The PR Blog

In history, certain dates carry weighty significance, their very mention evoking a sense of foreboding or consequence. Among these, the Ides of March stands as a reminder of the impulsive and unpredictable nature of fate and the tumultuous currents of human affairs.

Originating from ancient Roman traditions, the Ides marked the midpoint of the month in the Roman calendar, typically falling on the 15th day of March, May, July, and October, and the 13th day of other months. However, it is the Ides of March, particularly in the year 44 BC, that has become immortalised for its association with betrayal and political upheaval.

The most enduring event tied to the Ides of March is the assassination of Julius Caesar, one of the most influential figures in Roman history. On that fateful day, Caesar, entered the Theatre of Pompey, unaware of the conspiracy brewing against him. As he took his seat, a group of senators, led by Brutus and Cassius, struck him down, plunging Rome into chaos and altering the course of history.

But what led to this momentous day in history?

In these dark days of misery in many parts of the globe, it is often pleasant to hear a story that has a happy ending. For me, such an event came to pass some time ago.  No, I did not win the lottery.

In fact, it would have been strange had I done so as I never take a ticket. No, my happy ending came because a lovely lady, very close to me and my family won a battle by following the wisdom of Sun Tzu. 

Sun Tzu was a Chinese military strategist, philosopher, and author of "The Art of War," an influential work on military strategy and tactics. Little is known about his life, and even the exact dates of his birth and death are uncertain, though he is believed to have lived during the Eastern Zhou period of ancient China, around the 6th century BC.

He wrote a book called " The Art of War. " 

I want to tell you a tale about stout. As St Patricks Day approaches again, I cannot help but think back. There’s a moment, when I'm sitting under the wide Australian sky, that an old Paddy finds his mind drift homeward.

The sun beats down, the land stretches endless and dry, yet here on the coast it is green and wet,  but in my heart, I can still hear the rain pattering against the old stone walls of home. It’s in those moments that I remember the simple things - the warmth of the kitchen, the smell of the soup, and the sight of my Gran, sitting by the fire, sipping her nightly glass of stout. “Good for the blood,” she’d say with a knowing nod, as if the deep, dark drink carried the very essence of Ireland itself. And maybe it does. Because wherever you find a pint of Guinness, you find a bit of home.

So here is my story about Guinness. And it might not be the record book, but it has its own fair share of record breaking stuff. 

As our world becomes more corrupt, complicated and seemingly hopeless, we need to use our minds to seek hope from those who have proven, beyond shadow of doubt, that good can triumph.

I saw an image some time ago that struck me as being quite profound. I called it " white privilege. " Perhaps it should have been pioneer spirit and that, is something that new " migrants"  seem to lack these days. 

It made me wonder how our countries have travelled so far from reality that we are now expected to believe in this myth that we are thinking ourselves superior?  

The countries that gave us birth were apparently founded on so called "white privilege". Our ancestors arrived in our nations with wealth of knowledge.

That is true. The knowledge of hard earned skills and generations of hard learned lessons. 

The Castle Hill Rebellion, also known as the Second Battle of Vinegar Hill, occurred on March 4th and 5th, 1804, in New South Wales, Australia. It was a pivotal moment in Australia's early colonial history, driven by a mix of political unrest, social inequality, and the desire for freedom among the oppressed convicts and Irish political prisoners.

The catalyst for the rebellion was the oppressive conditions endured by convicts and the lack of rights they faced under British rule. Many convicts were transported to Australia for petty crimes, yet they were subjected to harsh treatment, limited freedoms, and forced labor. Additionally, Irish political prisoners, who were often leaders in rebellion, added fuel to the growing discontent.

Under the leadership of William Johnston, a former Irish rebel, and Philip Cunningham, a convict, a plan to overthrow British authority was devised. The rebels aimed to seize control of key locations, including Parramatta and Sydney, and establish a free settlement.