Two horses to look out for at the Grand National festival... Friday at 4.40pm, Blenkinsop, bred by my grandfather Tim Nixon (died Jan. this year). On Saturday, in the Grand National, for the second time, Fortescue! Also bred by Tim Nixon. Ridden by Hugh my brother! Go Fortescue!

An excellent literature review of BIDs (Business Improvement Districts), the new development in urban socio-economic spatial management. Seven in Northern Ireland already - with little current research on their origin and practices. So far... journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.11…

Flying out to the USA today. Wish I could get more details on the boarding pass. I'm sure I'll find out more at the airport! ✈️🇺🇸

So glad to be at the American Conference of Irish Studies, #ACIS2023, in San José California. A privilege to meet so many great people and to present a paper on Ireland’s National Parks!

Fund the NINE has released a video on a topic close to my heart, Belfast's old tram system torn out in the 1950s. Here's the video: youtube.com/watch?v=znp0Rk… And here's my original thread: x.com/JamieNugent96/… No tram emoji, only a trolley bus, but it'll do!🚎

Overtourism is still killing tourism! Lucy Lethbridge on the degradation of places through popularity. unherd.com/2023/06/how-na…

'There is something transformative about venturing out, away from the comfort of your home, to intentionally seek the Lord and encounter him anew.' God Bless all the Pilgrims in Lisbon! ncregister.com/commentaries/t…

The erotic origins of the Youth Hostel movement, and how Net-Zero Britain is clamping down on camping: unherd.com/2023/08/the-lo… unherd.com/2023/02/the-to…

New Year, New...Yorker article on how travel is self-defeating in its aim of personal transformation and inflicts more change on the host than the guest... Bound to irritate the armchair traveller and the cultured flaneur alike! newyorker.com/culture/the-we…

A wonderful review of Chapel Lane Electric Light Station (1895-1903), covered in one of my previous threads. youtu.be/op1nH0J75wQ?si…

WOAH there's a Hornby stone circle?!

I was very pleased to go to Limerick last week for the American Conference for Irish Studies, where I presented on my doctoral research, and on the history of the Northern Ireland Post Office. Such a lovely week and such great people at #ACIS!

I was here for six months last year. It is depressed and decaying, but it is not 'abandoned'. youtube.com/watch?v=inRD6v… My friend Marc Barnes deconstructed his video in his beautiful style: newpolity.com/blog/ghost-city 'There is no replacement for local knowledge.'

After four years of study, I've submitted my PhD! Such a relief - now looking forward to the next chapter of my life.

These paintings will jolt your senses, stir your emotions, and make you question reality itself. Each masterpiece is more than just art—they’re portals to wonder, chaos, and everything in between. 🧵

After years of searching, I finally found a copy of William Conor's "Come to Ulster" poster, commissioned by the Ulster Tourist Development Association in 1925. Around 5k of these were produced, and I found this one in Belgium. It was one of the posters that inspired my PhD!