Editorial Liam Gavin
Once in a very blue moon ….
We had a packed mailbag (email bag actually) this month, and it ’ s nice to see that so many people are taking the time to let us know what they are thinking about the topics of the day. We were glad to hear from our old friend and “ Man Down Under ”, Gerry Coleman, who had a fascinating story to tell, and this is a “ must - read ” item already pencilled in for the November issue. It was also great to get feedback on the contents of the magazine, and we thank everyone who sent in photos. Please, please, please don ’ t let the old cameraphone sit in your pocket. If you see something interesting around the town, snap it, and send it to liamggavin2@gmail.com People on our mailing list were sent an email during the month, asking if they had “ anything to say ” in relation to the magazine, the town, activities, clubs etc. Thanks to everyone who responded, including the person who answered the request “ Have you anything to say ”?, with the pithy reply “ Not a thing ”. Brevity in expressing yourself is something many people are not blessed with, but this person has it off to a fine art. Sadly, several writers wanted to comment on the mindless acts of vandalism, which damaged two potentially life saving defibrillators in the town at the end of August. The German language has a word for what people might feel if they heard that someone belonging to one of the idiots who carried out these acts had a heart attack and was denied the chance to survive as a result. That word is schadenfreude, meaning “ pleasure derived by someone from another person ’ s misfortune. ” Some people might find it difficult not to experience a sense of shadenfreude if, as they say in Rush, “ what goes around comes around, ” and the vandals ever actually needed an AED for someone in their own family. We would like to believe that we would not allow a rueful smile to cross our own lips in such circumstances, but all can say with certainty is that we hope the AED ’ s are back in action soon, so we are never put in that position.
Our main feature this month is about something that we hope only happens once in a blue moon, namely a serious weather event that results in flooding all along our coast.
Unfortunately, over the past few years, we ’ ve seen a lot of “ once in 100 year ”, or even “ once in 200 year ” events like this, as our planet suffers the effects of climate change. Of course, the conspiracy theorists, simpletons, and Healy Reas of this world continue to deny the combined work of virtually every report and scientific study, and they prefer to believe that, like COVID - 19, climate change is some sort of scam perpetrated by some mysterious power that wants to force us all into some sort of slavery or submission. Thankfully, wiser heads prevail in the offices of Fingal County Council, and a comprehensive (if flawed) study is being carried out on the effects of climate change and coastal erosion in the Rogerstown area. We report on the report, starting on page 17, and if anyone wants to report on the report of the report, they are invited to report to Fingal County Council, which may include the report of the report of the report in a further report.
(Sorry, got a bit carried away there. I ’ ll drink some iced water and start again).
On a separate and vaguely related topic, this month sees an actual “ blue moon ” event.
In any month in which there are two full moons, the second one is commonly called a “ blue moon ”. To be a little pedantic about it, this is actually incorrect. A blue moon is actually the third full moon in an astronomical season containing 4 full moons. Our “ Blue Moon ” is on 31st October, and the next one doesn ’ t occur until 31st August, 2023.
After that, you have to wait until 31st May, 2026, with the next on New Year ’ s Eve, 2028.
Enjoy this month ’ s issue, and keep writing in.
Liam
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