Richard Irvine
@robotforaday.bsky.social
Anthropologist and on-call firefighter. Rousay, Orkney / St Andrews, Fife.
Author of _An Anthropology of Deep Time_ (Cambridge UP, 2020) and _The Vow of Stability_ (Scottish UP, 2025).
Counter-revolutionary.
Author of _An Anthropology of Deep Time_ (Cambridge UP, 2020) and _The Vow of Stability_ (Scottish UP, 2025).
Counter-revolutionary.
Neepie lantern. Happy Halloween.
October 31, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Neepie lantern. Happy Halloween.
A key theme of today's ritual is to recall the generations who fought for Gibraltar's existence, and to communicate that sense of belonging for future generations. Here are two flags flown at the National Day rally that give a sense of the lively development of Gibraltarian national identity today.
September 10, 2025 at 3:06 PM
A key theme of today's ritual is to recall the generations who fought for Gibraltar's existence, and to communicate that sense of belonging for future generations. Here are two flags flown at the National Day rally that give a sense of the lively development of Gibraltarian national identity today.
Happy Gibraltar National Day!
Today commemorates the sovereignty referendum of 1967, when the people of Gibraltar voted to reject Franco and retain their British sovereignty. Wonderful to be back on fieldwork here.
Today commemorates the sovereignty referendum of 1967, when the people of Gibraltar voted to reject Franco and retain their British sovereignty. Wonderful to be back on fieldwork here.
September 10, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Happy Gibraltar National Day!
Today commemorates the sovereignty referendum of 1967, when the people of Gibraltar voted to reject Franco and retain their British sovereignty. Wonderful to be back on fieldwork here.
Today commemorates the sovereignty referendum of 1967, when the people of Gibraltar voted to reject Franco and retain their British sovereignty. Wonderful to be back on fieldwork here.
The "Papa" in Papa Stronsay attests to the long presence of monks on the island (from the old norse "papar"; fathers/priests). The remains of an Norse-era chapel (C11th) can be found here, but beneath are signs of an earlier chapel from Pictish times.
The current monks purchased the island in 1999.
The current monks purchased the island in 1999.
July 17, 2025 at 3:53 PM
The "Papa" in Papa Stronsay attests to the long presence of monks on the island (from the old norse "papar"; fathers/priests). The remains of an Norse-era chapel (C11th) can be found here, but beneath are signs of an earlier chapel from Pictish times.
The current monks purchased the island in 1999.
The current monks purchased the island in 1999.
Recently stayed at the monastery of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer, Papa Stronsay. The brothers work in the Redemptorist tradition of St Alphonsus Liguori- but their life at the face of the sea & architecture of separate cells also revives the spirit of St Columba's Hiberno-Scottish monasticism.
July 17, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Recently stayed at the monastery of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer, Papa Stronsay. The brothers work in the Redemptorist tradition of St Alphonsus Liguori- but their life at the face of the sea & architecture of separate cells also revives the spirit of St Columba's Hiberno-Scottish monasticism.
Fire to mark the night of the Summer Solstice, Egilsay, Orkney.
June 23, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Fire to mark the night of the Summer Solstice, Egilsay, Orkney.
"this continuity is not simply the comfort of familiarity; it is an unsettling of the ordinary and the everyday... Stability is a work of perseverance open to the unknown."
My new book, The Vow of Stability, now published open access with @scotunipress.bsky.social
books.sup.ac.uk/sup/catalog/...
My new book, The Vow of Stability, now published open access with @scotunipress.bsky.social
books.sup.ac.uk/sup/catalog/...
May 20, 2025 at 2:39 PM
"this continuity is not simply the comfort of familiarity; it is an unsettling of the ordinary and the everyday... Stability is a work of perseverance open to the unknown."
My new book, The Vow of Stability, now published open access with @scotunipress.bsky.social
books.sup.ac.uk/sup/catalog/...
My new book, The Vow of Stability, now published open access with @scotunipress.bsky.social
books.sup.ac.uk/sup/catalog/...
Annual celebration of Norwegian Constitution Day, Kirkwall, Orkney.
May 17, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Annual celebration of Norwegian Constitution Day, Kirkwall, Orkney.
For this reason I like Edwin Kelly's experimental composite reading of the manuscripts, "And After This I Saw", which presents Julian's texts as a site of spiritual struggle, a series of crossings out, stop-starts, trying to find the right word when there isn't one.
May 8, 2025 at 12:58 PM
For this reason I like Edwin Kelly's experimental composite reading of the manuscripts, "And After This I Saw", which presents Julian's texts as a site of spiritual struggle, a series of crossings out, stop-starts, trying to find the right word when there isn't one.
When I first visited the site in 2017, the statue had not yet been assembled (see the photos below). Now the 54m structure has taken shape, but it is still a place suspended in time; stuck somewhere between the knowledge of future renewal and the corruption of our present days.
April 22, 2025 at 1:48 PM
When I first visited the site in 2017, the statue had not yet been assembled (see the photos below). Now the 54m structure has taken shape, but it is still a place suspended in time; stuck somewhere between the knowledge of future renewal and the corruption of our present days.
Great Maitreya Statue (Их Майдар хөшөө) near Zuunmod, Tuv aimag. A stalled construction project initiated by former president Battulga. Haunting sounds of crows within the structure. This statue of the future Buddha was to be at the heart of a planned "Maidar ecocity", population 300,000.
April 22, 2025 at 1:40 PM
Great Maitreya Statue (Их Майдар хөшөө) near Zuunmod, Tuv aimag. A stalled construction project initiated by former president Battulga. Haunting sounds of crows within the structure. This statue of the future Buddha was to be at the heart of a planned "Maidar ecocity", population 300,000.
Heavenly Mother Mary (Тэнгэрлэг Эх Мариа) at the Catholic Cathedral in Ulaanbaatar. The statue's story is quite remarkable, having been discovered by a Buddhist woman in a landfill in Darhan and taken to the place of honour in her ger.
April 21, 2025 at 1:29 PM
Heavenly Mother Mary (Тэнгэрлэг Эх Мариа) at the Catholic Cathedral in Ulaanbaatar. The statue's story is quite remarkable, having been discovered by a Buddhist woman in a landfill in Darhan and taken to the place of honour in her ger.
I quite like the design of these posters appearing on lampposts too
April 1, 2025 at 1:52 PM
I quite like the design of these posters appearing on lampposts too
Continuing anti-uranium mining protests in Sukhbaatar Square outside the State Palace. "Stop digging Uranium" "Dissolve the incompetent parliament"
Small numbers, but persistent, turning up day after day. Good atmosphere - exchanging snuff bottles, music on loudspeaker, even a bit of dancing.
Small numbers, but persistent, turning up day after day. Good atmosphere - exchanging snuff bottles, music on loudspeaker, even a bit of dancing.
April 1, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Continuing anti-uranium mining protests in Sukhbaatar Square outside the State Palace. "Stop digging Uranium" "Dissolve the incompetent parliament"
Small numbers, but persistent, turning up day after day. Good atmosphere - exchanging snuff bottles, music on loudspeaker, even a bit of dancing.
Small numbers, but persistent, turning up day after day. Good atmosphere - exchanging snuff bottles, music on loudspeaker, even a bit of dancing.
Each Thursday for the next 3 weeks I'll giving a series of lectures at the National University of Mongolia on Anthropological Theory and the Challenge of Nomadic Civilization. All welcome if you happen to be in Ulaanbaatar.
March 25, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Each Thursday for the next 3 weeks I'll giving a series of lectures at the National University of Mongolia on Anthropological Theory and the Challenge of Nomadic Civilization. All welcome if you happen to be in Ulaanbaatar.
Dashchoilin Monastery, Ulaanbaatar. On the morning of Tsagaan sar, the prayer desks were moved from one of the ger-shaped temples to the new Maidar (Maitreya) enclosure for the great blessing gatherings of the new year. This is their first Tsagaan sar beneath this huge statue of the future Buddha.
March 10, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Dashchoilin Monastery, Ulaanbaatar. On the morning of Tsagaan sar, the prayer desks were moved from one of the ger-shaped temples to the new Maidar (Maitreya) enclosure for the great blessing gatherings of the new year. This is their first Tsagaan sar beneath this huge statue of the future Buddha.
Migjid Janraisig, Bodhisattva of Compassion, at Gandan monastery, Ulaanbaatar.
The original statue was taken to Russia and destroyed in the 1937 religious purges. Re-created in 1996. It's 25m tall, hard to convey how much it towers over you.
The original statue was taken to Russia and destroyed in the 1937 religious purges. Re-created in 1996. It's 25m tall, hard to convey how much it towers over you.
March 3, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Migjid Janraisig, Bodhisattva of Compassion, at Gandan monastery, Ulaanbaatar.
The original statue was taken to Russia and destroyed in the 1937 religious purges. Re-created in 1996. It's 25m tall, hard to convey how much it towers over you.
The original statue was taken to Russia and destroyed in the 1937 religious purges. Re-created in 1996. It's 25m tall, hard to convey how much it towers over you.
Looking forward to this workshop at UCL next Tuesday on Participation and the Anthropology of Christianity!
I'm convening it with Timothy Carroll at UCL & it's planned as an informal conversation, but if you are in London that day & keen to attend let me know and there should be space in the room.
I'm convening it with Timothy Carroll at UCL & it's planned as an informal conversation, but if you are in London that day & keen to attend let me know and there should be space in the room.
February 21, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Looking forward to this workshop at UCL next Tuesday on Participation and the Anthropology of Christianity!
I'm convening it with Timothy Carroll at UCL & it's planned as an informal conversation, but if you are in London that day & keen to attend let me know and there should be space in the room.
I'm convening it with Timothy Carroll at UCL & it's planned as an informal conversation, but if you are in London that day & keen to attend let me know and there should be space in the room.
For the first time since COVID, I get to see the Whittlesea Straw Bear dance through the streets
"What stronger incentive could they have to exert themselves
than the belief that the higher they leaped into the air the higher would sprout the corn-stalks?" Frazer, The Golden Bough
"What stronger incentive could they have to exert themselves
than the belief that the higher they leaped into the air the higher would sprout the corn-stalks?" Frazer, The Golden Bough
January 11, 2025 at 9:02 PM
For the first time since COVID, I get to see the Whittlesea Straw Bear dance through the streets
"What stronger incentive could they have to exert themselves
than the belief that the higher they leaped into the air the higher would sprout the corn-stalks?" Frazer, The Golden Bough
"What stronger incentive could they have to exert themselves
than the belief that the higher they leaped into the air the higher would sprout the corn-stalks?" Frazer, The Golden Bough
The low sunlight enters Taversoe Tuick, Rousay, on the Winter Solstice.
"At the time of the year's deepest darkness, a finger of light touches the chamber of death; there is a hint of a promise of resurrection." George Mackay Brown
"At the time of the year's deepest darkness, a finger of light touches the chamber of death; there is a hint of a promise of resurrection." George Mackay Brown
December 21, 2024 at 1:26 PM
The low sunlight enters Taversoe Tuick, Rousay, on the Winter Solstice.
"At the time of the year's deepest darkness, a finger of light touches the chamber of death; there is a hint of a promise of resurrection." George Mackay Brown
"At the time of the year's deepest darkness, a finger of light touches the chamber of death; there is a hint of a promise of resurrection." George Mackay Brown
Family advent wreath. Not the right colours liturgically, but these candles are what they had at Shearer's. Painful preponderance of gorse this year.
December 1, 2024 at 6:07 PM
Family advent wreath. Not the right colours liturgically, but these candles are what they had at Shearer's. Painful preponderance of gorse this year.
Solidarity especially with the farmers gathering at Orkney mart today. While tax reform is needed, there is little doubt that the recent UK budget will disproportionately harm family farms and it reeks of a "managed retreat" from the agricultural sector. Food security matters.
November 19, 2024 at 1:04 PM
Solidarity especially with the farmers gathering at Orkney mart today. While tax reform is needed, there is little doubt that the recent UK budget will disproportionately harm family farms and it reeks of a "managed retreat" from the agricultural sector. Food security matters.
I live in Rousay, one of the Orkney islands, with my family (all of whom are social-media averse and mock my use of it, which is fair enough). I spend a lot of time on the shore and in the hills. I joined the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service when I came to Orkney and that's a big part of my life now.
November 12, 2024 at 1:15 PM
I live in Rousay, one of the Orkney islands, with my family (all of whom are social-media averse and mock my use of it, which is fair enough). I spend a lot of time on the shore and in the hills. I joined the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service when I came to Orkney and that's a big part of my life now.
Delighted to see a fair few people following me the past couple of days. But I realise that most of these are block-follows through the starter packs. Welcome! So I thought I'd say a little about myself so people can decide whether or not they want to keep following me...
November 12, 2024 at 1:15 PM
Delighted to see a fair few people following me the past couple of days. But I realise that most of these are block-follows through the starter packs. Welcome! So I thought I'd say a little about myself so people can decide whether or not they want to keep following me...
Last night 1000s took to the street in La Linea, marching to the frontier with Gibraltar to call for a resolution to the ongoing Brexit negotiations. Huge numbers of workers cross from Spain into Gibraltar daily & there's a sense of uncertainty & abandonment in the face of a potential "no deal".
October 26, 2024 at 2:05 PM
Last night 1000s took to the street in La Linea, marching to the frontier with Gibraltar to call for a resolution to the ongoing Brexit negotiations. Huge numbers of workers cross from Spain into Gibraltar daily & there's a sense of uncertainty & abandonment in the face of a potential "no deal".