Marc Connolly🌻
@marcconnolly.bsky.social
Forests, mountains, nature
Pinned
Marc Connolly🌻
@marcconnolly.bsky.social
· Nov 25
My tree of the day — a pedunculate oak, still holding on to its leaves.
I see they are saying it will take a 10-15 years planning horizon for the Armagh-Portadown rail connection, if things go well (4th image). 🤞
Ministers in Ireland and Northern Ireland have welcomed the Rail Project Prioritisation Strategy, outlining short-term rail upgrades and longer-term electrification and line reopenings to deliver faster, more frequent and sustainable services.
www.gov.ie/en/departmen...
www.gov.ie/en/departmen...
December 18, 2025 at 12:28 AM
I see they are saying it will take a 10-15 years planning horizon for the Armagh-Portadown rail connection, if things go well (4th image). 🤞
Reposted by Marc Connolly🌻
It gives me pause when I walk out from Holywood along the south side of Belfast Lough to think of the city and its history, tucked in to the left as if it’s not there, the centuries of dispute invisible in the sheltered air, the birds of the far north wintering out, as they have for millennia.
December 1, 2025 at 1:21 PM
It gives me pause when I walk out from Holywood along the south side of Belfast Lough to think of the city and its history, tucked in to the left as if it’s not there, the centuries of dispute invisible in the sheltered air, the birds of the far north wintering out, as they have for millennia.
My brother and I at The Offspring. It was a great show :-)
November 22, 2025 at 3:01 PM
My brother and I at The Offspring. It was a great show :-)
Tree of the day is this Japanese maple tree (April and October)
October 21, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Tree of the day is this Japanese maple tree (April and October)
Recent trip to the GoT Studio Tour in Banbridge- it was a lot of fun
October 20, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Recent trip to the GoT Studio Tour in Banbridge- it was a lot of fun
An excuse to post the Shakespeare joke I found actually funny...
GLENDOWER:
I can call spirits from the vasty deep.
HOTSPUR:
Why, so can I, or so can any man;
But will they come when you do call for them?
#shakespearesunday
GLENDOWER:
I can call spirits from the vasty deep.
HOTSPUR:
Why, so can I, or so can any man;
But will they come when you do call for them?
#shakespearesunday
October 19, 2025 at 9:31 PM
An excuse to post the Shakespeare joke I found actually funny...
GLENDOWER:
I can call spirits from the vasty deep.
HOTSPUR:
Why, so can I, or so can any man;
But will they come when you do call for them?
#shakespearesunday
GLENDOWER:
I can call spirits from the vasty deep.
HOTSPUR:
Why, so can I, or so can any man;
But will they come when you do call for them?
#shakespearesunday
This is such a nice song: a favourite from this year
I get back from holiday and this beautiful track by Big Thief and Laraaji is finally in public domain. Grandmother, from what I think is the best Big Thief album by a long way, Double Infinity.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqIe...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqIe...
Big Thief - Grandmother (feat. Laraaji) [Official Lyric Video]
YouTube video by Big Thief
www.youtube.com
October 2, 2025 at 1:50 PM
This is such a nice song: a favourite from this year
Out and about on my birthday :-)
September 30, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Out and about on my birthday :-)
Prague night tour
September 28, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Prague night tour
Tree of the day – a big old sycamore at the Lennon Wall in Prague
September 25, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Tree of the day – a big old sycamore at the Lennon Wall in Prague
I had this little poem in my head all day
By Kobayashi Issa (HT @bashosociety.bsky.social for sharing)
By Kobayashi Issa (HT @bashosociety.bsky.social for sharing)
September 6, 2025 at 7:18 PM
I had this little poem in my head all day
By Kobayashi Issa (HT @bashosociety.bsky.social for sharing)
By Kobayashi Issa (HT @bashosociety.bsky.social for sharing)
Today's tree is this rather special Cedar of Lebanon
August 22, 2025 at 11:53 PM
Today's tree is this rather special Cedar of Lebanon
Reposted by Marc Connolly🌻
I love that this plant is someone's favorite. Native over there. Of course it's invasive over here. And personally it's way too "spikey" for my liking. 😂
July 27, 2025 at 4:10 PM
I love that this plant is someone's favorite. Native over there. Of course it's invasive over here. And personally it's way too "spikey" for my liking. 😂
This teasel plant self-seeded in my garden and is now my favouite. Its about 6ft, with lots of little pools of water where the leaves meet up the stems, making it v popular with insects too
July 27, 2025 at 3:47 PM
This teasel plant self-seeded in my garden and is now my favouite. Its about 6ft, with lots of little pools of water where the leaves meet up the stems, making it v popular with insects too
Reposted by Marc Connolly🌻
Local, middle-aged woman outside the Europa Hotel in Belfast just now: "It's called 28 Years Later but I don't know what it's about - is it the Good Friday Agreement?
June 20, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Local, middle-aged woman outside the Europa Hotel in Belfast just now: "It's called 28 Years Later but I don't know what it's about - is it the Good Friday Agreement?
My tree of the day - yew
May 26, 2025 at 12:24 AM
My tree of the day - yew
Mr Wisteria is, understandably, tree of the day
May 21, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Mr Wisteria is, understandably, tree of the day
Wild garlic update
May 1, 2025 at 10:24 PM
Wild garlic update
Quite a big wild garlic patch. I do like the smell after the rain
April 19, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Quite a big wild garlic patch. I do like the smell after the rain
Great article on the gap between how we value human and natural heritage. Interesting that in Portugal and Italy, anyone is able to recommend a tree for protection www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...
Why Veteran Trees Deserve the Same Protection as Ancient Monuments
The destruction of a venerable oak tree highlights the importance of safeguarding biodiversity.
www.bloomberg.com
April 19, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Great article on the gap between how we value human and natural heritage. Interesting that in Portugal and Italy, anyone is able to recommend a tree for protection www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...
I really enjoyed Mikey 17. Hope it does well as it was such an original and fun sci fi & political satire, with great cast and performances. My one issue is how very naïve folks in sci fi stories are about the fact that death-followed-by-cloning still equals death. See also: teleporters in Star Trek
March 20, 2025 at 6:21 PM
I really enjoyed Mikey 17. Hope it does well as it was such an original and fun sci fi & political satire, with great cast and performances. My one issue is how very naïve folks in sci fi stories are about the fact that death-followed-by-cloning still equals death. See also: teleporters in Star Trek
My #thicktrunktuesday nomination — yew tree at St. Andrew's Church, Totteridge. Perhaps the oldest living thing in London.
March 4, 2025 at 5:04 PM
My #thicktrunktuesday nomination — yew tree at St. Andrew's Church, Totteridge. Perhaps the oldest living thing in London.
My tree of the day is this holm oak in Armagh
March 2, 2025 at 5:06 PM
My tree of the day is this holm oak in Armagh