The Lockerbie Bomber, Scottish Parliement, Edinburgh Festivals, my Half Century and Hibs looking Good!!

I am coming to the end of my break in Edinburgh and of course the big story has been the release of the convicted Lockerbie Bomber,

Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi. Clearly the SNP Minority Scottish Government have made a huge political error of judgement and I hope that the Scottish electorate will not quickly forget it. There has been significant damage worldwide to the reputation of Scotland which I think will have a lasting negative effect and it really shows how out of touch the SNP are with Scottish and World public opinion!!
I have had a restful but active time in Edinburgh visiting the Scottish Parliament, an impressive building and I really like the openness of it and the accessibility to ordinary people to look at and use the building! I went on a very informative Tour although the buidling was busy due to the Lockerbie bombing issue of course!
I spent some time going to Edinburgh Festival Fringe shows highlight being Frank Skinner's "Credit Crunch Caberet". I have never seen Edinburgh as busy as it is this year and some nice weather really helped the experience! The Edinburgh Festival's are really fantastic events for Edinburgh, Scotland and the UK!

I also reached the 50 year Milestone on Saturday and we had a Birthday Barbeque at my Sister's in St. Andrews. Bernadette worked very hard and made me a fantasic Birthday Cake! Saw all my Nephews as well so a really nice day and week!!

Despite some initial worries Hibs have started off fantastically well in the SLP with 2 very good wins and yesterday a 1-0 defeat to Celtic but all reports are of an excellent display by Hibs with Celtic Goalie, Boruc, the busier of the Keepers! Made me laugh to see McGeady sent off for diving after all the Eduardo furore! I recall that great Celtic hero Henrik Larsson get more late penalties for Celtic at Parkhead than anyone!! As they say what goes around comes around! Celtics comprehensive defeat at Arsenal does highlight the widening gap between the English and Scottish game which in my view is largely down to the incompetence of the people running the Scottish football!!

"Yogi" Hughes looks like he is putting a good sqaud togther and getting Anthony Stokes from Sunderland may prove to be the buy of the Season!

SLP Cover mel gibson Link, Shauna and I at Peter Pan and Ripleys and Hibs win opening game!

The South London Press were true to their word and carried a story on my Mel Gibson connection whiuch you can view through the link below:

http://www.icsouthlondon.co.uk/tn/news.cfm?id=31313&headline=Camberwell%20Cllr%20related%20to%20Mel%20Gibson20to%20Mel%20Gibson20to%20Mel%20Gibson20to%20Mel%20Gibson

Shauna and I went to see Peter Pan in a tent in Kensington Gardens which was fantastic and on Sunday went to the new Ripley's Believe it or Not exhibition at Piccadilly Circus!

All in all a lovely weekend and beautiful weather

Hibs kicked off the season with a 2-1 home win against St. Mirren with the Prodigal Son Benji retruning tpo score the winner!
Look at the action on the BBC site below:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/hibernian/default.stm

Scotland crash, Hibs improve and "I am not tired and I will not go to bed"(Peter Pan!)

Well Scotland's World Cup campaign come to a shuddering halt in Oslo last night with an embarrassing 4-0 defeat! With 2 game left, one against Holland, it is not going to happen and we need to contemplate a poor campaign. We do have some International Class players in my view, Gordon, Hutton, Whittaker, Caldwell, Murray. Fletcher and McFaddyen but too many very average players I am afraid and a very average Manager. His weakness highlighted in the Ferguson/McGregor affair which was a disgrace and not sure he is the one to take us very far!! We have more players playing in the Premier League that for many years but we appear to be getting worse and way behind the performances in Paris of 2 years ago!

Hibs ended their Pre-season with another good 0-0 draw at Bolton in Jaskeleinen's Testimonial with a big crowd and 3,000 Hibs fans at the Reebok!

St Mirren on Saturday and let the Season commence!!

I am taking Shauna to see Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens on Saturday so looking forward to that as Peter Pan is a favourite with both of us!!
Booked some Fringe Shows at the Edinburgh Festival so off on the 21st for a week!

Braveheart and Hibs getting it right!

It looks like the South London Press will be running a story on my Mel Gibson relationship with a non too flattering comparison of my life with his!!
I did like Braveheart and have a framed postcard of the Film Poster in my flat!
I need to work on joining up all the family dots but it all looks good with Mel's Mother confirmed as Anne Reilly from Longford, home of the Friary Family!!









Hibs took on Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park and came away with a very creditable 0-0 draw against a strong rovers team so perhaps things are moving in the right direction? Bolton Wanderers next and then let the Season begin!!

Salmond raking it in, Carnivale Del Pueblo, Mel and me and Hibs Pre-Season stutters on!!

Good article in the Telegraph today highlighting how much cash Alex Salmond has made (£275,000) from not resigning his Westminster seat even although he is First Minister in Hollyrood! Disgraceful!!!

I went along to the Carnivale Del Pueblo in Burgess Park yesterday with 100,000 people from all over London.

This is a fantastic event and luckily the weather held out to make it another special day in Camberwell

I heard through Facebook of someone who may be a relative as he is related to IRA General Sean McEoin through the Reilly Family of Balinallee just as I am and he has told me that Mel Gibson's mother is a Reilly from the same town so looks like I am related to Braveheart himself!!

Always thought that there was a family resemblance!!!

Hibs rather uninspiring Pre-season continued with a hefty 3-1 defeat at home to Preston North End!

Away matches this week at Blackburn and Bolton to blow away the last remaining cob-webs and then the season starts on Saturday!