Boojum!

Here is one very popular Mexican burrito takeaway bar in Botanic Avenue, Belfast, on a Sunday afternoon at two-thirty during June.

I was out for a stroll at the time. It started to rain shortly later.

Even the local rozzers arrived and joined the queue.

Castle Stewart Arms

The armorial bearings of the Earls Castle Stewart, as interpreted in an old peerage of 1885.

Caledon Arms

ARMORIAL BEARINGS OF THE EARLS OF CALEDON

These arms appear in an old peerage of 1885. 

I found the rather muscular mermaid - who seems to have a "six-pack" stomach -  somewhat amusing; and the elephant gazes across rampantly, as if looking into her mirror.

Architectural Detail

Detail of columns at main entrance to the Scottish Mutual building, 15-16 Donegall Square South, Belfast: Black polished granite and red Scottish sandstone.

Robert Hill Hanna VC

LIEUTENANT ROBERT HILL HANNA VC

Robert Hanna was born near Hanna's Close, Kilkeel, County Down, in 1886, and migrated to Canada in 1905.

He joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the 1st World War, and by the summer of 1917 was a Company Sergeant-Major (CSM) serving with the 29th Infantry Battalion.

In 1917, CSM Hanna’s company was attempting to overpower a German strongpoint on Hill 70, near Lens in France.

In the course of three assaults on the enemy position, the company had suffered several casualties, including the loss of all of its officers.

While his company continued to take casualties from the heavy machine gun fire coming from the strongpoint, Hanna calmly collected a party of men and led them in a fourth attack, rushing through the dense barbed wire protecting the position.

When he arrived inside the strongpoint, CSM Hanna bayoneted three of the enemy and clubbed a fourth with his rifle, enabling the position and its machine gun to be captured.

For the bravery and leadership he demonstrated in this action, Robert Hanna received the Victoria Cross.

CITATION 

“For most conspicuous bravery in attack, when his company met with most severe enemy resistance and all the company officers became casualties. A strong point, heavily protected by wire and held by a machine gun, had beaten off three assaults of the company with heavy casualties.

This Warrant Officer under heavy machine gun and rifle fire, coolly collected a party of men, and leading them against this strong point, rushed through the wire and personally bayonetted three of the enemy and brained the fourth, capturing the position and silencing the machine gun.

This most courageous action, displayed courage and personal bravery of the highest order at this most critical moment of the attack, was responsible for the capture of a most important tactical point, and but for his daring action and determined handling of a desperate situation the attack would not have succeeded.

CSM Hanna’s outstanding gallantry, personal courage and determined leading of his company is deserving of the highest possible reward.” 

He died in Mount Lehman, British Columbia on the 15th June, 1967.

Kettyle v O'Doherty

I have complimented the quality of Kettyle bacon before, particularly its flavour and thickness.

Last week, I ambled into Sawers' delicatessen shop in College Street, Belfast, and purchased a pack of O'Doherty's Black Bacon. The packet contains six rashers and mine was "original oak smoked".

Both Kettyle and O'Doherty are prominent purveyors of bacon in County Fermanagh. Kettyle's are based in Lisnaskea and O'Doherty's have a shop in Enniskillen.

I grilled a rasher of O'Doherty's this morning. The rasher is noticably thinner in cut than Kettyle's. There is a fair amount of fat on both rashers, though more fat drips from the Kettyle bacon, as far as I recall.

I have to say - and this is a personal opinion - that I prefer the Kettyle bacon, because it is a lot thicker and has more flavour.

I paid £3.99 for O'Doherty's. The pack states "minimum 160 grams". I cannot remember the weight and price of Kettyle's, though they pack their products very well, with cardboard on the outside, I think.

Readers, if you've tried both of these brands, do let me know your feelings.

Royal Visit to Caledon

The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall this morning visited Caledon Village and were received by Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of County Armagh (the Earl of Caledon).

 TRH AND THE EARL AND COUNTESS OF CALEDON

Their Royal Highnesses later met representatives of the local community and Youth Action at St. James' Church of Ireland Parish Hall, the Square, Moy, and were received by Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of County Tyrone (Mr. Robert Scott OBE).