Monkey Business

Following our visit to Dinbych-y-Pysgod this weekend, I glanced at the webpage for Caldey & it reminded me of these horrendous stories. I knew Rebecca, and her family quite well. The abuse the girls suffered definitely haunted them from childhood right up to date, and they were certainly troubles teenagers.

I knew about the Father Tad story from the news a short while ago, but I didn't realise that one of his victims had drowned on the island. This must surely beg the question of was there more to this drowning than may have been reported. It must be devastating for his victims to know that after a potential career of abuse over fourty years, that he died before facing justice.

Also the revelation that Child sex offender Paul Ashton fled to Caldey island in 2004 came as a suprise to me. Then the subsequent news that another sex offender believed to have lived on the island is notorious predator John Cronin, and another, Rev John Shannon, was Caldey Island's parish priest at St David's Church in 2008. He was later jailed for possessing indecent images of children, having left the island.

Psychiatrists labelled Cronin one of the most dangerous sexual predators in Britain after he committed 50 offences including an attack on a woman in 1992 in which he posed as a priest.

Shannon admitted downloading 740 indecent images of children and was jailed for eight months in 2011.

Surely one may be a mistake, but 2, 3 or even 4 must suggest something worse than that.

BBC News - Caldey Island abuse: Drowned girl and sister were victims - BBC News

BBC News - Caldey Island abuse monks cruel to victims, says report - BBC News

BBC News - Caldey Island: 20 people claim monk abused them as children - BBC News

Alternate Universe - Our Town

Or if you prefer, Google Gemini's response to "Write a blog post on our town production in swansea with Micheal Sheen" 

"The Magic Returns to the Mumbles: Michael Sheen Brings Our Town to Swansea

There is something poetic about a global star returning to their roots to tell a story about the universal beauty of "the ordinary." This week, Swansea wasn’t just the "pretty city" by the sea—it became the heartbeat of Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece, Our Town.

With Port Talbot’s own Michael Sheen taking on the role of the Stage Manager, the production transformed the local stage into a poignant reflection of life, death, and everything in between.

A Local Legend in a Universal Role

The role of the Stage Manager requires a unique blend of authority, warmth, and a touch of the ethereal. Sheen, known for his chameleonic ability to inhabit roles from Brian Clough to Aziraphale, brought a distinctively Welsh soul to the part.

Instead of a distant narrator, Sheen felt like a neighbor leaning over a garden fence. His performance reminded us that while the play is set in the fictional Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire, its themes of community and the fleeting nature of time resonate just as deeply in the streets of Swansea and the valleys beyond.

Why Our Town Still Hits Home

In an age of constant digital noise, Our Town is a masterclass in minimalism. The production stripped away the bells and whistles, focusing on what truly matters:

 * The Beauty of the Mundane: The clink of milk bottles, the rhythm of a choir practice, and the simple act of eating breakfast.

 * A Sense of Place: By staging this in Swansea, the production bridged the gap between a 1930s American classic and modern Welsh identity.

 * The Final Act: Without giving too much away for the uninitiated, the play’s conclusion remains one of the most powerful "gut punches" in theater history—a reminder to cherish the "now."

The Verdict: A Triumph for Welsh Theater

This wasn’t just a "celebrity vehicle." The supporting cast, featuring a wealth of local talent, breathed life into the characters of George and Emily, ensuring the emotional stakes felt real and raw.

For those lucky enough to snag a ticket, it was a reminder that we don’t need high-tech special effects to be moved. We just need a good story, a bare stage, and a voice that feels like home.

> "Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it?—every, every minute?"

> — Emily Webb, Our Town

> 

Did you catch the performance at the Grand Theatre or the Arena? Share your favorite moments in the comments below!

Would you like me to draft a series of social media captions to help promote this blog post on Instagram or X (Twitter)?

I find this fascinating. Is it better than mine? You be the judge......

Ps, We just booked the last night of the run @ the Rose theatre, Kingston upon Thames. So good they saw it twice?

Our Town

I saw most of a fantastic production of  Our Town with Micheal Sheen's Welsh National Theatre Saturday night. 

A lovely story of birth, marriage & death in a small town (population 2542) transplanted to Wales. A pulitzer prize winning, "greatest American play ever written"

The set was amazing - a dozen scaffolders planks, some ladders, & some stands of wild grasses on wheels. The cast manipulated them with skill & grace, transforming them into churches, houses, upstairs windows & railroad tracks. Some of the movements were hypnotic, the dances amazing, and the lighting atmospheric. Sheen of course was brilliant, and the leads superb. Quite moving.

10/10 - as polished as any London production. Well done Welsh National! We seem to have swapped a rugby team for a national theatre.

How did they make it "Welsh"? 

Nah, a few hymns & calling main street Strydd Fawr didn't transform it for me, however, they did grasp the nettle & show the choirmaster as gay.

Unfortunately my knees disagreed with the seating arrangements, and I cried off at the interval. Still, I got to see 2/3 acts. Why can I not tolerate cramped seating? Totoro in the Barbican was similar. Should have been called Torturer... 

https://observer.co.uk/-review

Cwrw'r Wythnos tri deg dau

 

Dunno if I can justify £45 plus p&p for 12, tho

Dinbych-y-Pysgod

Off for a night out @ Dinbych-y-Pysgod. (The little fort of the fish). Or Tenby, to you.

We are staying in a hotel facing Caldey, with a room upgrade to a four poster.

Should I tell my Caldey tale now? Oh, OK then. Well. Back in the day I knew a guy who was employed as dairyman & lighthouse keeper for the Monks of Caldey. How they escaped the dissolution of the monasteries? 

1536 (Dissolution): The medieval priory was dissolved during the Reformation, after which it served as a farm.

1906 (Modern Re-establishment): An Anglican Benedictine community purchased the island and built the current Abbey, which was later sold to Belgian Cistercians in 1928–1929. 

The island is known for the ancient St. Illtud's Church and the 13th-century Old Priory, while the modern monastery is inhabited by the Cistercians of the Strict Observance: OCSO (Trappists)

So, it turns out that Caldey is a daughter monastery to the monastery of Chimay. Yes, the one that makes the beer. And, this chap became friendly with the Abbot of Chimay, so much so, that he came to stay with him in Port Eynon. As a thank you, he would bring 3 cases of the abbey beer, the 7% ABV Red (Première), 9% ABV Blue (Grande Réserve), and 8% ABV White (Triple). Now, this chap didn't like beer, so I generously offered to relieve him of this burden. 

It turns out that the phrase "blind drunk" is rooted in truth. On the way home from his, after sampling each type, several times, I lost my ability to see, and had a very difficult trip back to my pit. I don't think I have ever been so drink before or after.

This is Spinal Tap

If you come from the sixties, and have followed Rock & Roll, then you will understand the true genius of this mockumentary. So many references to stuff we used to take seriously. Flower power, Psychedelic Rock, Prog Rock, Glam Rock, Heavy Metal, the "Concept Album" & even The Beatles (the black album). It's all parodied beautifully. 

Tufnel explains that his custom Marshall amplifiers are louder because their volume knobs go to 11, whereas standard amps only go to 10, famously stating, "It's one louder, isn't it?

The amplifier knobs

The metal detector scene @ airport 

The dancing gnomes @ Stonehenge

The flower power phase

Qi Gong's flying teapot

 

Actually, no flying teapots were seen over Clyne Gardens today, but there was one group of 14 ladies of a certain age, Yours Truly, and a Leader, swaying rythmically in the cool January breeze, performing the ancient Chineese practice of Qi Gong:-

"Qi" refers to vital energy, while "gong" means skill or cultivation

(we didn't look like this - Imagine greyer people in duvet jackets & gloves)

Qigong is a 4,000-year-old Chinese mind-body practice that blends gentle, flowing movements with deep, rhythmic breathing and focused intention (meditation) to balance and cultivate "qi" (vital energy). It is used to reduce stress, improve overall health, and increase mobility. 

I bloody loved it! It seems like a great way to take the boredom out of my recently prescribed exercises to strengthen my wasted back muscles. Lots of the movements were identical to both. We stood amongst the trees at the top of Clyne gardens, amongst the sound of birdsong & the breeze rustling leaves, with the leader's two dogs wandering amongst us & occasionally snuggling in. I found it quite hard to complete all the exercises, especially constantly raising the arms. I'm sure this will get easier with time. 

I am now converted. 

Will the real Grockle please stand up

 But which is the real one?

Grokles

Since the  60's, eh? wow

Which leads on to Cummers/Cwmmers/Comers. Probably from Cwm = valley therefore Valley folk? - how we would describe the people who descend on the Gower in our youth.

MC Hammer

 

Dylan has recently discovered the joys of Warhammer. Whilst on PGCE placement @ Bont Comp, he went along to the lunchtime Warhammer club, and has been a devotee since.

The hook, or sprat to catch a mackerel, was to give him a free starter booklet & some miniature figures to paint. During the club time, the kids paint miniatures in remarkable detail, for use later in their battles against each other. I can see that this is calming and relaxing, and you end up with a product that you have created and then can go on to use. 

It's nice to see a British company taking the world by storm:-

a-gaming-success-story-how-warhammer-became-one-of-britains-biggest-companies

Ive not experienced the gameplay yet, but will report back when I have. 

More Culture than Tesco's

Swansea now officially has more culture than Tesco's after a Φάγε delivery. 

The London production of Mamma Mia last weekend, 

The National Theatre Live does Hamlet @ the Taliesin midweek, 

Then Our Town with Micheal Sheen's Welsh National Theatre next weekend!

Aren't we lucky?

I must admit I fancy National Theatre Live - THE PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD.  Coming to the Taliesin soon.

by John Millington Synge

A young man walks into a pub claiming that he’s killed his father. Instead of being shunned, the killer becomes a local hero and begins to win hearts, that is until a second man unexpectedly arrives on the scene… A gripping and sharply funny classic brimming with secrets and twists, starring Nicola Coughlan (Bridgerton) and Siobhán McSweeney (Derry Girls).

Mugs no more?

 

I noticed this little beauty on Campus this week, & jumped with joy. I hate the waste created by single use cups from the likes of Costa & Greggs, and religiously take my re-useable ones wherever I coffee. 

There are holes for Plastic tops, the coated cardboard cups, and a place for remaining liquid. I hope that the first 2 can now be recycled, but as this doesn't seem to be promised anywhere on the bin, combined with my cynicism, I doubt it. I now feel sad.

Cwrw'r Wythnos tri deg un

 It's Tap Takeover by Dark Element Brewing, Caerffili's finest... So:-

Traitors

I think I have the game sussed out. 

Initially, The Traitors have all the power, as no one has any data on treacherous behaviour. Acting like a Faithful and acting like a Traitor pretending to be Faithful are identical. So, the Traitors can jump on wild accusations, & whittle away. So The Faithful get gradually reduced. This makes drama and  OK TV, & seems to show how stupid The Faithfull are, whilst increasing their stress levels. 

As the show moves on, perhaps a Traitor does something stupid, gets caught & banished, but this is rare. Who gets banished depends on who bonds with who, or is perceived as trustworthy in a show based on deception. Often the faithful just jump on the bandwagon at the round table, without evidence or clues, and stay loyal to "nice" people. Stephen Fry tried to counter this in the celebrity version by suggesting that they all voted for who they thought, without listening to other biases, and was roundly ignored.

However, when it comes down to the last 6 (?) or so, the Faithful have a chance, but are still impotent compared to the traitors. If the Traitors are any good, the remaining Faithful will be so useless as to have no chance anyway, and they win. The final is the only real drama in the series.

Reviews of the current series here:-

The Grauniad finale review 

BBC News - final review

Is it worth watching again? Dunno. The filler in the middle is becoming boring, the hopelessness of the Faithful becoming frustrating, the reveals have become 'so what's' and the twists tame. So unless you have a great liar/manipulator like Rachel, the whole thing is becoming another dull reality show, and yes, we'll probably watch it :-)

P.S.

Was Stephen a hero or fool for not eliminating Rachel @ the final round table? He walked away with £50k rather than £100k. Honourable or foolish?  Comments please.

Another point of view

Drake, not Charlie

My mind turns to Cadiz, Armadas, Treasure ships, Trafalgar, Drake & Nelson. From the depths of memory comes this:-

From:- https://allpoetry.com/Drake's-Drum

Drake's Drum

Drake he's in his hammock an' a thousand miles away,
(Capten, art tha sleepin' there below?)
Slung atween the round shot in Nombre Dios Bay,
An' dreamin' arl the time O' Plymouth Hoe.
Yarnder lumes the Island, yarnder lie the ships,
Wi' sailor lads a-dancing' heel-an'-toe,
An' the shore-lights flashin', an' the night-tide dashin',
He sees et arl so plainly as he saw et long ago.

Drake he was a Devon man, an' ruled the Devon seas,
(Capten, art tha' sleepin' there below?)
Roving' tho' his death fell, he went wi' heart at ease,
A' dreamin' arl the time o' Plymouth Hoe.
"Take my drum to England, hang et by the shore,
Strike et when your powder's runnin' low;
If the Dons sight Devon, I'll quit the port o' Heaven,
An' drum them up the Channel as we drumm'd them long ago."

Drake he's in his hammock till the great Armadas come,
(Capten, art tha sleepin' there below?)

Slung atween the round shot, listenin' for the drum,
An' dreamin arl the time o' Plymouth Hoe.
Call him on the deep sea, call him up the Sound,
Call him when ye sail to meet the foe;
Where the old trade's plyin' an' the old flag flyin'
They shall find him ware an' wakin', as they found him long ago!

Where is Nombre de dios bay (lit: Name of God) I hear you ask?

From:-https://www.indrakeswake.co.uk/Society/Research/nombrededios.htm

Drake sailed out of Plymouth Sound on 24 May 1572 on a voyage to Tierra Firme - that included today's Panama, for which he had very carefully prepared. He made his objective very clear, with intent to land at Nombre de Dios. On his last voyage in 1595/6, the final objective was the City of Panama but the key location was once again Nombre de Dios, from where his troops attempted the land crossing of the isthmus. When that failed, Drake put Nombre de Dios to the torch.

The Nombre de Dios that Drake knew in 1572, was a fair sized city for those days. The settlement had been granted its status by Emperor Charles V in 1537 and had seen some fifty years of development. It was the important terminal for the Tierra Firme treasure fleet which had, by 1564, established a regular annual, timetable. Here it met the treasure mule-trains which had crossed via the Camino Real from Panama City.It was at zenith of its development, and had exported enormous wealth during the century, including about 200,000 tons of silver. However, its harbour suffered several disadvantages. 

Consequently, in 1587 Baptista Antonelli, Philip II's engineer and surveyor, recommended relocation to Portobelo. However, the merchants were reluctant to relocate. Even after Drake sacked the city, they returned! A major fire later in the year, finally convinced them. Moreover, relocation took several years to complete. After that Nombre de Dios was abandoned to the jungle. In 1684 William Dampier commented, Nombre de Dios, a city once famous, is now nothing but a name. For I have lain ashore in the place where that City stood; but it is all overgrown with wood, so as to leave no sign that any Town hath been there.

The Nombre de Dios that Drake knew is a lost city - it no longer exists.

2B or not?

 

Off to see Hamlet tonight, one of the National Theatre Live productions, @ The Taliesin Theatre on Swansea University campus. We have been to several of these, & found them excellent. After a short while, you become immersed in the play, and get a very similar experience to actually being in the theatre itself.

From the blurb:-

Olivier Award-winner Hiran Abeysekera (Life of Pi) is Hamlet in this fearless, contemporary take on Shakespeare’s famous tragedy.

Well, I guess we'll see....

Beer, Bollix & Biryanis (The group previously known as Men-tal-elves)

 

Tonight night was the first meet of the men's mental health support group talked about previously on this organ. 

We had an excellent evening @ The Taproom by Gower Brewery, followed by The Mumtaz restaurant. Lots of chuckles, much bollix, and good company.

The pub proved to be a fine choice, with a good selection of cask & keg ales, plenty of seating, and a quiet relaxed atmosphere condusive to chats. The fact that it closed @ 8pm wasn't a problem, as we were ready to move on & eat by then.

The Mumtaz was suprisingly quiet, although it was a rainy cold Wednesday in January. This turned out to be a boon, as we had the full attention of the waiting & kitchen staff. The meal was great, and reasonably priced. everyone enjoyed their choices.

It was interesting to see who made it & when they decided to not come.

Cry Offs ;-  One the day before, then on the day at 09:30, 11:50, 12:15 14:30, 18:50 & 19:15 There were some resounding silences. I guess that ties in with my previous experience of arranging "Do's". I did have a little chuckle at the irony of men in a support group for men being unable to turn up & support each other.

Nevertheless, I will press on regardless, my latest idea being to meet monthly, on the last Wednesday of the month. This should enable people to attend at least every now & then. Also I think Beer, Bollix & Biryanis is a better name for the group.

Overall, an excellent night was had. Thx guys xxx

Will The Real Joker please stand up

Is it time Tony Blair auditioned for the role of the Joker in the next Batman film?

The resemblance is uncanny......

Turns out I was wrong. The actual Joker is Trumplethinskin 

I love (?) the smell of Physicists in the morning

What does a small room full of 25 Physicists smell like? Yup, BO, and stale sweat. My workplace this morning. Other subjects? Not so much. 

I don't think "The Big Bang Theory" would have been such a hit if we had Smell-O-Vision TV sets. 

Cwrw'r Wythnos tri deg

 

It pays to increase your wordpower

Following on from my post here

Bored whilst invigilating, I resorted to randomly opening a Collins dictionary, and to my delight, I found:-

What a great word! I bet you could get away with using this to describe someone, sounding like  praise, whilst actually slagging them off to those in the know, along the lines of "there we are then" - twat. 

It's bizarre that latin for sex worker sounds so worthy.

Another little gem is Myrmidon, it lives in your imagination as one of these guys, Achilles's posse, but now used as any kind of follower.

The English language and its etymologies never ceases to amaze. I wonder if this is the case in other languages?

Digested

A memory of my grandparents house:- in the back bedroom was a pile of "Readers Digest" - now sadly gone to the great publishing house in the sky. I loved these, & enjoyed browsing through them on sleepovers. There were jokes, general interest articles, and of course, "It pays to increase your wordpower".

It was:-

Reader's Digest was a popular American general-interest magazine, founded in 1922, known for its condensed articles, uplifting stories, humor, brain teasers (like Word Power), and condensed books, simplifying complex topics for broad appeal.

Why my grandparents subscribed to it, is too late to discover now, but I guess it's what people did for entertainment back in the 60's. Radio, 1 tv channel, records, newspapers & this. Were they pretentious middle class? I'd like to think not. 

Off to Cadiz?

 I wonder if we'll meet her?

The Girl of Cadiz

George Gordon, Lord Byron

O never talk again to me
Of northern climes and British ladies;
It has not been your lot to see.
Like me, the lovely Girl of Cadiz.
Although her eyes be not of blue,
Nor fair her locks, like English lassies,
How far its own expressive hue
The languid azure eye surpasses!

Prometheus-like, from heaven she stole
The fire that through those silken lashes
In darkest glances seeuis to roll,
From eyes that cannot hide their flashes;
And as along her bosom steal
In lengthened flow her raven tresses,
You'd swear each clustering lock could feel,
And curled to give her neck caresses.

Our English maids are long to woo,
And frigid even in possession;
And if their charms be fair to view,
Their lips are slow at love's confession;
But, born beneath a brighter sun,
For love ordained the Spanish maid is,
And who, when fondly, fairly won.
Enchants you like the Girl of Cadiz?

The Spanish maid is no coquette,
Nor joys to see a lover tremble;
And if she love or if she hate.
Alike she knows not to dissemble.
Her heart can ne'er be bought or sold,—
Howe'er it beats, it beats sincerely;
And, thought it will not bend to gold,
'T will love you long, and love you dearly.

The Spanish girl that meets your love
Ne'er taunts you with a mock denial;
For every thought is bent to prove
Her passion in the hour of trial.
When thronging foemeu menace Spain
She dares the deed and shares the danger;
And should her lover press the plain,
She hurls the spear, her love's avenger.

And when, beneath the evening star,
She mingles in the gay Bolero,
Or sings to her attuned guitar
Of Christian knight or Moorish hero,
Or counts her beads with fairy hand
Beneath the twinkling rays of Hesper,
Or joins devotion's choral band
To chant the sweet and hallowed vesper,

In each her charms the heart must move

Of all who venture to behold her.

Then let not maids less fair reprove,
Because her bosom is not colder;
Through many a clime 't is mine to roam
Where many a soft and melting maid is,
But none abroad, and few at home,
May match the dark-eyed Girl of Cadiz.

Logolicious

The sign on me daps intrigued me. 

Is it a bird? A plane? No! Its the Runbird!

The etymology/genesis? of the  logo?

 

So now you know, too! Planetary orbits my arse.

I seem to remember the Matties using this brand, until they crossed over to the Dark Side of "On" daps.