Roger Casement was an Irish diplomat, humanitarian, and revolutionary whose early career was defined by his tireless efforts to expose human rights abuses in Africa and South America. As a British consul in the Congo Free State, he played a crucial role in revealing the brutal exploitation of indigenous peoples under King Leopold II’s rule, leading to international condemnation of Belgian colonial practices.
Later, he uncovered similar atrocities in the Putumayo region of the Amazon. However, his deepening commitment to Irish nationalism saw him shift from imperial service to revolutionary activism. Embracing the cause of Irish independence, he sought German support for the 1916 Easter Rising, a move that led to his arrest, trial, and execution for treason.
In the eyes of many, he became "the wearer of the green" - a martyr for Ireland, immortalized in history and folklore.
Read more: Sir Roger Casement ─ Wearer of the Green
St. Patrick’s Day might be an Irish tradition, but in the heart of the Australian Outback, it takes on a character all its own. Under the sun, far from the green fields of Ireland, bush pubs overflow with laughter, cold beer, and a good dose of Aussie-Irish banter. From dusty cattle stations to tiny country towns, the day is marked with spirited celebrations that blend Irish heritage with classic Outback grit - think Guinness poured beside Bundy rum, green clovers pinned to Akubras, and the sound of a fiddle competing with a distant dingo’s howl.
One of our regular sojourns was to the St. Patrick’s Day races at Broken Hill. It was traditionally held over a long weekend to coincide with St. Patrick’s Day and, like the Birdsville races, attracted a big crowd from all over the Outback and beyond.
This is my story of our trip to celebrate St Patricks Day in the Australian bush.
On the 13th of March each year, we mark World K9 Day. The day that the world is supposed to celebrate the gift of loyalty and dedication that our four-legged friends have given to our Military men and women. Our canine friends have fought beside us and stood beside us and comforted us in times of trouble and we are increasingly, as a species, forgetting their dedication and love and consigning them into the same bin that we place our unborn children.
We are reading more and more stories of heartbroken and dispirited Veterans who are taking their own lives.
It saddens me that this Worldwide day of tribute often passes without a mention on mainstream media. Let us ensure that does not happen this year.
Why are we always putting green energy assets in all the wrong places?
The main electricity demand comes from big cities and their industries, so the electricity generators should be nearby, thus reducing capital costs and transmission losses, and supporting local jobs.
Why put wind turbines, access roads and power lines in rural and remote areas where there is little demand for electricity, where neighbours hate them, and where they destroy forests, wipe out resident eagles and start bush fires? And of course it is foolish to locate wind turbines anywhere along the cyclone coasts of Queensland, Northern Territory or the Kimberley coast in Western Australia.
What is the luck of the Irish? Many people think it is a good thing to have. I asked one of our commenters ( Paddy ) what it meant and he said to me " Well, my old Gran used to say that if it was raining soup, we'd be carrying forks. "
Imagine a world where the forecast predicts a downpour of steaming soup instead of rain. While most people would be scrambling for umbrellas or ducking for cover, the Irish would be out in the streets, forks in hand, grinning like they've just discovered a new national pastime.But joking aside...
The Irish have been renowned for their gift of seeing the funny side of life during times of adversity. They have borne the brunt of many a joke at their expense and seem to take it in their stride. Something that gays, lesbians, transgenders and left wing activists have not been able to do.
In fact, being offended is almost a badge of courage these days. It is the catch cry of so many and the art form of being offended has been crafted into a political statement.
The Irish have long been celebrated for their uncanny ability to turn life’s hardships into laughter. Centuries of navigating adversity, from historical struggles to everyday challenges - have given rise to a rich tradition of witty storytelling and self-deprecating humour. This knack for finding levity in the darkest of times isn't just a coping mechanism; it's woven into the fabric of Irish identity, celebrated in literature, music, and even casual conversation. In essence, the Irish approach to adversity is a masterclass in resilience, proving that sometimes the best way to face a storm is to dance in the rain, with a joke and a smile.
So what has happened?
Read more: The Luck of the Irish. Heritage is Alive and Well All Over the World.. or is it?
In history, certain dates carry weighty significance, their very mention evoking a sense of foreboding or consequence. Among these, the Ides of March stands as a reminder of the impulsive and unpredictable nature of fate and the tumultuous currents of human affairs.
Originating from ancient Roman traditions, the Ides marked the midpoint of the month in the Roman calendar, typically falling on the 15th day of March, May, July, and October, and the 13th day of other months. However, it is the Ides of March, particularly in the year 44 BC, that has become immortalised for its association with betrayal and political upheaval.
The most enduring event tied to the Ides of March is the assassination of Julius Caesar, one of the most influential figures in Roman history. On that fateful day, Caesar, entered the Theatre of Pompey, unaware of the conspiracy brewing against him. As he took his seat, a group of senators, led by Brutus and Cassius, struck him down, plunging Rome into chaos and altering the course of history.
But what led to this momentous day in history?
Read more: Unraveling the Legacy of a Fateful Date - The Ides of March
In these dark days of misery in many parts of the globe, it is often pleasant to hear a story that has a happy ending. For me, such an event came to pass some time ago. No, I did not win the lottery.
In fact, it would have been strange had I done so as I never take a ticket. No, my happy ending came because a lovely lady, very close to me and my family won a battle by following the wisdom of Sun Tzu.
Sun Tzu was a Chinese military strategist, philosopher, and author of "The Art of War," an influential work on military strategy and tactics. Little is known about his life, and even the exact dates of his birth and death are uncertain, though he is believed to have lived during the Eastern Zhou period of ancient China, around the 6th century BC.
He wrote a book called " The Art of War. "
I want to tell you a tale about stout. As St Patricks Day approaches again, I cannot help but think back. There’s a moment, when I'm sitting under the wide Australian sky, that an old Paddy finds his mind drift homeward.
The sun beats down, the land stretches endless and dry, yet here on the coast it is green and wet, but in my heart, I can still hear the rain pattering against the old stone walls of home. It’s in those moments that I remember the simple things - the warmth of the kitchen, the smell of the soup, and the sight of my Gran, sitting by the fire, sipping her nightly glass of stout. “Good for the blood,” she’d say with a knowing nod, as if the deep, dark drink carried the very essence of Ireland itself. And maybe it does. Because wherever you find a pint of Guinness, you find a bit of home.
So here is my story about Guinness. And it might not be the record book, but it has its own fair share of record breaking stuff.
As our world becomes more corrupt, complicated and seemingly hopeless, we need to use our minds to seek hope from those who have proven, beyond shadow of doubt, that good can triumph.
I saw an image some time ago that struck me as being quite profound. I called it " white privilege. " Perhaps it should have been pioneer spirit and that, is something that new " migrants" seem to lack these days.
It made me wonder how our countries have travelled so far from reality that we are now expected to believe in this myth that we are thinking ourselves superior?
The countries that gave us birth were apparently founded on so called "white privilege". Our ancestors arrived in our nations with wealth of knowledge.
That is true. The knowledge of hard earned skills and generations of hard learned lessons.
The Castle Hill Rebellion, also known as the Second Battle of Vinegar Hill, occurred on March 4th and 5th, 1804, in New South Wales, Australia. It was a pivotal moment in Australia's early colonial history, driven by a mix of political unrest, social inequality, and the desire for freedom among the oppressed convicts and Irish political prisoners.
The catalyst for the rebellion was the oppressive conditions endured by convicts and the lack of rights they faced under British rule. Many convicts were transported to Australia for petty crimes, yet they were subjected to harsh treatment, limited freedoms, and forced labor. Additionally, Irish political prisoners, who were often leaders in rebellion, added fuel to the growing discontent.
Under the leadership of William Johnston, a former Irish rebel, and Philip Cunningham, a convict, a plan to overthrow British authority was devised. The rebels aimed to seize control of key locations, including Parramatta and Sydney, and establish a free settlement.
Read more: The Castle Hill Rebellion - and the Battle of Vinegar Hill
It’s every parent’s worst nightmare, and now it’s a crisis. Joshua Brown, a 26-year-old childcare…
166 hits
Why Is Everyone So Angry These Days? Have you felt it lately? That low hum…
330 hits
When I was a lad, life was simpler, harder yet straightforward and honest. As the…
296 hits
By Roderick (Whiskers) McNibble, Investigative Laundrologist - “Warning: The following article is satire and uses exaggeration…
320 hits
Independence Day, also known as the Fourth of July, is one of the most significant…
80 hits
In a time when truth gets fact-checked to death, rewritten, or quietly buried, it’s worth…
358 hits
From spark plugs to blockchains – decoding the energy behind the future - It’s not about…
399 hits
By Roderick (Whiskers) McNibble, Investigative Laundrologist Dusty Gulch, 2025 – In a world where truth is…
90 hits
They say history repeats. But sometimes, it just whispers. In an age where speech is…
400 hits
When I tell people I’m a beek, inevitably the first thing they say is, “Yes,…
384 hits
When we look back at history, we often speak of "the old wise men" who…
398 hits
When dreams turn to infrastructure, who controls the future above us? In 1957, a lonely…
445 hits
Without a genuine love for our forbears, how can we truly love - or even…
467 hits
They didn’t storm the gates. They waited. While revolutionaries burned flags and shouted in the…
633 hits
RATTY NEWS EXCLUSIVE Operation Downstream: The Rise of the Feathernet Underground By Roderick (Whiskers) McNibble,…
162 hits
By Roderick (Whiskers) McNibble, Chief Correspondent, Fence-Sitter, and Eyewitness to History When the world teetered…
638 hits
Once we debated. Now, " they" accuse. And who are they? Talk about diversity.…
683 hits
Solar generators won’t run on moon-beams – they fade out as the sun goes down…
694 hits
In the 19th century, steam trains roared into history, their unstoppable might revolutionising travel and…
675 hits
There are stories we tell because they’re funny. And there are stories we remember because…
631 hits
As told by Roderick (Whiskers) McNibble, Chief Correspondent, Fence Sitter & Marmalade Analyst Before the…
559 hits
A few weeks ago, someone broke into my quiet little corner of the internet and…
527 hits
By Ernest ‘Ember’ McTail, Special Correspondent. Serious News Division of Ratty News The world watches. There…
505 hits
It began, as such stories often do, in silence and snow. Kananaskis, Alberta - a…
506 hits
As Australia faces economic collapse, and leaders like Donald Trump and Javier Milei take bold…
410 hits
In an age of civil unrest, burning cities, and bitter political division, the words “Give…
432 hits
Today, I am featuring an article written by our dear blogger Malcolm back in 2021.…
369 hits
June is Gay Pride Month. Flags fly, parades roll out, corporations update their logos, and…
460 hits
Written: 24 February 2025 This is a true story, about PP’s cancer journey. PP will…
415 hits
By Roderick (Whiskers) McNibble, Chief Correspondent, Ratty News Dusk in Alice Springs. I, Roderick…
448 hits