I had a trip up North yesterday. The first thing I noticed was the 'watch-tower' overlooking the border from the top of Feede mountain has gone! It has been replaced by a tricolour. Another step in the peace process up north. While I won't exactly miss seeing them, I hope they leave one or two as they are a part of the history of the northern Ireland problems. The placement of the tricolour is a little dig at the Unionists...I suppose in a Sinn-Fein/ IRA stronghold it was to be expected but I personally think that putting a flag where the watch-tower is not exactly in the spirit of integration and accomodation. However as always I enjoyed my trip up. I find most of the people of Northern Ireland are generous, warm hearted and outgoing. The craic as they say, is as enjoyable as it used to be down South before our prosperity led consumerism took hold....nowadays here it is how much you earn/own that links you and determines your social life rather than the old style mix of background that was common. I find that the People up North are still like most Anglers, ready to talk and have a laugh....totally unfased by economic-class divisions. Mind you in the North religion is a taboo subject, but who discusses that anyway...mind you politics is also dangerous ground too, but I don't have a great deal of knowledge about that area either..but the general conversation is always pleasant and fun-loving....and not as narrow as that amongst anglers....ie. what is catching, who isn't, who is, where and when...then we tend to drift into tall stories etc...

Speaking of which I'm off to Lough Sheelin in the morning...Today I did fetching and carrying in the van, and a little bit of washing machine recycling after...I drove around in circles trying to find the right bring center for it though.....aaaaaarrrrrggghhhhhh!!!!!!