Cabhair at the Canal- Xmas sponsored swim

by Paula Geraghty Tue Dec 25, 2007 16:02

All images (c)

For those who find this time of year a little more difficult than normal, may find the following links of some use;

http://www.aware.ie/
http://www.mentalhealthireland.ie/ supporting positive mental health
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/depressionchrist...shtml

getting dressed

Calling out the rafle winners

some prize winners

Changes to planning permission lodged to DCC on 26th Oct 2007

For those not in Dublin a fine dry beautiful day, tad cool.

Now for something completely different: Streetlights from Sevastapol wishing everyone a safe and different New Year

by Michelle Clarke - Social Justice and Ethics Tue Dec 25, 2007 21:30

A nice surprise for a person who did not leave her home today. You seem to have a great group of supporters and well done for supporting Aware, Mental Health Ireland and the UK site.

I cannot imagine a jump into the canal at any time of the year but I love nothing better than walking along the canal with my partner and our Jack Russell. Patrick Kavanagh sits poised on his park bench down ourside of the canal. 2008 might spurn a new initiative making this a Speakers Corner say every Sunday....who knows.

I know in the decades gone, people used to swim in the canal but I thought it was history. Good to know it is not and people are people....

Goodnight and thanks

Michelle Kevin and Jack Russell

Quotation:
Jonathan Swift, Dean of St. Patricks (Mental Health 16th century contributor)
'Give vision to the visionless'

by Michelle Clarke - Social Justice and Ethics Tue Dec 25, 2007 23:10

The computer, the internet and in my case the benefits of adaptive technology and staying in touch with the world outside....

The Canals

I find I must write because of such sad news on Christmas Day. Suicide has claimed the heart and soul of two people on this Christmas Day, the day others collected money by having the courage to swim in cold canal. Ironically, these people were collecting funds for Aware and Mental Health Ireland. While these people were acting, two others were thinking and life lost the battle.

2 pm a body was found at Portabello Bridge - the Gardai and the Dublin City Fire Brigade came to the scene of the incident.

The other person was found at the Royal Canal at Phibsboro. Again the Gardai and fire brigade were present. To these people in essential services, I commend their actions, as others do.

Please, to anyone feeling in desperation and alone, people care, they may need time. The Samaritans, I can well recommend for times of severe distress.

Also the American Psychiatric Association provide a very well thought out outline of Suicide and how to be aware.

Good night

Michelle Clarke

by Sharon . - Individual Tue Dec 25, 2007 23:37

Hi Paula !

Great work again - I suggest next year you should charge for your service : you did a fantastic job at the swim last year and equalled it today!
John told me he was talking to you at the swim site and you were a wee bit annoyed that you missed getting a picture of any of the swimmers in action - I have spent an hour or so 'rounding-up' some swim pictures , including some of the lads earning their keep !
Thanks again , Paula - for making the effort to get there , for braving the mud and the cold and the 'Unwelcome Committee' which had stationed itself at the entrance.
Much appreciated.

Hi Michelle - "I know in the decades gone, people used to swim in the canal but I thought it was history. Good to know it is not and people are people...."
...and very cold people they were as well , but satisfied with their days 'work' .

As well as the five photographs below , there are five more here -
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/84894
- and another five or six on the blog at the 'Related Link' below.

Thanks ,

Sharon.

The swimmers 'heater' !

Two banners but one objective.

Saved by Santa!

Crowd 'goodies' and swim prizes.

Head Case Head First!

by ? Wed Dec 26, 2007 16:03

does unification have to involve arms and balaclavas?

I find it offensive to say the least, but well done on the swim.

maybe when people start to realise that killing people is not worth achieving some
illusory 32 county republic I will feel safe but war is between soldiers and commerorating
it using this imagery is wrong. fight soldiers not irish people who do not accept
republicanism.

by how colonial of you Wed Dec 26, 2007 17:30

what do you think the foriegn army is armed with?

by Sean O'Casey Wed Dec 26, 2007 21:20

nice event, fair play to ye.

Boycott Shell, damn right- but what happened to Boycott Coke ;)
I see a bottle or three of their product on the table.

Anyway, nice to see this still going years later. Maith sibh.

by Sharon. - Individual . Wed Dec 26, 2007 21:49

Hi 'by?' ,
"Paramilitary images...arms and balaclavas" are also part and parcel of those who have brought about the need for (re)unification . No doubt you find their actions equally offensive too , but forgot to mention it.
Have you ever wondered - and put such in print - as to when Westminster 'will start to realise that killing people is not worth achieving (and maintaining)' an empire?
The 'offensive imagery' used on the bodhron is less 'offensive' than the imagery of those that caused it to be put there - British 'imagery' is not 'illusory' , but some people don't seem to have an issue worth raising about it!

Hi 'blaming the natives' !
Thanks for your comment - brief and to the point !

Hi Sean O'Casey !
You're right , of course - the fact that all the 'goodies' were donated is no excuse - we should have left those items behind , or not accepted them in the first place.
Ta bron orm .

Thanks!

Sharon.

by Michelle Clarke - Social Justice and Ethics Wed Dec 26, 2007 23:06

Sharon

Looked at your comment and couldn't work out your comment about 'In years gone by'. I am a person with an Acquired Brain injury and a faulty memory - to remember yesterday is virtually impossible.

Hence the computer is a delight - I see the fun, the photos, the Art, the sweets on a plate and all the frozen people, and I return to the historic memory to compensate for the loss of recent past.

Well done.

Michelle

by Sharon. - Individual . Wed Dec 26, 2007 23:49

Hi Michelle !

Thank You for those kind words - and you're right , of course : the computer is a delight , and more so when employed in the manner as people of your calibre do - I have been reading your previous posts on this site and am impressed with the solidness which is common to them all.
To quote Oscar Wilde - " Life is terribly deficient in form . Its catastrophes happen in the wrong way and to the wrong people."

God bless , and look after yourself (and Kevin and 'Jack' !) .

Sharon.

by local Fri Dec 28, 2007 14:50

it was a fantastic few hours at the swim- we really enjoyed ourselves.
We always meet a lovely lot of people at the swim, and are always very well looked after and fussed over.
thanks to all involevd in putting it together every year - a good cause , a great time out and great crowd!

by Sharon . - Individual . Fri Dec 28, 2007 17:51

Hi again 'local' : we were just 'chatting' on the other 'Swim thread' on this site !

You're very kind - we do our best , but it just wouldn't be successful were it not for people like yourself!

Thanks again !

Sharon.

by Killer Coke Fri Jan 04, 2008 16:11

It would seem that from the pictures that Cabhair or RSF either do not support or uphold the Coca Cola boycott? If not, why not?

Other than that good work.

by hilly Fri Jan 04, 2008 17:37

actually this was asked already on one of the links up there and sharon both explained it and apologised , i however, think if after reading a story about a group of young people who gave up their christmas mornin to dive into cold water to raise some for the partners and children of political prisoners and your first thought is what were minerals they drinking is that you are an ass no 'good job or 'well done' from the likes of you? just a feeble attempt to slag a good group of people. shame.

by Sharon . - Individual . Fri Jan 04, 2008 22:53

Hi 'Killer Coke' !

As 'hilly' already said - see my post on this thread entitled 'In Reply' .
Your post does leave the impression that you viewed the photographs but didn't take the time to read the text in the posts which followed them before commenting.

Thanks!

Sharon.