Year: 1998
Enough Is Enough
In last week's Blather, a casual and fairly open-minded mention was made of the skywatch (or UFO watch) which was to take place in Lough Key Forest Park, Roscommon, on December 14th. Blather also made sure to point out the *second* apparent coincidence of a ufological skywatch - organised by an *astronomer*, Eamon Ansbro of PEIR (Programme for Extra-terrestrial Intelligence) - with an annual astronomical highlight - the Geminid meteor shower (7th-16th Dec), which had peaked the night before. Mr. Ansbro had provided us with the details of the skywatch a few days beforehand, during a phone conversation. He asked if Blather would be making an appearance there - we declined the invitation, enquiring instead about any PEIR or ICUFOS (Irish Centre for UFO Studies) skywatches taking place around Dublin on that night. Mr. Ansbro informed us that no such event was taking place other than the Roscommon one. Monday...
The Doctor and the Devil
Two weeks ago, Blather gave mention of Dr. Franklin Ruehl's claims of extraterrestrial involvement in the malfunction of NASA's Deep Space 1 probe. Dr. Ruehl wrote Blather an interesting letter in response, and so we have decided to share our rather gentlemanly argument with the readership, with Blather as Devil's Advocate. +The Doctor and the Devil+ According to the biography that he has passed to Blather, Dr. Ruehl holds a Ph.D. in theoretical nuclear physics (UCLA), has a weekly column *Ruehl's Riddles* in the *Sun* supermarket tabloid, and has published some 1,687 technical papers and popular articles. He lectures regularly before various colleges, organizations, aerospace firms (such as Hughes, Lockheed, and Aerojet), and at expos (such as the Whole Life Expo) and conventions (such as the Babylon 5 Con). His TV program *Mysteries From Beyond The Other Dominion*, was one of the four original series to debut on the Sci-Fi...
Lucifer in the Lavatory
It comes as something of a surprise to hear that apparitions of The Devil have been claimed in one's own extended (if former) neighbourhood - at least according to *The Echo* newspaper, published in Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford in September 1987. Mind you, the article in question, which made page 1, did itself seem fueled with a considerable amount of Devilment. +Lucifer in the Lav+ The "gentleman with a worldwide reputation since the dawn of civilisation" had first come to public notice after reportedly bothering a certain young Michael Kennedy of Craan, Bree, while he was visiting the Gents in a certain public house, in Davidstown, Co. Wexford (*not* 'near Waterford') as Michael Goss wrote, in *Fortean Times* (FT50:19). Kennedy apparently exited the toilets after "a most ferocious rumpus", having seen Satan "in full regalia". Mr. Kennedy wasn't available to comment to *The Echo*. However his father said it was all...
Non Temperance Zone
Nuclear physicist and U.S. cable TV presenter (of *Mysteries from Beyond the Other Dominion*), Dr. Franklin Ruehl contacted Blather this week, to ask: 'Did ETs zap the Deep Space 1 ion engine? Were alien remote viewers involved in this act of extraterrestrial sabotage? Would this be a possible item for Blather?' +Dr. Ruehl+ The very nature of the last question ensured its inclusion in this week's issue. Dr. Ruehl forwarded Blather an article from *Wireless Flash* which covers his claim of sabotage, and his theories on how the probe was disabled using *either* lasers or 'psychic powers'. The motive? Ruehl reckons that the space brothers don't like pesky earthlings nosing around in their stuff, specifically Asteroid 1992 KD, 'because it may be the site of an alien outpost'. Sharp Retort There's not a shred of, dare we mention it, *evidence* to go along with these claims... or if there is,...
Kill for Jesus
The very first issue of Blather *One of Our Bombers is Missing!*, way back on 12th May 1997, dealt with the terrific furore which had erupted over the demise of Capt. Craig Button, a U.S. Air Force pilot who had buried his A-10 bomber aircraft into the side of a Colorado mountain, with a full payload of bombs. All sorts of theories were bounced around back then, between connections to militia, the then forthcoming McVeigh trial, and claims of suicide due to sexual confusion. Considering the amount of US Air Force accidents that have failed to escape our attention in the past year or so, with F-16s dropping out of the sky at what appears to be regular intervals, it is curious as to why this one incident has refused to lie low. Was it merely the cargo of bombs, or something more interesting? Credible homosexuality The Air Force Office...
Energy fields! Shields up!
(happy triskaidekaphobia day) It is with grave disappointment that Blather discovered the writings of one Eamonn Ansbro sullying the pages of *Catalyst* magazine (Autumn '98), an otherwise worthy publication standing for the triple principles of 'ecology', 'empowerment' and 'evolution'. The current issue includes coverage on the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development's *Multilateral Agreement on Investment*, a matter which, in the past, has given this writer cause to put pen to paper. But we digress. Despite apparent yearning for governmental acceptance and scientific credibility, this time Eamonn Ansbro, speaking for the joint venture of the Irish Centre for UFO Studies (ICUFOS) and the Programme for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Research (PEIR) has gone the whole hog by making some remarkable claims... (Blather has mentioned Ansbro and Co. often enough in the past, evidence of which can be gleaned from the archives, so we shall spare the readership from the meticulous agonies of...
The Irish Hellfire Club: Hellfire & Harlots
A matter of days after the Samhain issue pitter-pattered into the mailboxes of the Blather clientele, one Sam Smyth of the Irish Independent started an article titled Ultimate sacrifice for new boy Simon thus: 'bright-eyed and eager, Simon Coveney was led into the Dail like a virgin being inducted into the Hell-Fire Club'. Coveney is a newly-elected member of the Irish parliament (Dail TD) for Cork South Central. Is it mere coincidence that Mr. Smyth should employ this Hell-Fire comparison, or did Blather's far reaching influence create a snowball (in hell) meme? More Hellfire Club photographs » The Hon. Pat Marren was in touch about last week's issue, with a few quotes concerning the exploits of the 'Bucks': 'Your discussion of the "Hell-Fire Club" and mention of the immortal Buck Whaley jogged the synapses, so I duly betook myself to my all-too capacious library (the mammy is all for heaving...
The Irish Hellfire Club: No Smoke Without Fire
The history of Dublin's Hell-Fire Club, Rathfarnham. Overlooking Dublin city from the south west, at an altitude of 383m (1264ft), is a foreboding ruined hunting lodge, marked on Ordnance Survey maps as the 'Hell-Fire Club'. Current urban lore insists on telling us that it was - and still is - a site commonly used for the practice of 'Satanism' and other occult activities, and that the Devil himself made a brief appearance there at some unspecified time in the past. In a story similar to the one attached to Loftus Hall (a haunted house on the Hook Peninsula), a mysterious stranger seeks shelter on a stormy night, and a card game ensues. A member of the household drops a card, and sees that below the table, the otherwise affable and charming visitor has a cloven hoof. His or her screams made the Devil 'aware of her discovery, and he at...
Straddling Two Worlds: Lake Monsters and other weird creatures
Blather's 'man on the street' encountered U.S. cryptozoologist Nick Sucik in Dublin last week, and much nattering was done about the state of Irish animalous anomalies. Nick seemed quite surprised at the 'problems' that arise when investigating Irish mystery beasties - such as reports of huge animals inhabiting tiny lakes with inhospitable ecosystems - to paraphrase Peter Costello (author of In Search of Lake Monsters), 'They all live in puddles'. When pressed to comment on whether I think there's any zoological basis for Irish lake monsters - e.g. horse-eels. - I have to answer that apart from explaining some sightings as 'real' known animals, I would find it difficult to entertain the idea of any new species being discovered here. For example - in the case of Achill Island - large, unknown bipedal creatures residing in an exposed corrie lake (steep-walled amphitheatre or half bowled-shaped hollow cut into a mountainside)...
Virgin Mary: Appearances in Georgia, Ireland
Blather has, in the past, made the odd reference to 'herself', as in the Virgin Mary, apparent mother of Christ, traditionally popular here in Ireland. With a social diary to rival that of Irish President Mary McAleese (and touching that of former President Mary Robinson), the Blessed Virgin Mary (BVM) has recently turned up on fridges in New Jersey, on Mexican cakes, dented Chevy fenders and sewage drains, in Georgia (Europe), and in Spain as a statue that 'cried blood' (the crying was later decried by the Church). She's back again, this time in Georgia...USA This week some 100,000 pilgrims arrived at the farm of Nancy Fowler, in Conyers, 56 km (35 miles) west of Atlanta, and not for the first time either... on the 13th of every month between October 1990 and May 1994, Ms. Fowler 'relayed' messages from the BVM. Lately, she's cut back to annual October 13th...