Alan Johnston
@alanmacseain.bsky.social
Electronics Engineer. Tá beagán Gaeilge agam.
Happy Solstice, people.
Maybe not today, but let's face it, Cos(2°) is 0.9994, which, for humans, is the same as Cos(0°). My Solstice marker is lit!
Maybe not today, but let's face it, Cos(2°) is 0.9994, which, for humans, is the same as Cos(0°). My Solstice marker is lit!
December 20, 2025 at 12:09 AM
Happy Solstice, people.
Maybe not today, but let's face it, Cos(2°) is 0.9994, which, for humans, is the same as Cos(0°). My Solstice marker is lit!
Maybe not today, but let's face it, Cos(2°) is 0.9994, which, for humans, is the same as Cos(0°). My Solstice marker is lit!
I remember the evening of Dec 19th 1975 in Dundalk. I was standing in my bedroom when the window flexed with the blast and I was 1.5km from the bomb.
Two men were killed and many injured in the explosion. It was 100m from where my dad worked. The "Troubles" suddenly came a lot closer to home.
Two men were killed and many injured in the explosion. It was 100m from where my dad worked. The "Troubles" suddenly came a lot closer to home.
December 19, 2025 at 10:00 PM
I remember the evening of Dec 19th 1975 in Dundalk. I was standing in my bedroom when the window flexed with the blast and I was 1.5km from the bomb.
Two men were killed and many injured in the explosion. It was 100m from where my dad worked. The "Troubles" suddenly came a lot closer to home.
Two men were killed and many injured in the explosion. It was 100m from where my dad worked. The "Troubles" suddenly came a lot closer to home.
Reposted by Alan Johnston
My Winter Solstice marker doing its thing. The low sun shines through a high round window fully lighting up a bronze disc on the chimney breast. It's much nicer in real life, something about the sun's glow at this time of year.
December 16, 2025 at 11:11 PM
My Winter Solstice marker doing its thing. The low sun shines through a high round window fully lighting up a bronze disc on the chimney breast. It's much nicer in real life, something about the sun's glow at this time of year.
My Winter Solstice marker doing its thing. The low sun shines through a high round window fully lighting up a bronze disc on the chimney breast. It's much nicer in real life, something about the sun's glow at this time of year.
December 16, 2025 at 11:11 PM
My Winter Solstice marker doing its thing. The low sun shines through a high round window fully lighting up a bronze disc on the chimney breast. It's much nicer in real life, something about the sun's glow at this time of year.
If you're a native of Dundalk and I'm told, way up into the north too, you'd have heard something like "Givvus a lock-ah that cheese". 'Lock of'/lock-ah comes from Irish 'loca' meaning a wad.
#Hiberno-English
#Hiberno-English
December 4, 2025 at 11:37 PM
If you're a native of Dundalk and I'm told, way up into the north too, you'd have heard something like "Givvus a lock-ah that cheese". 'Lock of'/lock-ah comes from Irish 'loca' meaning a wad.
#Hiberno-English
#Hiberno-English
Wife: You're shaffoguie!
Me: What?
W: look it up, you're into Irish, my mother used it. (Her mother was a native speaker from Connemara)
Me (after a wee search): Seafóid? Talking nonsense?
W: Yeah, you're full of it.
Me: What?
W: look it up, you're into Irish, my mother used it. (Her mother was a native speaker from Connemara)
Me (after a wee search): Seafóid? Talking nonsense?
W: Yeah, you're full of it.
November 29, 2025 at 1:32 AM
Wife: You're shaffoguie!
Me: What?
W: look it up, you're into Irish, my mother used it. (Her mother was a native speaker from Connemara)
Me (after a wee search): Seafóid? Talking nonsense?
W: Yeah, you're full of it.
Me: What?
W: look it up, you're into Irish, my mother used it. (Her mother was a native speaker from Connemara)
Me (after a wee search): Seafóid? Talking nonsense?
W: Yeah, you're full of it.
The name Saoirse began appearing in the 1920's after the dust of the War of Indepenence settled.
I'm betting Aontas, as a boy's name, will appear after reunification.
##spéirgorm
I'm betting Aontas, as a boy's name, will appear after reunification.
##spéirgorm
November 27, 2025 at 8:41 AM
The name Saoirse began appearing in the 1920's after the dust of the War of Indepenence settled.
I'm betting Aontas, as a boy's name, will appear after reunification.
##spéirgorm
I'm betting Aontas, as a boy's name, will appear after reunification.
##spéirgorm
I have a hardcopy User Guide for Windows 2.0. I have no idea how I still have it 37 years later.
2.0 introduced overlapping windows and multitasking and came on 5.25" floppy disc, which you installed on to the MASSIVE 10Mb hard drive in your 8MHz 8086 computer.
2.0 introduced overlapping windows and multitasking and came on 5.25" floppy disc, which you installed on to the MASSIVE 10Mb hard drive in your 8MHz 8086 computer.
November 21, 2025 at 10:44 PM
I have a hardcopy User Guide for Windows 2.0. I have no idea how I still have it 37 years later.
2.0 introduced overlapping windows and multitasking and came on 5.25" floppy disc, which you installed on to the MASSIVE 10Mb hard drive in your 8MHz 8086 computer.
2.0 introduced overlapping windows and multitasking and came on 5.25" floppy disc, which you installed on to the MASSIVE 10Mb hard drive in your 8MHz 8086 computer.
Damn! Move off clouds.
There's colour in the clouds (that's a 5sec exposure - it's pitch black outside) so the aurora is probably doing its thing.
There's colour in the clouds (that's a 5sec exposure - it's pitch black outside) so the aurora is probably doing its thing.
November 12, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Damn! Move off clouds.
There's colour in the clouds (that's a 5sec exposure - it's pitch black outside) so the aurora is probably doing its thing.
There's colour in the clouds (that's a 5sec exposure - it's pitch black outside) so the aurora is probably doing its thing.
My daughter's latest oil painting. "Tlachtga", druidess of The Hill of Ward. Prints available.
www.instagram.com/p/DQ7qWxWDLn2
#speirgorm
www.instagram.com/p/DQ7qWxWDLn2
#speirgorm
November 12, 2025 at 12:44 AM
My daughter's latest oil painting. "Tlachtga", druidess of The Hill of Ward. Prints available.
www.instagram.com/p/DQ7qWxWDLn2
#speirgorm
www.instagram.com/p/DQ7qWxWDLn2
#speirgorm
The next plane that Aer Lingus registers will have the registration EI-EIO.
Will passengers be obliged to sing "Old MacDonald had a farm" on takeoff?
#speirgorm #aerlingus
Will passengers be obliged to sing "Old MacDonald had a farm" on takeoff?
#speirgorm #aerlingus
November 11, 2025 at 11:58 PM
The next plane that Aer Lingus registers will have the registration EI-EIO.
Will passengers be obliged to sing "Old MacDonald had a farm" on takeoff?
#speirgorm #aerlingus
Will passengers be obliged to sing "Old MacDonald had a farm" on takeoff?
#speirgorm #aerlingus
Tonight is "Oíche idir dhá Uachtarán", a rare event rumoured to occur every seven years*, where the former Taoisigh have free reign to haunt the halls of the Áras.
*or multiples of 7.
*or multiples of 7.
November 10, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Tonight is "Oíche idir dhá Uachtarán", a rare event rumoured to occur every seven years*, where the former Taoisigh have free reign to haunt the halls of the Áras.
*or multiples of 7.
*or multiples of 7.
You can stop looking at me, I'm NOT paying the cheese tax on Cashel Blue.
November 3, 2025 at 11:16 PM
You can stop looking at me, I'm NOT paying the cheese tax on Cashel Blue.
Have you dug your divination hole yet?
Dig a hole in the ground and if there's a worm in it in the morning, you'll be in for a good year.
More of a Scottish thing, but we're cousins, right?
Dig a hole in the ground and if there's a worm in it in the morning, you'll be in for a good year.
More of a Scottish thing, but we're cousins, right?
October 31, 2025 at 11:40 PM
Have you dug your divination hole yet?
Dig a hole in the ground and if there's a worm in it in the morning, you'll be in for a good year.
More of a Scottish thing, but we're cousins, right?
Dig a hole in the ground and if there's a worm in it in the morning, you'll be in for a good year.
More of a Scottish thing, but we're cousins, right?
There are Hallowe'en feels to the Moon this evening.
October 26, 2025 at 6:18 PM
There are Hallowe'en feels to the Moon this evening.
There was a 75% turnout in the Johnston household today. One registered voter is in London and another couldn't make it in time. Some made considerable effort.
Unanimous in our choice.
Unanimous in our choice.
October 24, 2025 at 10:07 PM
There was a 75% turnout in the Johnston household today. One registered voter is in London and another couldn't make it in time. Some made considerable effort.
Unanimous in our choice.
Unanimous in our choice.
Rx Tx wrong. Again!
October 12, 2025 at 11:42 PM
Rx Tx wrong. Again!
My daughter came home from London for the weekend. When she headed back tonight, she took some of my wife's apple tart wrapped in tinfoil wirh her.
It tested positive three times for nitroglycerin at security.
I knew her cooking was good, but didn't realise it's the bomb-diddley!
It tested positive three times for nitroglycerin at security.
I knew her cooking was good, but didn't realise it's the bomb-diddley!
October 12, 2025 at 10:35 PM
My daughter came home from London for the weekend. When she headed back tonight, she took some of my wife's apple tart wrapped in tinfoil wirh her.
It tested positive three times for nitroglycerin at security.
I knew her cooking was good, but didn't realise it's the bomb-diddley!
It tested positive three times for nitroglycerin at security.
I knew her cooking was good, but didn't realise it's the bomb-diddley!
I was talking to the postman this morning. He's only delighted that Jim Gavin withdrew before his campaign cards were to be delivered.
October 6, 2025 at 8:37 PM
I was talking to the postman this morning. He's only delighted that Jim Gavin withdrew before his campaign cards were to be delivered.
Here's a totally useless fact: on a very sunny day, the island of Ireland weighs, at most, 50 tonnes heavier, due to the pressure exerted by the photons hitting it from the sun.
I told you, it's useless.
I mean, what can you do with that information?
I told you, it's useless.
I mean, what can you do with that information?
October 4, 2025 at 12:32 AM
Here's a totally useless fact: on a very sunny day, the island of Ireland weighs, at most, 50 tonnes heavier, due to the pressure exerted by the photons hitting it from the sun.
I told you, it's useless.
I mean, what can you do with that information?
I told you, it's useless.
I mean, what can you do with that information?
I'll have them all home next weekend. It's like Christmas, I'm excited and delighted.
Oh, btw, I've six kids and five have flown the nest this long while.
Oh, btw, I've six kids and five have flown the nest this long while.
October 3, 2025 at 10:18 PM
I'll have them all home next weekend. It's like Christmas, I'm excited and delighted.
Oh, btw, I've six kids and five have flown the nest this long while.
Oh, btw, I've six kids and five have flown the nest this long while.
I remembered a song my mother used to sing when I was a tot, bouncing on her knee.
I Googled the lyrics and got this, but *I* didn't misremember the words. I noticed the song is from 1907 and realised that that was WAY before her time, so her mother must have sang it to her, bouncing on her knee.
I Googled the lyrics and got this, but *I* didn't misremember the words. I noticed the song is from 1907 and realised that that was WAY before her time, so her mother must have sang it to her, bouncing on her knee.
September 29, 2025 at 11:21 PM
I remembered a song my mother used to sing when I was a tot, bouncing on her knee.
I Googled the lyrics and got this, but *I* didn't misremember the words. I noticed the song is from 1907 and realised that that was WAY before her time, so her mother must have sang it to her, bouncing on her knee.
I Googled the lyrics and got this, but *I* didn't misremember the words. I noticed the song is from 1907 and realised that that was WAY before her time, so her mother must have sang it to her, bouncing on her knee.
I just found out there is an Irish version of "Eenie meanie miney mo":
Íne míne maighne mó
Tá na ba istigh sa chró
Má tá said ag géimneach, scaoiligí leo
Íne míne maighne mó
Íne míne maighne mó
Tá na ba istigh sa chró
Má tá said ag géimneach, scaoiligí leo
Íne míne maighne mó
September 20, 2025 at 11:35 PM
I just found out there is an Irish version of "Eenie meanie miney mo":
Íne míne maighne mó
Tá na ba istigh sa chró
Má tá said ag géimneach, scaoiligí leo
Íne míne maighne mó
Íne míne maighne mó
Tá na ba istigh sa chró
Má tá said ag géimneach, scaoiligí leo
Íne míne maighne mó
Reposted by Alan Johnston
If you remember one thing today, remember that Greta Thunberg and all the other people on the Flotilla are brave enough to risk death to oppose Israel.
Your Politicians wouldn't even speak up because their paychecks would get stopped.
Your Politicians wouldn't even speak up because their paychecks would get stopped.
September 9, 2025 at 11:37 AM
If you remember one thing today, remember that Greta Thunberg and all the other people on the Flotilla are brave enough to risk death to oppose Israel.
Your Politicians wouldn't even speak up because their paychecks would get stopped.
Your Politicians wouldn't even speak up because their paychecks would get stopped.
Níl ní ar bith níos áille ná 'n ghealach os cionn 'n tsáile.
September 8, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Níl ní ar bith níos áille ná 'n ghealach os cionn 'n tsáile.