THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING MIST I SEE

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‘Through the early morning mist I see, visions of things to be’

Saturday 8.45am I am peering up a long straight road, the late Autumn sun, weak in intensity causes large blocks of shadow to lie across the surface making it difficult to define the danger.

On a cold frosty morning it is the hidden transition from damp to dry to frost that is causes me concern. Above the hedge and trees that line the road, the low sun trajectory sporadically bursts into view and penetrates even the darkest sunglasses causing me to seek the shelter of the benign shadows again.

The road stretched into the distance, a lighter line showing the driest surface. Buoyed by Friday nights Ulster win I was determined to be on my bike and keep my fitness at maximum levels. Accordingly I was willing to face the risk of cycling in the early morning sun and frost the next day.

The week ahead is like the road in front of me, a compendium of decisions. Ireland play South Africa on the Saturday, it’s probably important, but the week is encapsulated on a personal level and for many, as one of remembrance.

The First World War has huge significance in the context of the United Kingdom as the war in which the industrial world armed and fought on an industrial scale.

The scale of losses were enormous. I remember my mother talking about her father (my grandfather), seeing the Ulster 36th Division marching to war through Millfield, then a cobbled road in Belfast and taking hour upon hour for the columns of men to pass.

Many of them would lose their lives on the first day of the Somme. Men marched to their deaths in stoic fashion, dropping dead on the fields of France and Flanders without ever firing a shot.

It is a sobering thought that the young men we saw turning out for Ulster on Friday night, guys like Gilroy, in another era might have marched across a muddied field and died to become another name on a wall in a cemetery.

In my youth travelling across Northern France towards Amiens on a beautiful day, down a tree lined road, amidst the flickering shadows of sunlight on tarmac, I came across a signpost to a WW1 cemetery.

I stood before a wall with the names of 9,000 men carved in stone who had died in battle on the Western Front. Behind each name lay a story, untold to the humble witness that was me.

We have been hit by the death of Nevin Spence in tragic circumstances but it is sobering to think that there are thousands of Nevins, on that wall who will remain a name to all but a few who have remembered their short lives.

The 2nd world war in a UK context never reached the scale of loss of WW1 and retains a less powerful significance. Yet in other countries the scale of loss was on an epic scale.

It is worth remembering that the USSR suffered losses around 20 million in the Second World War, by the German army, by a purge of political enemies of the communist party and some from starvation.

Humans died in foxholes on the Russian Steppe, frozen to death, some died in vicious fighting, others passed away from hunger. Six million Jews walked into oblivion, herded into cattle wagons on a promise of a new life and died in the ignominious environs of ‘showers’ which gassed them.

Why is it worth recalling all of this?

For me it puts sport into perspective. Some will feel aggrieved we weren’t awarded this penalty or allowed that transgression but in this week of remembrance its worth remembering nobody died as a result of the referees decisions.

For now we can bask in the warm glow of victory, celebrate our wins, debate the merits of who is up to the task, fret on the injured and contemplate the future fixtures and battles to come.

No-one will die.

That is why this week of remembrance takes precedence over whatever sporting confrontation, conflagration likely to occur on the field of dreams.

‘From the going down of the sun, we will remember them.’

Ulster Brew

Struggling to get tickets these days and ended up on the Promenade last Friday night. I enjoyed the experience due to having a reasonably unimpeded view of the pitch and the match.

The game seemed to move at greater pace due to the low trajectory of my perch with young Gilroy in particular moving at speed.

There were encouraging performances from fringe players such as McComb, although with all the injuries and Ireland call-ups he may suddenly assume the mantle of senior second row.

In days of yore I would have felt a sense of rising panic at the start Edinburgh made and so might have more than a few fans around me. Instead I was confident we would slowly find our feet and strangle the life out of a game Gunners side.

So it proved and there is a confidence that comes from winning, even when not playing well.

URSC Branded

The URSC Presidente was wearing what suspiciously looked like a branded mark to the cheek on Friday night.

With the cowboy in charge of the team, event sec herding in the Terrace and a bit of branding going on amongst the supporters, Ravenhill looks more like the rodeo these days.

Kimble in a cowboy hat next, singing Rhinestone Cowboy? You heard it here first.

Ye Ha!

It does seem unfair when season ticket holders can purchase any number of tickets they want which leaves non ST’s scrambling for scraps.

Now where is Kimble’s cowboy hat? It’s time for him to get on his horse, strap on his guns and fire a shot on behalf of the humble ticket purchaser.

Love Stadium Riposte

Seems I narrowly missed out on an invitation to the Love Stadium inauguration Friday week past. Love stadium CEO, Steve Love spoke consolingly, ‘your invitation to the unveiling of the new stand at Love Stadium must’ve got waylaid by the postie – I can only apologise.’

The CEO confirmed, no lives were lost from burning flegs as several concerned facebook posters expressed their fear that one of the fireplace mounted Norn Iron flegs might spontaneously combust.

No doubt The Love Stadium will be packed for the next installment of the Ulster story when they play Zebre.

Keep the home fires burning, but watch those flegs don’t catch!

Radio Decca

Team Ireland take to the stage for the next few weeks and it is hard to energise, re-dial the vibes and tune in to Radio Decca. Already we have heard him explain the full back potential candidates.

As one reporter summed up, ‘He flooded the centre, fullback and tighthead positions with every conceivable candidate. At one point we expected the list to extend into the AIL or provincial academies. He named six possible fullbacks to replace Kearny, including Connacht teenager Robbie Henshaw’.

Well that’s that then, no point in probing Deccie’s mind, he probably hasn’t probed it himself.

SUFTUM or should that be STUFF’EM!


6 responses to “THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING MIST I SEE”

  1. GlynnCommando

    Keep the lyrics coming Parky! 😛
    GC

  2. Parky

    Watched most episodes GC, but recently the theme tune has for some reason being playing through my head so to speak. Well spotted there.

    The title actually refers to a couple of Sunday mornings ago when i was cycling through the early morning mist and a bunch of cyclists appeared in the opposite direction like a ghost train, lights flickering, silent save for the sound of cranks turning over and disappeared into the gloom. A slightly surreal moment.
    Magical! 😎

  3. GlynnCommando

    By the way, Parky – didn’t know you were a M*A*S*H fan?

  4. GlynnCommando

    Great read Parky – as always. This time of year is always tinged with sadness for me – all those “what might have been” thoughts – and the tragedies of conficts past and, indeed, conflicts on-going. Cpl Channing Day is just the latest in a line of needless deaths in a thankless conflict, at the hands of a spineless Government who should hang their heads in shame. Seems, sadly, we will never learn from the lessons of self-sacrifice, duty and honour of those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Enough of the soap-box – i’ll leave you with the words of the Kohima Epitaph:
    “When you go home
    Tell them of us and say,
    For their tomorrow,
    We gave our today”

  5. Parky

    “as the dreadful truth that the only lesson humans have learned from it all seems to be – how to kill more efficiently. I hate this time of the year in that context. Rocky” Unfortunately Rocky, not everyone has your kinda kind heart. What was a bit disheartening was the Channing funeral going past the war memorial in Comber. The present remembering the past whilst still burying the dead.

  6. rocky

    Yes, BP, it’s hard to come to terms with the sheer scale of the waste of life in those two wars as well as the dreadful truth that the only lesson humans have learned from it all seems to be – how to kill more efficiently. I hate this time of the year in that context. Rocky.

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