FRAMED! MY LIFE IN PICTURES
A note by Eamon Henry. 12 May 2010

A project in creative writing has been completed by nine members of the Active Senior IT Society (ASITS), under the direction of Mr. Rick Quinn, at the Terenure Enterprise Centre (TEC). Entitled “Framed! My Life in Pictures”, the result comprises a booklet covering four aspects of each writer’s life, namely:

*Childhood;
*Love is;
*My working life;
*Older and bolder.

The “Childhood” section has a page of descriptive writing by each of the nine writers and by Rick himself, with a relevant photo at the top of each page. The other three sections follow a similar pattern. A further writer has covered the last two of the four sections.
The eleven writers involved, six women and five men, come from a wide range of backgrounds, urban, rural, and country-town. Their life experience is extremely interesting, in its variety of events and conditions over the past 60 or 70 years, as so skillfully described by them.

An exhibition of photographed pages from the booklet is on display at Terenure Library from May 11th to May 15th, before moving to Ballyroan Library on May 24th.
The visual layout of prints for the exhibition was done by Mr. Patrick Lyons.
The exhibition was officially opened by Cllr. Emer Costello, Lord Mayor of Dublin, on the morning of Tuesday 11th May, 2010, as a partial celebration of the Bealtaine Festival.
Also present at the exhibition opening were Cllr. Edie Wynn and other members of the TEC Board of Directors, as well as the ASITS Committee. Ms. Michelle Hannon, Manager of TEC, welcomed the Lord Mayor. Some forty guests in all were present.

The Lord Mayor, in her opening address, reminded her listeners of the important role of the Dublin City and County Libraries over many years, in entertaining and educating thousands of people by what they had to offer. She congratulated the writers and all involved in making this exhibition possible.
This special project in creative writing may hopefully become a blueprint for similar projects by older people, not just in Dublin, but much more widely. It may come to be a significant contribution by ASITS to the cultural life of people living in Dublin and elsewhere. It might also show yet another way of making people more aware of their being members of a local community, and not just isolated individuals. This applies more especially to older people.

CARLOW DAY TRIP 14 APRIL 2010
A note by Eamon Henry. Date 15 April 2010

A very enjoyable day trip to Carlow town was made on Wednesday 14th April 2010 by eight members of the Active Senior IT Society (ASITS). The main objective was to visit the Visual Centre for Contemporary Arts in Carlow town. We were organised and led by Mrs. Angela Hickey, and set off by bus from the Dublin Busaras at 10.30 a.m.

A cool dry cloudy morning accompanied us on our way to Carlow, which we reached about 12.00 noon.
We enjoyed a leisurely lunch of nice food at Lennon’s Bar located in the Centre. Then, around 2.00 p.m. our guide Mrs. Eilish O’Neill arrived, to take us on a conducted tour of the various rooms which hold the items on display. Mrs. O’Neill told us that the Centre itself had won a prize for its layout and design, including lighting effects. We were not able to visit the George Bernard Shaw Theatre, which is closed to the public at present.
The main painting exhibits are by the artist Sean Scully and comprise several abstract designs in vertical and horizontal bars, with variation in colouring. Our guide told us that some of these items are rather famous, among those who understand abstract art, and that they have high market values. However, such paintings are light-years away from the sunlit landscapes and Old Masters’ studies of humans and other animals, enjoyed by simple-minded folks like ourselves.

Among the structural items there was a large sphere comprising a buff-coloured plastic cover surrounding air or some other gas. Press your ear against it and you can hear the noise of traffic – maybe just what we all need. Another structure was the shape of a lorry-load of waste paper, almost completely made from waste paper. A wide variety of moving art shapes and sounds were also on display, driven by DVD technology.
As might be expected, only a small fraction of the available space is in use to hold what is on display, because the Visual Centre is less than five years old. Our guide provided excellent comment on what is present, but to appreciate these works of art more fully, some education is definitely needed by viewers like ourselves.

On emerging from the Visual Centre, we found the sun shining from a clear sky, and showing off to great advantage the numerous daffodils in full bloom along our way. Our next port of call was the Catholic Cathedral, built about 1830 and typical of such buildings of that time, with much stonework in its walls and a pointed spire. It is of modest size on the inside, but showing in full brilliance the colours of its stained-glass windows lit up by the afternoon sun. These window pictures represent angels and saints and the central foundation events of Christianity.
After a coffee-break we moved to the river Barrow, where local people were feeding a large gathering of swans of varying ages, the younger ones showing brown plumage among the white. Then we moved on to get the return bus, which set out about 5.00 p.m. and reached Dublin City Centre at roughly 6.45 p.m.

This could be remembered as the end of a perfect day.

CHURCH NEWS

Submitted by Eamon Henry,

29 January 2010

They're Back! Those wonderful Church Bulletins! Thank God for church secretaries with typewriters. These sentences (with all the BLOOPERS) actually appeared in church bulletins or were announced in church services

The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals.--------------------------

The sermon this morning: 'Jesus Walks on the Water.' The sermon tonight: 'Searching for Jesus.'--------------------------

Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale... It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.--------------------------

Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community. Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say 'Hell' to someone who doesn't care much about you.---------------------------------

Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help..--------------------------

Miss Charlene Mason sang 'I will not pass this way again,' giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.--------------------------

For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.--------------------------

Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.--------------------------

Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.--------------------------

A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow.--------------------------

At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be 'What Is Hell?' Come early and listen to our choir practice.--------------------------

Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.--------------------------

Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.--------------------------

Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.--------------------------

The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility.--------------------------

Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM - prayer and medication to follow.--------------------------

The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.--------------------------

This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.--------------------------

Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10 AM. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B S. is done.--------------------------

The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the Congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.--------------------------

Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM.. Please use the back door.--------------------------

The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7 PM. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.--------------------------

Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance.--------------------------

The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new campaign slogan last Sunday: 'I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours.

REFERENDUM 2009 RESULTS: IRELAND ON LISBON TREATY

A note by Eamon Henry. 8 October 2009

This short discussion offers a statistical (regression) analysis of the Irish (2 October 2009) Referendum results, of voting for the second time on the Lisbon Treaty. For a turnout of 58.0 percent, there was a YES vote of 67.1 percent of turnout, implying a NO vote of 32.9 percent. For results of the 12 June 2008 Referendum, see the Henry article on http://www.asits.blogspot.com/ , of title “Referendum Results, Actual and Possible”.

Readers not familiar with statistical analysis are asked to accept “on faith” the results presented below via “Simple Regression” analysis of YES percentage as depending on TURNOUT percentage across all 43 constituencies.

The next paragraph gives results in technical format.

There follows a non-technical discussion.

The actual Yes and Turnout percentages, by constituency, are given as an appendix table below, having been extracted by me from the Irish Times of 5 October 2009. The “Data Desk” software package has been used by me to give the regression results and a graph.
Of all 43 constituencies, only two gave a NO percentage result above 50, namely Donegal North East and Donegal South West.

The regression results are as follows and rather technical. For a fairly loose-fitting “Rsquared adjusted” of 15.8 percent, a highly significant (99.5 percent probable) positive coefficient emerged, namely an average 0.758 percent Yes extra for every 1 percent extra turnout. This coefficient has a “standard error” of 0.254. The regression constant has value 22.58 (not significant) with its standard error of value 14.78.
We can estimate a YES percent value on the line of regression as follows. For a turnout of 50 percent, the regression estimate of YES percentage is given by constant plus 50 times the regression coefficient, namely 22.58 + 50X0.758 = 22.58 + 37.90 = 60.48 percent YES. A further 8 percent turnout, to match the actual, would add a further 8X0.758 = 6.06 percent Yes, thus giving a regression estimate of 66.54 percent Yes, close to the actual 67.1 percent quoted in the first paragraph above.

It is of interest to quote corresponding results of the Referendum of 12 June 2008. For a turnout of 53.1 percent of the electorate, there was a Yes vote of only 46.6 percent. Similar regression analysis gave an “Rsquared adjusted” of 13.0 percent, a highly significant (99 percent probable) positive coefficient 0.779 percent extra YES for every 1 percent extra Turnout. This coefficient had a “standard error” of value 0.289. The regression constant had value 4.66 (not significant) with standard error of value 15.39. We may note that the coefficient here is close to the October 2009 value 0.758 quoted above, but the constant here is much smaller (some 18 percentage points) than that of October 2009.
Here again we can estimate a Yes percentage on the line of regression. For a turnout of 50 percent, the regression estimate of YES percentage is given by constant plus 50 times the regression coefficient, namely 4.66 + 50X0.779 = 4.66 + 38.95 = 43.61 percent YES. A further 3.1 percent turnout, to match the actual, would add a further 3.1X0.779 =2.41 percent Yes, thus giving a regression estimate of 46.02 percent Yes, close to the actual 46.6 percent Yes quoted in the last paragraph above.

Appendix Table of Constituency Results, 2 October 2009

Constituency ---------Percent Turnout ------------Percent YES
Carlow-Kilkenny ---------------57.7---------------------------- 70.5

Cavan-Monaghan-------------- 58.1 ----------------------------62.0
Clare ---------------------------56.1---------------------------- 72.3
Cork East ----------------------56.6---------------------------- 66.1
Cork North Central -------------59.6 ----------------------------55.8
Cork North West--------------- 59.4---------------------------- 69.5
Cork South Central------------- 60.3---------------------------- 66.8
Cork South West ----------------59.5 ----------------------------67.2
Donegal North East -------------50.1 ----------------------------48.5
Donegal South West -------------51.1 ---------------------------49.7
Dublin Central ------------------53.3 ---------------------------61.9
Dublin Mid West ----------------55.3 ---------------------------61.5
Dublin North --------------------60.9--------------------------- 72.7
Dublin North Central------------ 65.6 ----------------------------71.1
Dublin North East ---------------63.4 ---------------------------63.5
Dublin North West --------------57.6---------------------------- 55.0
Dublin South --------------------57.6 ----------------------------81.7
Dublin South West --------------57.2 ----------------------------58.9
Dublin South Central ------------55.5 ----------------------------58.0
Dublin South East ---------------54.7---------------------------- 78.7
Dublin West ---------------------59.1 ----------------------------68.5
Dun Laoghaire------------------- 70.7 ----------------------------81.2
Galway East ---------------------54.8 ----------------------------68.1
Galway West --------------------53.1 -----------------------------66.3
Kerry North ---------------------55.4 ----------------------------63.6
Kerry South--------------------- 57.9---------------------------- 66.4
Kildare North --------------------56.6 ----------------------------76.2
Kildare South-------------------- 54.3 -----------------------------69.7
Laois-Offaly ---------------------57.5 -----------------------------73.2
Limerick East --------------------56.5 ----------------------------67.4
Limerick West -------------------56.2---------------------------- 69.3
Longford-Westmeath ------------55.4---------------------------- 65.6
Louth ----------------------------58.2 ----------------------------61.0
Mayo ----------------------------56.2 ----------------------------61.7
Meath East -----------------------54.9 ----------------------------72.3
Meath West---------------------- 60.5 ----------------------------64.9
Roscommon-SthLeitrim--------- 65.0 -----------------------------66.0
Sligo-NorthLeitrim --------------57.7------------------------------- 64.5
Tipperary North -----------------63.5 -----------------------------70.4
Tipperary South -----------------59.6 -----------------------------68.4
Waterford -----------------------59.6 -----------------------------68.5
Wexford -------------------------57.3 ------------------------------65.2
Wicklow -------------------------64.3 -------------------------------70.7