The all new, revised and easier quiz! (mod note posts 1 and 2042)

Jellybaby1 · 15-06-2015 3:22pm

BrensBenz wrote: »

Yeah, that's because you're kinky about that anthropogenic stuff. Word is that you buy it by the trolley load and hoard it in your conservancy. I'm an oulfella and I'm still not allowed to have any. Oh. Life is so unfair!

I'm older than YOU, ya big baby! Anyway on I trudge.....I asked Mr. Googlemaps but he didn’t really know the answer. I had to do the leg work myself, sez he. So I looked at a map of NCD and saw a few possibilities. It’s near BrensBenz Manor, its ever so humble, its walkable from Clontarf (Har! So, NOT!), AND Patrick went there before they promoted him to a Saint. So it has to be one of these:
Skerries (very holy place where Saint BrensBenz set up a place of worship, and he said ‘yea, everyone postrate yourself before the great Holy Gurcake’. And Patrick didst postrate himself before the Holy Gurcake, and he said, ‘yea, it is good Gurcake’.

Bettystown (holiday capitol of Urland! Sure where else would a saint go for his holliers, or is that holy-iers?

Duleek (which is really, really holy)

Kells (‘cos monks wrote the Book of Kells there, so it’s extra-super holy)

BrensBenz · 15-06-2015 4:02pm

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

Patrick went there before they promoted him to a Saint. So it has to be one of these:
Skerries (very holy place where Saint BrensBenz set up a place of worship, and he said ‘yea, everyone postrate yourself before the great Holy Gurcake’. And Patrick didst postrate himself before the Holy Gurcake, and he said, ‘yea, it is good Gurcake’.

Bettystown (holiday capitol of Urland! Sure where else would a saint go for his holliers, or is that holy-iers?

Duleek (which is really, really holy)

Kells (‘cos monks wrote the Book of Kells there, so it’s extra-super holy)

Oh, so close with Skerries.......but no cigar. Yes, St. Patrick visited Skerries to show of his brand new bishop's mitre (no halo yet) but it was only a few day trips. He stayed in the place where the synod would take place, 700 years later, to do a bit of building work there.
So, the synod took place very near Skerries "village", in an inhospitable place, inconveniently located, with a very strong link to St. Patrick. I've been there many times, usually with members of the local Sailing Club.
Although Mr. Google-Maps got the location slightly wrong, he got the name right! Mr. Wikipedia can help, if given that name.

How many hints can I give yiz?

Betty didn't have a town in the 12th century;
Duleek? Did I ever tell yiz about the incredibly beautiful young lady from Duleek that I.....oh, never mind.
Kells? Hate to tell you but it's very unlikely that the Bewk of Kells was written in Kells. It was just stored there.

Jellybaby1 · 15-06-2015 4:50pm

Well, it wuz all made up anyway! :P

Hmm, I wonder why you have italicised 'Sailing Club' in such a way as to cause me to believe it is a clue? If you sailed there then it is not IN Ireland, or ON Ireland, it is OFF Ireland. I'll have to leave it to someone else 'cos I'm not going to look it up. Come on, someone must know it.

looksee · 15-06-2015 4:51pm

This is a bit obscure Brens. I have just done some research (courtesy of de interwebs) and while there were several synods in the C12, none of them was to sort out Easter. That one took place in the C7:

In 630 Pope Honorius wrote to the Irish threatening excommunication if they did not conform to the Roman way of calculating Easter. As a result of the this letter the southern church in Ireland held a synod in 632 at <snip> or as it is known today <snip>. The synod probably took place at the site of <snip> which is built upon the ruins of an early monastic site founded by St Gobban in the early seventh century. At the time of the synod St Laserian who was the successor of Gobban was the leader of the religious community here.

are we on the same one?

BrensBenz · 15-06-2015 6:32pm

OK, it's almost 24 hours now so....

The synod was held in 1142 on an islet, off the coast of Skerries, since known as St. Patrick's or Church Island. It was organised by St. Malachy and was not to "sort out issues" but to select delegates from the Celtic church to travel to Rome, where a final effort to sort out divergences between the Celtic and Roman church would take place. I say "final" because previous agreements to align with Rome had been partially or completely ignored by the Irish! The very existence of a distinct "Celtic" church, with its own historic rationale for its customs and beliefs, gives an idea of the immensity of the task. The selected delegates were being handed a poisoned chalice.

The islet was chosen because it was the first place St. Patrick set foot in Ireland after becoming a priest and bishop and perhaps St. Malachy hoped that the spirit of St. Patrick would guide them. The islet is surrounded by rock, which, at that time, made it difficult to land on - a narrow entrance was cut into the rock centuries later by smugglers but landing there can still be hazardous. It is also an uncomfortable place, giving the attendees encouragement to conclude their business quickly.

Now, don't you feel better for knowing all that?

Do I get to ask another question? I promise, no Skerries history.

An excellent but rather gloomy 1960's / 1970's TV detective series called "Public Eye" starred Alfred Burke. What was his character's name?

Pulsating Star · 15-06-2015 8:05pm

Never a break.:(

BrensBenz wrote: »

OK, it's almost 24 hours now so....

Just one more was needed, just the one

BrensBenz wrote: »

An excellent but rather gloomy 1960's / 1970's TV detective series called "Public Eye" starred Alfred Burke. What was his character's name?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VAdlkunflRs
Absolute luxury! Pure indulgence I tells ye, we had all of the above without a tv.

BrensBenz · 15-06-2015 8:18pm

Pulsating Star wrote: »

Never a break.:(

Just one more was needed, just the one

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VAdlkunflRs
Absolute luxury! Pure indulgence I tells ye, we had all of the above without a tv.

Oh, my apologies PS. I seem to have set several questions which, because some parts of Ireland couldn't poach I mean receive British TV in the 60's, could be described as unfair. I don't believe that Public Eye was ever shown on RTE, so this question too is unfair. If I ever get another question right, I'll endeavour to attempt to try not to do it again.

Pulsating Star · 15-06-2015 9:17pm

ah your grand, sure I wouldn't have known anyway.

BrensBenz · 15-06-2015 11:44pm

Well, nearly five hours and no bites yet.

Not surprising really - the programme rarely features in nostalgia fests. The main character was an almost down-and-out private detective, operating among other almost down-and-outs. The cases were mundane (not many mirdirs or car chases hitting empty cardboard boxes in alleyways), the stories were realistic (in contrast to the nonsensical muck coming from Hollywood). Things were as likely to turn out wrong as they were to turn out right. But, possibly because the main character was such a one-off and Mr. Burke didn't have a template to copy, his creation of the character was tremendous.

Oh, here comes John Wayne: "Ya got til sun-up to give me thuh name of thuh main guy. After that, I'm be a-lookin' for ya."

PS: Because of the battlements, towers, turrets, etc. around BrensBenz Manor, sun-up happens anytime after 9-30.

Samaris · 16-06-2015 12:01am

Oh crikey, not a chance of me getting this one! I've only very vaguely heard of Private Eye...

BrensBenz · 16-06-2015 9:41am

Time's up. The character's name was Frank Marker. There are DVDs of the programme so, if you ever get the chance.......

Right, new question: Is it just a fashion thing or is there a technical reason why the windows in airliners are never square or oblong? Why are they all almost elliptical?

Layinghen · 16-06-2015 9:48am

Is it to do with the difference in pressure between the inside and the outside of the plane while it is flying?

(Typical Kerry answer a question with a question:D:D:D)

looksee · 16-06-2015 10:00am

Its something to do with stresses on the metal body of the plane where there are window corners.

I vaguely remember a program about an early aircraft with square/rectangular windows that came to grief because the body o the plane cracked at the corners - I think a window popped out or something?

BrensBenz · 16-06-2015 6:20pm

looksee wrote: »

Its something to do with stresses on the metal body of the plane where there are window corners.

I vaguely remember a program about an early aircraft with square/rectangular windows that came to grief because the body o the plane cracked at the corners - I think a window popped out or something?

Almost perfectly correct! Sharp or even sharpish corners, as fitted to the "Comet's" windows, are very poor at conducting stresses along the aluminium fuselage. Several Comets came to grief following catastrophic failure of the fuselage emanating from cracks around the corners of the windows. Windows "may" have fallen out but not before the aircraft's "skin" ripped open.

And I bet you thought that Windows only started causing problems when Bill Gates got involved!

Over to you, looksee.

looksee · 16-06-2015 7:44pm

Right, I think this should be a fairly easy one:

There is an easy to grow houseplant that you can snap off a fleshy leaf and apply the sap from it to burns and sore skin, what is the name of the plant?

Pulsating Star · 16-06-2015 8:04pm

Aloe Vera ?

looksee · 16-06-2015 9:34pm

And you are correct PS - lovely stuff, cures all diseases known to man. Well its good on burns and abrasions anyway!

BrensBenz · 16-06-2015 9:48pm

Pulsating Star wrote: »

Aloe Vera ?

I have a grand aunt called Vera. Whenever we meet, I say "Aloe Vera" and she answers "Aloe Brens".

Pulsating Star · 16-06-2015 9:57pm

looksee wrote: »

cures all diseases known to man. Well its good on burns and abrasions anyway!

Good, I am led to understand between itself and lavender oil most things are covered.

Another that shouldn't cause too much bother and is somewhat topical.

Who is known as the Black Pope?
( if that's too easy-Extra points for why it's topical?)

BrensBenz · 16-06-2015 10:52pm

Pulsating Star wrote: »

Good, I am led to understand between itself and lavender oil most things are covered.

Another that shouldn't cause too much bother and is somewhat topical.

Who is known as the Black Pope?
( if that's too easy-Extra points for why it's topical?)

The Big Boss of the Jesuits (military wing of the Vatican and tormentors of teenage boys) is usually called the Black Pope.

Not sure why he is topical but one trait the Jesuits do not suffer from is humility. Did he contradict the "real" Pope or stick his oar in in an inappropriate manner? If so, it's unlikely to get wall-to-wall coverage from the Irish meeja.

BrensBenz · 16-06-2015 10:53pm

Pulsating Star wrote: »

Good, I am led to understand between itself and lavender oil most things are covered.

Any remaining problems can be sorted with 3-in-1 or WD40.

bonzodog2 · 16-06-2015 10:58pm

BrensBenz wrote: »

Any remaining problems can be sorted with 3-in-1 or WD40.

Or sufficient amounts of heat and application of large hammers

Pulsating Star · 17-06-2015 1:22am

BrensBenz wrote: »

The Big Boss of the Jesuits (military wing of the Vatican and tormentors of teenage boys) is usually called the Black Pope.

Not sure why he is topical .

The idea of the election of a black pope heralding the end of times had somehow become entwined with the "Prophecy of the Popes"/ st Malachy and those of Nostradamus.
Malachy said there would be 112 popes, the second last being of the olives (Benedictine - pope Benedict )

Francis is the 112nd and the first Jesuit(black pope?)

So the end is nigh

There is probably still time for your question though Brens. Hopefully .

looksee · 17-06-2015 8:19am

I think there is an asteroid flashing past uncomfortably close today, and the one that is going to sort us out is in September. Again.

BrensBenz · 17-06-2015 10:27am

Pulsating Star wrote: »

The idea of the election of a black pope heralding the end of times had somehow become entwined with the "Prophecy of the Popes"/ st Malachy and those of Nostradamus.
Malachy said there would be 112 popes, the second last being of the olives (Benedictine - pope Benedict )

Francis is the 112nd and the first Jesuit(black pope?)

So the end is nigh

There is probably still time for your question though Brens. Hopefully .

So, I got that completely wrong?!?!? I forgot that Francis is a Jesuit. And because I tend to avoid anything with the word "prophesy" associated with it, I'm like Manuel with this stuff, i.e. "I know nathing."

On first hearing of Nostradamus, I was fascinated. Then I saw that, just like horoscopes in Hello! magazine, you could attach a dozen different outcomes to every prediction. What is Malachy's success rate at the old prophesising? Are Malachy's predictions as woolly as Nostradamuseseses? And Hello!

Did you know that St. Columba predicted that the windmill on the outskirts of Skerries would, one day, be at the centre of the town? Don't ask me why he would even be interested! Well, since there was no windmill there in his time, that's either poppycock or an extra-good piece of predicting. But.....since Skerries can only expand in one direction anyway, i.e. towards, around and past where the windmill would be built, maybe that aspect too is nonsense. Oh look! Thunder'n lightning!

BrensBenz · 17-06-2015 11:19am

Still not sure if it's my turn but....would yiz like a question?

On your box of Corn Flakes, there is a drawing of a cockerel. Very apt, you may say, as in morning / cock-a-doodle-dooo / breakfast, etc. But there is a second reason why a cockerel was chosen. Any ideas?

Pulsating Star · 17-06-2015 11:34am

Sorry ! Should have been clearer. You were right first time, the head of the Jesuits is known as the Black Pope.

This was just the first time an opening occurred where the title could be stretched to accommodate the prophecies surrounding the White Pope.

Samaris · 17-06-2015 2:08pm

BrensBenz wrote: »

Still not sure if it's my turn but....would yiz like a question?

On your box of Corn Flakes, there is a drawing of a cockerel. Very apt, you may say, as in morning / cock-a-doodle-dooo / breakfast, etc. But there is a second reason why a cockerel was chosen. Any ideas?

Hah, the history of patents thing I was reading a few weeks back comes in useful! The whole history of Kelloggs Cornflakes is rather interesting, the health food, sanatorium, etc., but the reason the cockerel was chosen is that an friend said that cockeral was "ceilog" in various strands of Gaelic. Not entirely sure if this was a a Welsh or Scottish friend; not Irish anyway. I think the bird originally spoke too before it ended up the stylised thing we see on the boxes now.

BrensBenz · 17-06-2015 3:08pm

Samaris wrote: »

Hah, the history of patents thing I was reading a few weeks back comes in useful! The whole history of Kelloggs Cornflakes is rather interesting, the health food, sanatorium, etc., but the reason the cockerel was chosen is that an friend said that cockeral was "ceilog" in various strands of Gaelic. Not entirely sure if this was a a Welsh or Scottish friend; not Irish anyway. I think the bird originally spoke too before it ended up the stylised thing we see on the boxes now.

Yes, correct!

What an amazing coincidence that a Welsh friend of the Kelloggs should realise that the Welsh word for cockerel, Nature's alarm clock, sounded so much like Kellogg! Add that to the fortuitous events leading to the invention of the corn flake - it's a wondrous world altogether!

Samaris · 17-06-2015 3:51pm

The whole Kelloggs yarn is entertaining, so it sticks with me!

What was a tricoteuse?

The all new, revised and easier quiz! (mod note posts 1 and 2042)

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