The Cotswolds, England.

My grand-daughter.

My grand-daughter who lives in Dubai.

Michael Connelly, the creator of Harry Bosch.

I just bought Michael Connelly's new book 'Nine Dragons', his latest release on Harry Bosch. I always loved Harry, his character is one of the greatest among literary cops. When Michael came to the Waterfront Hall in Belfast we went along to see him, and naturally he talked about Harry among other things. He said he'd be releasing a book about him soon, and this is it. Except this Harry isn't like himself at all, so far in this book. I'm only a few chapters in, but in Nine Dragons Harry is much more of an ordinary guy.  He's not searching for anything like he did in 'city of bones', there is no urgency there this time.  His only connection to the vic is that he met the guy back in the day and the vic helped him out.  I think he gave him a book of matches.  The vic is an old guy who has been paying off the triad.  Theres a good deal about Chinese culture, but so far not much else, so I'm hoping that as I read more the plot will get better, if not it will have been a disapointment.  I still haven't read 'Scarecrow', that I got signed by Michael, when he came here on his book tour.

More from the Boyne centre.

Here is a small but informative video from the battle of the Boyne centre.

A visit to the new Battle of the Boyne centre.

From the battle of the Boyne centre.

An authentic re-enactment of the battle.

I took some pictures when we visited the Battle of the Boyne centre in Louth, a few weeks ago. 

Belfast's Banksy?

Belfast Banksy?

I noticed yesterday when I was passing the Sinn Fein head quarters at Sevastapol St corner that there is a new mural beside the most famous one of all in the nationalist west of the city. It looks like a 'Banksy' type mural. It made me wonder how it got on that particular wall, beside that particular mural of Bobby Sands, and question whether or not it was appropriate for another mural such as this to be there.

Closer look at singing songs of freedom

Its a good mural, but I'm not too sure about its appropriateness of being there. There are a couple of others dotted about the place of similar style, which led me to think we could have a Belfast Banksy about the place....

Darby O'Gill in west Belfast.

Darby O'Gill mural in west Belfast

One of my favourate oldie movies is Darby O'Gill and the little people. Albert Sharpe who played Darby O'Gill came from Belfast and two new murals have emerged in west Belfast's Iveagh district, in testamony to this fact. It is rumoured that Sharpe came from Iveagh, though I don't know for sure. We used to go see him in the old Broadway picture house.

The old Broadway cinema

Afterwards we used to go to a shop called Tramona for a glass of 'attaboy' lemonade that cost tuppence.  Real fun!!