Category: Belfast

Belfast, Health, mental health, news, Northern Ireland life, PSNI3 Comments

PSNI MMRT get gold stars: Belfast HSC Trust does not

Michael McFarland Campbell

This weekend has been a very difficult one for my family. This evening I would like to say a very big thank you to the members of the Mourne Mountain Rescue Team who trekked up Slieve Donard late on Friday evening/early on Saturday morning to find my brother, D-, who was up on the mountain with very little protection. Stephen’s post yesterday evening about suicide was very timely. D- is in a very bad way at the moment. However, other than the Mountain Rescue Team to thank, the Police Service of Northern Ireland in B district have been very very … Continue reading PSNI MMRT get gold stars: Belfast HSC Trust does not

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Bank of Ireland, Banking, Belfast, Nationwide, news, Northern Ireland life, SantanderLeave a comment

the curse of the bank cards is still upon me

Michael McFarland Campbell

Whilst out in Belfast city centre with Stephen, after an appointment at my GP’s surgery, I was on my way to sort out some personal finances when disaster struck. I put the one card that survived the original bank card problem, into an ATM near CastleCourt this afternoon, and after putting in my PIN asking for balance, it was retained. So now I have to contact the provider of the account to see what went wrong. Back to resolving bank card saga number 1: went into a Santander branch and asked why I hadn’t received a new bank card – … Continue reading the curse of the bank cards is still upon me

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Belfast, gay, LGBT, news, politics, UUP1 Comment

Tom Elliott and the UUP need to grow up

Michael McFarland Campbell

So it seems that we are not going to see the leader of the Ulster Unionists in next year’s Belfast Pride march. As reported by Pink News, Tom Elliott MLA recently said that I have indicated at party meetings that whilst some members of our party would go to gay pride marches or GAA matches, I wouldn’t go. Personally, I am not surprised at the UUP’s decision to vote in Mr Elliott as party leader. Basil McCrea his opponent has been very good at attending Belfast Pride in recent years, particularly with his colleague John McCallister. It is clear that … Continue reading Tom Elliott and the UUP need to grow up

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Belfast, Disability, Health, HIV, Metro, news, Northern Ireland life, Translink, Transport, UlsterbusLeave a comment

Translink needs to work on access for disabled on buses

hivblogger

Having been falling asleep on the number 4a bus on the way home from the appointments of the day, I was very much awake when the bus driver let one person off at our stop, but then proceeded to drive on without letting myself, and my two escorts off as well – indeed we were still on the stairs at the time. I shouted No. STOP Everyone looked a bit surprised on the bus. Stephen says that those on the top deck (where he still was) were asking Did the driver just drive off there? And with the answer in … Continue reading Translink needs to work on access for disabled on buses

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Belfast, Health, HIV, newsLeave a comment

Translink needs to look at DDA again

hivblogger

Having been falling asleep on the bus on the way home from the appointments of the day, I was very much awake when the bus driver let one person off at our stop, but then proceeded to drive on without letting myself, and my two escorts off as well – indeed we were still on the stairs at the time. I shouted No. STOP Everyone looked a bit surprised on the bus. Stephen says that those on the top deck (where he still was) were asking Did the driver just drive off there? And with the answer in the affirmative, … Continue reading Translink needs to look at DDA again

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Belfast, Drugs, Health, HIV, Northern Ireland lifeLeave a comment

rvh clinic needs to rethink working practices

Michael McFarland Campbell

I was up at the Royal Victoria Hospital yesterday for my regular checkup. The visit is now pretty routine, with a regular way of working: arrive, check in with the lovely receptionist, sit in waiting room (for ages) see consultant have blood taken for testing head down to pharmacy for prescription Now, my appointment was at 2.30pm but I was finally seen by my consultant at 3.45pm. Then had a long wait for the bloods to be taken. When I was finally called for the bloods by the nursing staff, I pointed out that I would not be able to … Continue reading rvh clinic needs to rethink working practices

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Belfast, news1 Comment

one more grieving family gets its loved one’s remains back

Michael McFarland Campbell

With the news that the remains of Charlie Armstrong, one of the so-called ‘Disappeared’ have been identified by DNA, another family will have their loved one’s remains returned to them for burial. The disappeared include: Victim Disappeared Attribution 1 Joseph Lynskey Summer 1972 PIRA 2 Seamus Wright Oct 1972 PIRA 3 Kevin McKee Oct 1972 PIRA 4 Jean McConville Dec 1972 PIRA Body recovered 2003 5 Peter Wilson Aug 1973 6 Eamon Molloy Jul 1975 PIRA Body recovered 1999 7 Columba McVeigh Oct 1975 PIRA 8 Robert Nairac May 1977 PIRA 9 Brendan Megraw Apr 1978 PIRA 10 John McClory … Continue reading one more grieving family gets its loved one’s remains back

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Belfast, catholic, charitable, christian, gay, news, Northern Ireland life, politics, suffering1 Comment

love between two persons… is to be treasured and respected

Michael McFarland Campbell
The word ‘love’ must never be thought of as synonymous with the word ‘sex’. Love can take many forms…love between two persons, whether of the same sex or of a different sex, is to be treasured and respected. - Dom Basil, Cardinal Hume 1923 - 1999

It’s funny what you find on the internet about yourself…

This morning when I was surfing, I found two disturbing threads on two particularly disturbing forums. One was really a repost of the other.

To quote someone hiding behind the name of “Credo”, on one of the sites

and

the full text of the posts can be found here…

and also on this site posted by someone called Seosamh here… (warning only click if you really want to – it does not make for pleasant reading) Continue reading “love between two persons… is to be treasured and respected”

Belfast, news, Transport, Uncategorized2 Comments

#operationevacuate of @stephenpglenn not going quite according to plan – #keygate

Michael McFarland Campbell

We’re finally on the Stenaline HSS between Belfast and Stranraer on the way to Bathgate to transport the former Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Linlithgow and East Falkirk (Stephen Glenn) back to his hometown of Bangor (County Down).

However, getting here has not been without some drama. First off, Stephen had difficulty in getting the van booked. Then when he had it booked, he arrived back in Aldergrove and almost as soon as he landed back on Irish soil his mobile telephonic device sounded – a number he did not recognise – and he was asked if that was “Michael Campbell”. Continue reading “#operationevacuate of @stephenpglenn not going quite according to plan – #keygate”

Belfast, news, Northern Ireland life, Regional Development, TransportLeave a comment

well they do say things come in threes…

Michael McFarland Campbell
The failure of ticketing machines hopefully will be sorted in the weeks to come.

Yesterday I had to make several different journeys using Translink services. I travelled from the Mater Hospital into Belfast city centre, then up to near Queen’s University and back, back home, and finally by train to Ballymena.

Fortunately, I could telephone the Translink callcentre to get the information that I would normally have obtained from the website – as it was the first of the failures. Continue reading “well they do say things come in threes…”