Latest news with #FrankRussell
Irish Times
05-07-2025
- General
- Irish Times
Eye on Nature: ‘Nesting blue tits have comandeered my letterbox again'
Blue tits built their nest in my outdoor metal letter box in late April. It took three days' hard work. Four of the subsequent six chicks survived and left the nest on June 4th. This is the fourth time my letter box has been commandeered by these little birds. Frank Russell, Co Clare Now that the nest is no longer in use and contains neither eggs nor young, it is okay to photograph it. Blue tits can nest in a variety of habitats, from woodlands to gardens, in a suitable crevice or hollow in trees or walls. They regularly use nest boxes and obviously your letterbox fits the bill for your local birds. While their average lifespan is three years, the oldest known individual was nine years old, so maybe it's the same pair back each year. Navelwort. Photograph supplied by Larry Dunne These growths are common on stone walls near Our Lady's Island in south Co Wexford. What are they called? Larry Dunne, Wexford This is navelwort (Umbilicus rupestris) , which grows on stone walls and non-calcareous rocks. It is a native perennial and common except in the centre of Ireland. In his book Ireland's Generous Nature, Pater Wyse Jackson says navelwort was formerly used medicinally for a variety of ailments, though in Co Clare it was reputed to only cure Protestants. READ MORE Marsh fritillary butterfly. Photograph supplied by P Kelly I recently saw this butterfly on geranium in my garden. Could it possibly be a marsh fritillary? P Kelly, Dunmore, Co Kilkenny It could indeed. Marsh fritillaries cannot be confused with any other Irish butterfly. Our Irish population is genetically unique within Europe. While adults will fly widely over an area, breeding is confined to grassland areas where the foodplant of the caterpillars (the devils-bit scabious) makes up at least a 25 per cent density of plants. Adults fly from mid-May onwards and will visit nectar-rich flowers for sustenance to give them strength and energy for the breeding process. They overwinter as caterpillars. It is listed for protection under the EU Habitats Directive 1992. A mermaid's purse - a dogfish egg case. Photograph supplied by Aoife Somerset What species is this mermaid's purse? It was found on Five Fingers beach near Malin Head in Co Donegal. Aoife Somerset (6) Mermaid's purse is the name given to the egg cases of skates and ground sharks, which contain the developing young. Those of the dogfish – which technically are described as ground sharks – have long curly tendrils at the four corners for wrapping around seaweed when they are laid. When ready, the young fish slips out through a slit in the side and the empty egg case is then washed up on the shore after stormy weather disentangles it from the seaweed. Those of the lesser-spotted dogfish are 5cm-7cm long; those of the large-spotted Dogfish are 8cm-10cm long. A measurement of the egg case would be needed to definitely know which one it is, but the lesser-spotted one is the more common. Pipistrelle bat. Photograph supplied by Ken Myler This bat recently wandered into my bedroom. It fitted comfortably into an 8cm diameter glass and scared the wits out of my wife. Is it a pipistrelle? Ken Myler I'd say it did, if she went to drink out of the glass and found the wandering bat comfortably ensconced inside. We have three species of pipistrelle bat, all of which have short, broad ears and a combined body and tail length of less than 8cm. It is impossible to identify from your picture taken from the back but if it has its summer maternity quarters in your house, it is most likely a pipistrelle. The common pipistrelle likes buildings of stone construction, while the soprano pipistrelle prefers buildings of brick construction. Please submit your nature query, observation, or photo, with a location, via or by email to weekend@
Scotsman
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Scotsman
Remembering a true working class hero
Former councillor Frank Russell pictured with his Westie, Bonny Frank Russell was the best of Edinburgh. A Labour city councillor for more than 20 years and a season ticket holder at Tynecastle, with a favourite spot in the famous Diggers pub (The Athletic Arms). Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... He was a Broomhouse legend, where he lived for most of his life until a recent move to Musselburgh. A fervent music fan, he supported Edinburgh's Jazz & Blues festival for decades. A bookbinder by trade, he loved books, particularly crime fiction which he devoured, especially Ian Rankin's work. But above all, he loved Janice, his wife of more than 55 years, and their small, tight-knit family of two children and four grandkids, not forgetting Bonny, their Westie. Frank was a quiet man. His main job on the council was heading up the city's personnel committee during Labour's heyday in the 1990s and early noughties. Unlike some of his contemporaries, he didn't seek the headlines. Most of his work was in the backroom. A lifelong trade unionist, he was also a fair boss. He was rigorous in ensuring that the city's workforce had the best conditions, but at the same time delivered for Edinburgh's citizens. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad And for many years, he was chair of the council's Labour group, a tough task given that he had to manage some rather large egos and more than a few eccentric personalities. It is not an exaggeration to say that Frank's often low-key, but always wise, approach to Labour's internal politics probably averted a few disasters for the administration. And he was a mentor to many young politicians, myself included. He didn't see new kids on the block as a threat, as many ambitious politicians do. Instead, he and Janice – a brilliant local campaigner – took them under their wing, always quick to offer the best advice. As the Scottish Secretary of State, Ian Murray, said in the wake of Frank's death last Monday, it was Frank who encouraged him to go into formal politics. 'It was always traditional, after [Labour party] AGMs, to go and have a few pints,' he wrote on Facebook. 'I went to the Sighthill Hotel…and after six pints of cider, Frank Russell said to me 'do you fancy standing for election?' And I stupidly said yes. I won the council seat. The rest is history, really.' Ian also echoed many others when he said that Frank had the best political instincts. And that is because he embodied Labour's true values of community, public service, fairness and aspiration. Labour leaders came and went, in the city council as well as in the country, but Frank held true to his principles. He entered politics, not because he adhered to a rigid dogma, but because he wanted to help build a better community, city and country for everyone, regardless of their background. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Frank was a huge Beatles fan – he was in the audience when they played at Edinburgh's ABC cinema in 1964. He preferred the melodic genius of Paul McCartney to the more eccentric grit of John Lennon, but there is only one song going through my head when I think of Frank. A working class hero is something to be, wrote Lennon in 1970. Frank Russell was that working class hero.
