Greetings and Salutations

After much prompting from my wife, the lovely sgh (http://sghlifeandtimes.blogspot.com/), I have decided that I need to put my thoughts and feelings onto paper, or cyber-paper as it may be in this case. Today, as the data repository I work in slowly slogs its way along, I decided to begin and thus the creation of Donegal John.

First off, I should answer the looming question (Donegal? WTF is that? ). I am not taking a moniker to relate myself with a tweed fabric with colorful slubs woven in and is used for coats and suits. No, I am referring to County Donegal, or more appropriately Dún na nGall, is the most northern county in Ireland, located on the very Northwest corner of the blessed isle. Of the nine counties that make up the province of Ulster, County Donegal is one of three that are part of the Irish Republic instead of Northern Ireland.

My great-great-great grandfather Peter was born in County Donegal back in 1808 before immigrating to the US as a young man and I am proud to come from Irish stock. However, I am so much more and my ancestry does play a supporting role. I feel like going into a long speech about what I believe, a la Kevin Costner in “Bull Durham,” but I will not and save you the agony.

As to address the issue about where this blog will take us, that is to be seen. Yet, if you can live with my rants and raves; discussions of football and cricket; the beauty of Gaelic football and hurling; poetry and the poetry of science, I will give a guarantee that it will be an interesting ride.

Until then,
Slán Abhaile