to the MASSIVE 10Mb hard drive in your 8MHz 8086 computer.
2.0 introduced overlapping windows and multitasking and came on 5.25" floppy disc, which you installed on to the MASSIVE 10Mb hard drive in your 8MHz 8086 computer.
November 21, 2025 at 10:44 PM
I have a hardcopy User Guide for Windows 2.0. I have no idea how I still have it 37 years later.
2.0 introduced overlapping windows and multitasking and came on 5.25" floppy disc, which you installed on to the MASSIVE 10Mb hard drive in your 8MHz 8086 computer.
2.0 introduced overlapping windows and multitasking and came on 5.25" floppy disc, which you installed on to the MASSIVE 10Mb hard drive in your 8MHz 8086 computer.