Storm Brian and other Brians

We’ve been blustered and blown about by storm Brian; some places have  had damage, trees down, tiles blown off the roofs, problems along coastlines, but it seems as if fortunately no-one lost their lives, as far as I know.

It’s become the custom to name weather events, and there is a reason – it ‘personalises’ these storms and hurricanes so people become more aware of them (for some reason spellcheck wanted to ‘deify these storms’ – in the past they would have been seen as expressions of the gods anger!). It’s then easier for people to follow information about the progress of these events and judge what precautions they may need to take to help avert problems.

We have already had Storm Aileen, and after Brian we have:

• Caroline
• Dylan
• Eleanor
• Fionn
• Georgina
• Hector
• Iona
• James
• Karen
• Larry
• Maeve
• Niall
• Octavia
• Paul
• Rebecca
• Simon
• Tali
• Victor
• Winifred

This got me thinking about the name Brian; I think it is one of those names which has dropped out of fashion so that few people call their baby boys it – although that may not be so in other countries, of course! Apparently, in the 1930’s it was the fourth most popular name in England and Wales, but that popularity began to wane. I knew adult Brians when I was growing up, but I can only think of a couple of lads my age called Brian, and i can only think of a couple of Brians I taught. It’s been spelt in different ways, can also be a surname, and originally meant noble.

Here are some famous Brians:

• Brian Blessed – actor
• Brian Boru – Irish king
• Brian Clough –football manager
• Brian Cox – physicist
• Brian Eno   – musician
• Brian Epstein –manager of The Beatles
• Brian Johnston – cricket commentator
• Brian Jones – The Rolling Stones
• Brian Lara   – West Indian cricketer
• Brian May   –  Queen
• Brian McFadden   –  Westlife
• Brian Moore – rugby player
• Brian O’Driscoll   –  rugby player
• Brian Wilson   – The Beach Boys
• Brian Griffin – Family Guy
• Monty Python’s Life of Brian
• Brian the snail – Magic Roundabout

If you are a fan of the TV series ‘New Tricks’ there is only one Brian… here’s an intro to the whole New tricks team:

http://http://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/live-storm-brian-batters-ireland-11381382