Wednesday 31 March 2010

Feels like winter

map nameCold and windy today. Scattered wintry showers during the day, but sunny spells also. Highest temperatures of 5 to 8C, with north to north-westerly winds.

 

 

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Dry and clear overnight, but cold and frosty with lowest temperatures of -2 to +2C.

 

Still cold tomorrow but much less windy. Further showers through the day but sunny spells also. Highest temperatures of 6 to 8C.

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A bit of fun with colour!

Tractor Drifting

Western Rail Reopened

Minister of State Ciarán Cuffe and Senator Niall O'Brolcháin at the re-opening of the Western Rail corridor linking Limerick and Galway after 34 years

Monday 29 March 2010

Some More Cool Aircraft Photography

FlightAware Photo

Photo Courtesy of FlightAware.com
FlightAware Photo
Photo Courtesy of FlightAware.com
FlightAware Photo
Photo Courtesy of FlightAware.com

Sunday 28 March 2010

NASA Sets Space Shuttle Discovery Launch Date

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Discovery is scheduled to begin a 13-day flight to the International Space Station with a launch at 6:21 a.m. EDT on April 5 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Discovery's launch date for the STS-131 mission was announced Friday at the conclusion of a flight readiness review at Kennedy. During the meeting, senior NASA and contractor managers assessed the risks associated with the mission and determined the shuttle's equipment, support systems and procedures are ready.
STS-131 is the second of five shuttle missions planned for 2010, with the last flight targeted for a September launch.
Discovery will deliver science and supplies to the station. Inside the shuttle's cargo bay is the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo, a pressurized "moving van" that will be temporarily attached to the station. The module is filled with supplies, a new crew sleeping quarters and science racks that will be transferred to the station's laboratories. The flight will include three spacewalks to switch out a gyroscope on the station's truss, or backbone, install a spare ammonia storage tank and return a used one, and retrieve a Japanese experiment from the station's exterior.
Commander Alan Poindexter and his crew are scheduled to arrive at Kennedy at approximately 7 a.m. on Thursday, April 1 for final launch preparations. Joining Poindexter are Pilot Jim Dutton, Mission Specialists Rick Mastracchio, Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger, Stephanie Wilson, Clay Anderson and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Naoko Yamazaki. This mission is the first trip into space for Dutton, Lindenburger and Yamazaki.
STS-131 will be Discovery's 38th mission and the 33rd shuttle flight dedicated to station assembly and maintenance. For more information about STS-131, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/home/index.html

Thursday 25 March 2010

Launch Preps in Final Stretch

 

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 07:35:24 -0500

Crews at Launch Pad 39A finished installing the STS-131 payload into space shuttle Discovery's cargo bay as launch preparations at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida reach the final stretch. Technicians are working to connect the necessary electrical connections today and closeout procedures on the vehicle's aft compartment are expected to be completed tomorrow.
At NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Discovery's astronaut crew members are set to begin their gradual sleep shift today in preparation for the mission. Commander Alan Poindexter and Mission Specialists James P. Dutton Jr. and Clayton Anderson will fly T-38 jets to Kennedy for additional flight training time in the Shuttle Training Aircraft.
Tomorrow at Kennedy, shuttle program managers will conduct the agency-level Flight Readiness Review. At the conclusion of the day-long meeting, officials will set the official launch date for the STS-131 mission, which currently is targeted for April 5.


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Court allows Limerick pubs to open on Good Friday

BreakingNews.ie

25/03/2010 - 09:46:29
A group of Limerick publicans have been successful in their bid to sell alcohol on Good Friday.
They went to court to try and get an exemption from the law on the grounds that a Magners League rugby match at Thomond Park between Munster and Leinster was a 'special event'.
They will now be able to sell drink between the hours of 6pm and 11.30pm tomorrow week, bringing in millions in revenue.
The match kicks off at 8.05pm that evening.

Monday 22 March 2010

Ballinrobe Town AFC Award Night

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There was a fantastic turnout at the Ballinrobe Town AFC Awards Night tonight. Standing room only.DSC_2414 Sixteen awards were handed out and every youth that received an award was prised to the highest standards. The parents of the award winners were also prised for there outstanding efforts that they put in over the past months. 
Mrs Munroe from John Munroe Oil was also there with her little princess to see the award winners being presented with there trophy’s.

There was also a special thanks to the Ballinrobe school which hosted the event.

~

All images from the night are available on the Ballinrobe Town AFC FaceBook Page or can be purchased to size from BNPics by following the link below.

Click Here to go to the photographers Page

Thursday 18 March 2010

Saint Patrick’s Day rescue for RNLI Bangor lifeboat

Date: 17/03/2010

Author: Kevin Baird, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer

RNLI Bangor Lifeboat launched at 4.25 pm on St Patrick’s Day – Wednesday 17 March 2010 to assist an exhausted, cold sailor onboard a 14ft open dinghy which had capsized while sailing in Ballyholme Bay which is on the southern shores of Belfast Lough.

Belfast Coastguard requested RNLI Bangor Lifeboat to launch after receiving a 999 call from a member of the public. Apparently a small dinghy had capsized a number of times and the person on board was seen to be in distress. The rigging on the dinghy had failed and the unlucky sailor was adrift with no means of getting to the shore.

 

Ballyholme Bay
Within minutes of the rescue pagers being activated, volunteer crew had assembled and launched Bangor Lifeboat. Calm weather conditions allowed the RNLI lifeboat to proceed at full speed to Ballyholme Bay. The sailor was quickly located and transferred to lifeboat where he was placed into a survival bag. A tow line was rigged and the vessel was towed to the slipway at Ballyholme. The sailor was landed safely ashore into the care of waiting coastguards.

RNLI volunteer crew member Peter Semple who was involved in this rescue said:

‘We urge everyone going afloat to make sure they have some means of calling for assistance in the event of an emergency’. He added, ‘we are glad that this person is now safely ashore.’

RNLI Bangor Lifeboat provides a 24-hour on call rescue service dedicated to saving lives at sea.

Ends

RNLI media contacts For more information please telephone Kevin Baird, Bangor RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 07896702757 or kbaird@quaymarinas.com or Niamh Stephenson Media Relations Manager Ireland on 00 353 871254124 or nstephenson@rnli.org.uk or contact RNLI Public Relations on 01202 336789

St Patricks Day in Ballinrobe

Sunday 14 March 2010

Saturday 13 March 2010

Preparing for the Mayo Stages Rally

AarowSigns002The lads involved in the making of the colourful Sharp images on the Ramp area for the mayo Stages Rally were hard at work yesterday in preparation for the big event tonight. The two sign writers burned the midnight oil making sure the signage was the best in Mayo, and it was.
AarowSigns001
Later the signs were collected and this morning the ramp for the special event was put together. The Aarow Signs Rally car was on display for the town to see, and what a sight it was! DSC_0660
I hung around the starting stage area to meet up with J. McGeehan and his Subaru. The car was put on the ramp and some lucky members of the got the chance to view inside the rally car. . . Heaven!DSC_0680



I caught up with the gentleman behind Aarow Signs and he told me that Aarow Signs is a family run business based in Hollymount, Claremorris, providing a wide range of products and services for business and retail signage in the west of Ireland. “We can supply both standard template and custom designed signs tailored to your needs, or even output your own designs from professional artwork supplied. We use the latest in computer aided equipment, incorporating wide format inkjet printing, cut vinyl plotters, cold-press lamination and a large range of digital graphics and image libraries.” DSC_0668

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The View inside

Wednesday 10 March 2010

International FaceBook Ham Radio Operators & Friends

Hi readers, i just wanted to draw your attention to a group i am involved with. I would encourage anyone interested in Ham Radio or CB Radio to have a look at this group on Facebook. I have never seen a group grow so quickly, and if you ever need something or just have a question “trust me” it will get answered.

Regards
Brendan (EI1429)

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This Facebook group will help us to connect with other members of the group on all Amateur Radio Bands and Modes and also on all VoIP programs that are available to all Ham Radio Operators from all over the world.
By writing on "The Wall", where and when you're "On The Air", some of us might just be able to tune in and have a QSO with you.
Enjoy and most of all have fun.
Remember, it's all about "Friendships Through Ham Radio".

 

73, thanks and enjoy,
Denis Gagnon
VE6AGE

---------------------------------------
HF SSB frequencies for QSOs.
(Make sure you check your country's band plan before transmitting on some of these frequencies.)
80 Meter Band: 3.700 LSB
40 Meter Band: 7.190 LSB
20 Meter Band: 14.290 USB

Link To Facebook Click Here

Sunday 7 March 2010

The ISS & Ballinrobe

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At aprox18.52hrs tonight the ISS Space Station made another pass over Ireland. The International Space Station is now in its 98% complete stage and looking well to the naked eye.DSC_0093

The ISS Approaching MayoDSC_0071    

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The ISS will be Visible at 19:23hrs (Monday)tomorrow night and will be crossing the sky's West to East, She will come in over Galway Bay and head in the Direction of Waterford.

Map picture

Jacks Photo’s

E51-(104) E51-(102) E51-(103)

A Bird Falls Down The Chimney

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