A Charismatic Leader Picks his Team

Whilst Raymond waited in his camp on a small peninsula on the border between Wexford and Waterford, what was keeping Strongbow? One can only imagine the difficulty of recruiting a private army at a time when every man of substance who wished to advance his career was pursuing opportunities to impress and, eventually, serve his king. Strongbow was not the only noble who had supported the wrong side during the Anarchy. There were others who needed to find a way of regaining the position they had lost with the upon coronation of Henry II. Meanwhile, Strongbow’s future son-in-law was making … Continue reading A Charismatic Leader Picks his Team

Men With Grievances.

By sending the Irish party there – it was, after all, on their route back to Ireland – he could kill two birds with one stone. There were men there who would welcome a foreign expedition. They could report back on the likelihood of such a venture achieving success. Continue reading Men With Grievances.

A Welcome in the Hillside #WATWB

The shabby treatment meted out by the UK government to migrants who came from the Carribean and elsewhere in the years following World War II and worked for decades has dropped out of the headlines. I recently came across another example of a group of people who, despite having dedicated their lives to serving the UK government were, nevertheless, denied the right of permanent residence in the country for which they were prepared to risk their lives. In this case, the policy was changed thanks to the intervention of a well known and loved actor. What has this to do … Continue reading A Welcome in the Hillside #WATWB