Duncan Jones (aka Merrion) (he/him)
@duncanjonesmerrion.bsky.social
Computer programmer with interest in CQRS and event sourcing and green technologies. (especially #HempCrete and #heatpumps)
Living in Dublin, Ireland.
Tóg go bog é
Profile picture: Photo of me and a small black dog in the cab of a MF150 tractor
Living in Dublin, Ireland.
Tóg go bog é
Profile picture: Photo of me and a small black dog in the cab of a MF150 tractor
Good Luck Everyone - Blackadder - BBC
YouTube video by BBC Studios
youtu.be
November 11, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Reposted by Duncan Jones (aka Merrion) (he/him)
Looks like one to add to my to-read list. Thanks!
My thoughts on Neurodivergent, By Nature by Joe Harkness and published by @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social & @chiffchat.bsky.social. Thank you to Ruth for sending me a copy to read.
halfmanhalfbook.co.uk/review/neuro...
halfmanhalfbook.co.uk/review/neuro...
November 11, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Looks like one to add to my to-read list. Thanks!
The first ever PhD in palindromes has been issued today.
Congratulations, Dr Awkward.
Congratulations, Dr Awkward.
November 11, 2025 at 7:51 AM
The first ever PhD in palindromes has been issued today.
Congratulations, Dr Awkward.
Congratulations, Dr Awkward.
Reposted by Duncan Jones (aka Merrion) (he/him)
there are about 10 vacant homes for every homeless person in Ireland - and I know that's oversimplified and imperfect maths, but I'm still mad
November 10, 2025 at 11:21 PM
there are about 10 vacant homes for every homeless person in Ireland - and I know that's oversimplified and imperfect maths, but I'm still mad
This a brilliant in depth analysis and, if anything, understates the demand destruction that electrifying transport leads to as quite a significant proportion of transport is in transporting oil and its distillates.
This piece I just published seems relevant.
Gluttons For Punishment: Oil Industry Doubles Down Against Reality
The world is facing a multi-year oil glut where the oil producers will be pumping more oil out of the ground than the world is using. This will keep oil prices at low levels – likely well below the le...
powering-the-planet.ghost.io
November 10, 2025 at 10:31 PM
This a brilliant in depth analysis and, if anything, understates the demand destruction that electrifying transport leads to as quite a significant proportion of transport is in transporting oil and its distillates.
Reposted by Duncan Jones (aka Merrion) (he/him)
What a special moment this was for @sanctuaryrunner.bsky.social Over a hundred sanctuary runners gathered to wish President Higgins and Sabina a fond farewell. We were so honoured to have him as a patron.
#SpeirGorm
#SpeirGorm
Michael D Higgins, with his wife Sabina, has left Áras an Úachtaráin for the final time as president.
He was given a guard of honour by members of the Sanctuary Runners, a charity of which he is patron.
The President’s term of office ends at midnight.
@VirginMediaNews.bsky.social
He was given a guard of honour by members of the Sanctuary Runners, a charity of which he is patron.
The President’s term of office ends at midnight.
@VirginMediaNews.bsky.social
November 10, 2025 at 9:33 PM
What a special moment this was for @sanctuaryrunner.bsky.social Over a hundred sanctuary runners gathered to wish President Higgins and Sabina a fond farewell. We were so honoured to have him as a patron.
#SpeirGorm
#SpeirGorm
One great thing about Elon Musk (and indeed the only remaining legitimate use of X/Twitter) is watching the glacial pace of his realisation that money doesn't love him back.
November 10, 2025 at 9:55 PM
One great thing about Elon Musk (and indeed the only remaining legitimate use of X/Twitter) is watching the glacial pace of his realisation that money doesn't love him back.
As we were walking home tonight two badgers came jogging up the path towards us.
We stood to one side to let them past but received neither thanks nor acknowledgement.
I guess all creatures knew their place.
We stood to one side to let them past but received neither thanks nor acknowledgement.
I guess all creatures knew their place.
November 10, 2025 at 9:06 PM
As we were walking home tonight two badgers came jogging up the path towards us.
We stood to one side to let them past but received neither thanks nor acknowledgement.
I guess all creatures knew their place.
We stood to one side to let them past but received neither thanks nor acknowledgement.
I guess all creatures knew their place.
Reposted by Duncan Jones (aka Merrion) (he/him)
Switzerland is joining Horizon Europe!
We are uniting two research powerhouses.
For cutting-edge innovation that will boost our energy security, digital transformation, health and so much more.
Today is a good day for science, and for our EU-Switzerland partnership.
We are uniting two research powerhouses.
For cutting-edge innovation that will boost our energy security, digital transformation, health and so much more.
Today is a good day for science, and for our EU-Switzerland partnership.
November 10, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Switzerland is joining Horizon Europe!
We are uniting two research powerhouses.
For cutting-edge innovation that will boost our energy security, digital transformation, health and so much more.
Today is a good day for science, and for our EU-Switzerland partnership.
We are uniting two research powerhouses.
For cutting-edge innovation that will boost our energy security, digital transformation, health and so much more.
Today is a good day for science, and for our EU-Switzerland partnership.
The seagull is the saddest bird.
They can never return home.
They can never return home.
November 10, 2025 at 5:14 PM
The seagull is the saddest bird.
They can never return home.
They can never return home.
Ooh - should be a good one.
I'll be in @booksupstairs.bsky.social Dublin next Sunday afternoon, chewing the cud with @thinkorswim.bsky.social about his fantastic new book 'The Lie of the Land' 🐮
Book at this link ⤵️
booksupstairs.ie/all-events/j...
Book at this link ⤵️
booksupstairs.ie/all-events/j...
John Gibbons in Conversation with Pádraic Fogarty | Books Upstairs
We are honoured to host a discussion between John Gibbons, author of The Lie of the Land, and fellow environmentalist Padraic Fogarty, on Ireland’s agricultural future in the face of climate change. J...
booksupstairs.ie
November 10, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Ooh - should be a good one.
The USD has fallen so much this year that it is no longer entirely sensible to use it as a unit of measure for historical asset prices and trends...which is a problem as we certainly don't have any other measure that has a 10+ year history of stability.
November 10, 2025 at 1:17 PM
The USD has fallen so much this year that it is no longer entirely sensible to use it as a unit of measure for historical asset prices and trends...which is a problem as we certainly don't have any other measure that has a 10+ year history of stability.
"I get paid less than my staff" says a woman phoning up about putative tax rises in the UK budget.
Yes - your accountant has set it up that way so you pay less national insurance than they do but your dividends that you pay yourself are more than your staff get, I'd wager?
Yes - your accountant has set it up that way so you pay less national insurance than they do but your dividends that you pay yourself are more than your staff get, I'd wager?
November 10, 2025 at 11:24 AM
"I get paid less than my staff" says a woman phoning up about putative tax rises in the UK budget.
Yes - your accountant has set it up that way so you pay less national insurance than they do but your dividends that you pay yourself are more than your staff get, I'd wager?
Yes - your accountant has set it up that way so you pay less national insurance than they do but your dividends that you pay yourself are more than your staff get, I'd wager?
A 6000% increase?
November 10, 2025 at 10:50 AM
A 6000% increase?
Before we get back to this phone in about the state of our nation, a brief advertising break....
* Gambling company
* Tax "efficiency" company
* Fossil fuel provider
...and welcome back. Now back to our topic - who can we blame for the state we are in.
* Gambling company
* Tax "efficiency" company
* Fossil fuel provider
...and welcome back. Now back to our topic - who can we blame for the state we are in.
November 10, 2025 at 10:26 AM
Before we get back to this phone in about the state of our nation, a brief advertising break....
* Gambling company
* Tax "efficiency" company
* Fossil fuel provider
...and welcome back. Now back to our topic - who can we blame for the state we are in.
* Gambling company
* Tax "efficiency" company
* Fossil fuel provider
...and welcome back. Now back to our topic - who can we blame for the state we are in.
It is difficult to capture what Ireland is, but I feel that this thread gets pretty close..
Not because I had a small part to play but because now more than ever we need to amplify kindness and human connection, let me share with you the Tale of Kathleen & John
After I had given directions to Kathleen (as I was to learn was her name) she headed off with her trusty walking frame, Esmeralda
After I had given directions to Kathleen (as I was to learn was her name) she headed off with her trusty walking frame, Esmeralda
A woman steps into the shop: Where do I vote?
Me: Are you looking for Carysfort National School?
Her: Yes, I feel it's my duty, I turned 97 yesterday!
#Áras25
Me: Are you looking for Carysfort National School?
Her: Yes, I feel it's my duty, I turned 97 yesterday!
#Áras25
November 9, 2025 at 11:04 PM
It is difficult to capture what Ireland is, but I feel that this thread gets pretty close..
The (good) Boyz are back in town..
bsky.app/profile/cont...
#SNAP ❣️😻❣️
@softtail65.bsky.social
@mlipsitt.bsky.social
@hopeful66.bsky.social
@whatifisaidit.bsky.social
@putawomanincharge.bsky.social
@jaybird54.bsky.social
@bluebird4us.bsky.social
@peachiikimaf.bsky.social
@frankiemillie10.bsky.social
@jaanauolamo.bsky.social
#SNAP ❣️😻❣️
@softtail65.bsky.social
@mlipsitt.bsky.social
@hopeful66.bsky.social
@whatifisaidit.bsky.social
@putawomanincharge.bsky.social
@jaybird54.bsky.social
@bluebird4us.bsky.social
@peachiikimaf.bsky.social
@frankiemillie10.bsky.social
@jaanauolamo.bsky.social
Dog Dance Friday #FridayVibes
November 9, 2025 at 10:44 PM
The (good) Boyz are back in town..
Reposted by Duncan Jones (aka Merrion) (he/him)
Train your ear with gaschaint.ie, a site with 2000 phrases in 3 dialects aimed at parents & children to hear & learn topics outside of school.
I'm biased on this, I built it for Foras na Gaeilge & had the opportunity to listen to the 6000 phrases while extracting them from CDs. It was great!
2/
I'm biased on this, I built it for Foras na Gaeilge & had the opportunity to listen to the 6000 phrases while extracting them from CDs. It was great!
2/
Home | Gaschaint - Irish Phrases For Parents And Guardians / Frásaí Gaeilge Do Thuismitheoirí
gaschaint.ie
October 28, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Train your ear with gaschaint.ie, a site with 2000 phrases in 3 dialects aimed at parents & children to hear & learn topics outside of school.
I'm biased on this, I built it for Foras na Gaeilge & had the opportunity to listen to the 6000 phrases while extracting them from CDs. It was great!
2/
I'm biased on this, I built it for Foras na Gaeilge & had the opportunity to listen to the 6000 phrases while extracting them from CDs. It was great!
2/
Book event at the Royal Hospital today after one yesterday at the Irish National Library.
Both venues had spectacular old restrooms... I have been peeing well above my station.
Both venues had spectacular old restrooms... I have been peeing well above my station.
November 9, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Book event at the Royal Hospital today after one yesterday at the Irish National Library.
Both venues had spectacular old restrooms... I have been peeing well above my station.
Both venues had spectacular old restrooms... I have been peeing well above my station.
Bertie Ahern quoted in the Irish times: "The problem with equality is that if you give it to one person, then everyone else comes looking for it."
November 9, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Bertie Ahern quoted in the Irish times: "The problem with equality is that if you give it to one person, then everyone else comes looking for it."
Reposted by Duncan Jones (aka Merrion) (he/him)
"The housing crisis will end when steps are taken to end it. It will end when entire streets’ worth of houses can’t be bought up by vulture funds, it will end when short-term rentals such as Airbnbs are banned or heavily restricted, .."
www.thejournal.ie/readme/surre...
www.thejournal.ie/readme/surre...
Surrealing in the Years: Yates' Fianna Fáil dealings an open kimono moment for Irish politics
Agh, my eyes. My eyes!
www.thejournal.ie
November 9, 2025 at 1:51 AM
"The housing crisis will end when steps are taken to end it. It will end when entire streets’ worth of houses can’t be bought up by vulture funds, it will end when short-term rentals such as Airbnbs are banned or heavily restricted, .."
www.thejournal.ie/readme/surre...
www.thejournal.ie/readme/surre...
The morning burp...
November 9, 2025 at 8:00 AM
The morning burp...
19/20..unless you count MS Encarta as an encyclopedia.
Encyclopedias were expensive. If we wanted to know something, we just found someone to make something up in a convincing accent.
"Papua New Guinea? Yeah , it's a Portugese dessert with egg and cointreau.."
Encyclopedias were expensive. If we wanted to know something, we just found someone to make something up in a convincing accent.
"Papua New Guinea? Yeah , it's a Portugese dessert with egg and cointreau.."
I have never done (9) (it's anti-social), (13) (Blockbuster never operated in my country), or (20) (those things were *expensive*).
I am teh oldz.
I am teh oldz.
November 8, 2025 at 9:25 PM
19/20..unless you count MS Encarta as an encyclopedia.
Encyclopedias were expensive. If we wanted to know something, we just found someone to make something up in a convincing accent.
"Papua New Guinea? Yeah , it's a Portugese dessert with egg and cointreau.."
Encyclopedias were expensive. If we wanted to know something, we just found someone to make something up in a convincing accent.
"Papua New Guinea? Yeah , it's a Portugese dessert with egg and cointreau.."
An excellent and entirely likely scenario of what is going to happen when Trump dies.
Of course, the Rwanda outcome is also quite likely...but probably best not to think about that.
Of course, the Rwanda outcome is also quite likely...but probably best not to think about that.
“Trump died on December 8, three weeks before Christmas. The news broke during evening programming. Within three hours, coverage had settled into rhythm: the same footage, the same talking heads, the same speculation. No one yet understood what his death would reveal.”
My newest piece:
My newest piece:
After the Front Man
The System Trump Revealed by Dying
open.substack.com
November 8, 2025 at 9:08 PM
An excellent and entirely likely scenario of what is going to happen when Trump dies.
Of course, the Rwanda outcome is also quite likely...but probably best not to think about that.
Of course, the Rwanda outcome is also quite likely...but probably best not to think about that.