Lorem ipsum
1 month ago
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Bagging Wainwrights
There are 214 hills in the 7 Wainwrights pictorial guides to the Lake District. They are not exactly all the biggest hills - though they are pretty close. Lots of people (mainly from the North of England) make it there ambition to climb each of these hills. I have done about 67 of them - though I am not certain of some of the early adventures. A couple of days on the walk I did in 1981 are a bit vague - especially the first day when I climbed Grasmoor above Buttermere and the last day when I climbed High Street.
There are now lots of resources on the internet for walkers and climbers. This site allows you to mark each hill you've climbed - pretty cool. My Wainwrights
This weekend I hope to add another five to this list. Watch this space.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Elvis Costello and the Sugarcanes Concert at Vicar Street, Dublin on July 1, 2010
What a fantastic concert. Its been nearly twenty years since we saw Elvis Costello at the Feile in Thurles in 1991. He has taken many musical twists and turns - that what I like about him. Currently he is touring with a band called the Sugarcanes. In theory promoting their album Secret, Profane & Sugarcane. This is a bluegrass and country themed album. But in practice the concert was the full repetoire. It's a long time since Elvis played in Dublin - I'm not sure how long - but I missed the last concert and I won't be missing the next one.
The band is pretty good line-up, featuring singer songwriter, Jim Lauderdale on Guitar and Vocals; Dennis Crouch on Double Bass; Stuart Duncan on Fiddle; Jerry Douglas on Dobro; Mike Compton on Mandolin and Jeff Taylor on Accordian.
Vicar Steet is such a cool venue. We had a table in the third row so as you can see from the photos and videos, the view was pretty amazing. He was clearly enjoying himself and didn't play just one long encore - but as you can see from the setlist below he played 3 encores. His main set was a very acceptable 15 songs. However he played another 13 in the three encores!
The Setlist was as follows (thanks to setlist.fm) 1. Mystery Train 2. Blame It On Cain 3. Down Among the Wines and Spirits 4. New Amsterdam / You've Got to Hide Your Love Away 5. Good Year For The Roses 6. Condemned Man 7. Complicated Shadows 8. (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes 9. The Delivery Man 10. Jimmie Standing in the Rain 11. Slow Drag With Josephine 12. Little Palaces 13. Friend of The Devil 14. Everyday I Write The Book 15. Don't Lie To Me Encore: 16. Girls Talk 17. The Spell That You Cast 18. That's Not the Part of Him You're Leaving 19. Sulphur to Sugarcane Encore 2: 20. Mystery Dance 21. Poor Borrowed Dress 22. Alison / Wind Cries Mary 23. Shipbuilding 24. (What's So Funny 'bout) Peace, Love and Understanding? Encore 3: 25. The Crooked Line 26. Happy 27. The Race Is On 28. American Without Tears
Videos:
Elvis Costello & the Sugarcanes, uploaded by M+MD.
More Photos
Sunday, July 04, 2010
A Training Exercise up Lugnaquilla
In preparation for the forthcoming Lake District trip we did a 6 hour walk up Lugnaquilla from the Glen of Imaal. We had great weather. It's probably the least interesting route up Lug, but we need the practice and also its the easiest side to approach the mountain. Greg brought Christopher and Peter, I brought Senan and Kevin brought Liam! We made it up in just over two and a half hours, whch is pretty good going. We took a longer time to go down, stopping for lunch. We decided to take in the next two hills which meant that we had a longer walk back to the Glen of Imaal pub, where we had parked the cars.
Monday, May 31, 2010
A few words at Sheila's 80th Birthday Party
When I first met my Auntie Sheila I was about seven. To me as a seven year old she was very exotic; she was all dressed in white and she had a very exotic name, Cabrini. We could only see her every eight years, at least that's was my mother's answer to my question "how often is she let out?" This of course made her more exotic than her brother Martin who lived in very exotic Fiji and was let out every seven years.
My Exotic Aunt. The most famous exotic Aunt in litreture was probably Henry Pulling's Aunt Augusta in Graham Greenes novel "Travels with my Aunt". When I think about Sheila I think about my travels with my aunt and my aunts travels with many others.
But it wasn't eight years before she was let out again. Sheila visited Ireland when I was 12. It was the summer after I had finished Primary school and was just going to start 2nd level. Sheila was teaching in London and she managed to persuade Brian and Joan that it would be a great idea if I spent a month in London with her the following summer. So I did and at the age of 13 I started my travels with my aunt.
What a marvellous adventure - a month in London. London that world famous city with so many world famous place that I had seen on TV and films, books and magazines: Trafalgar Square, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, St Pauls Cathedral, Regents Park, London Zoo. So many exotic sights and places. Of course I spent a little time in school, but it was summer term with outings evey second day. We went to the Zoo, the Science Museam, The Victoria and Albert Museum, Cantebury Cathedral and much more.
I did get a little carried by all the tourist hype. I was much taken by the presence of the Union Jack everywhere, from postcards and button badges to large plastic shopping bags with the Union Jack on them. I collected these various souvenirs - oblivious to the cultural significance of all of this. My father Brian, a captain in the Irish Army was not to impressed when I showed all this paraphernalia on my return and soon all union jack symbols were banished to the attic.
When Sheila moved to the Lake District, the travels with my aunt continued. Through Sheila I became very familiar with the Lake District and have been back walking there many many times since.
Auntie Sheila Replies
Uploaded by M+MDWhen she moved to Suffolk and SAY (Suffolk Association of Youth) that was a very big change in Sheila's life and very much in keeping with my exotic aunt's reputation. She was now Chief Executive of the voluntary Youth organisation in Suffolk. Suffolk was a stopping off point for me travelling to Europe via Harwich.
After retiring from SAY Sheila didn't really retire but continued to travel. She joined VMM and spend 3 months in Sierra Leone, she went half way round the world with my mother Joan to visit Fr Martin in Fiji.
From Roscommon to London , Preston, Keswick, Stowmarket, Fiji Sierra Leone and many other places in between, my exotic Aunt leaves Aunt Augusta looking very ordinary.
So like all of us here today there is so much to celebrate. Sheila has enriched all of our lives in so many ordinary and exotic ways.
Monday, March 01, 2010
Ski 2010
This year we went skiing again to Meribel with Deirdre, Chris, Katie and Roisin. We stayed in Chalet Raphael in Le Raffort. We had a fantastic time. The skiing gets better every year - even if the limbs get older and rustier! We were joined by Chris and Helen and family.
This year Senan and Katie S took up snow-boarding for the first time. That slowed them down for a day or two - but they were whizzing past us again by day three.
We managed to survive without any serious injuries - though we had a pretty scary run off the top on the Thursday. The problem is that the snow-board doesn't go very fast on the flat. We hit a slow spot on the top of the Cretes run and as a result we were the last on the piste. Mags made it down on her own, while the sweeper on the Skiddoo followed me and Senan. About ten minutes from the bottom (as the light faded) Senan was offered a lift on the back of the Skiddoo. I continued to ski with the Skiddoo just behind me. However with the fading light it was getting harder and harder and so when I took a bit of a tumble, the driver headed down with Senan and came back up for me. No damage done - just a bruised shoulder and a little injured pride! Anyway the free Skiddoo ride down was worth it!
Ski 2010, uploaded by M+MD.
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Christy Moore & Declan Synott in ConcertVicar Street 5th January 2010
New Years concert in Vicar Street with Christy Moore and Declan Synott.
Christy Moore & Declan Sinnott, uploaded by M+MD.
Friday, November 27, 2009
The Dobey Cup 1982 – 2009
It was a plan hatched with Seany to see if we could revive the Dobey Cup. The germ of the idea was prompted by The Curragh RFC Reunion in May 2009. It was developed further as we walked around the Lake District with Seany. Brigadier General Sean McCann, now Officer Commanding the Curragh Camp, and a team mate of Seany's from his Curragh days, was very supportive of the idea.
It came to pass on a cold Friday evening in November. It was a good match which Newbridge played against an Army team. There were lots of conflicted people on the pitch and on the sideline. Rory McCann who is Captain of Newbridge, was also captain of the Army team and captained the Army against hos own team. Pearse McCorley walked up and down the sideline shouting "come on the Curragh!".
Greg, Kevin and I flew the Dobey flag. Us members of the Dobey family weren't sure who to shout for. We were made feel very welcome by the Newbridge club and were well looked after on the night. Tom Treacey presentedthe three of us with a very rare item - an Old Kilcullen tie each. In the old days "Old Kilcullen were the local rivals to the Curragh - Newbridge RFC of courcse was the merger of these two rivals.
Newbridge win Dobey Cup,uploaded by M+MD.
The following is an extract from the match programme:
Commandant Barney Dobey. (1931-1981) was President of the Curragh RFC for 2 years from 1997 to 1979. It was an exciting time for the club. Barney had a drive and enthusiasm for the Curragh which was infectious.
Gerry McMahon was Chairman for the same 2 years and they were both involved in building a club house extension and laying a new pitch on the Green Road.
Barney was a strong advocate of a community based club and knew that Army was just one important element of the greater rugby community. Civilians were playing for the club for the first time during this era, Barry O Sullivan , Mick Walsh , Steve Kinneavy, Sean Hayes (nephew of Joan and Barney Dobey) to name a few. Some years later Barney's son Brian played No 8 for the first team, this would have given Barney great joy
In that first year as president, Barney helped recruit a Welsh coach Bob Cole who brought a whole new dimension to the Curragh team in that famous 1977/78 season. The team reached the final of the Towns Cup; won their section of the J1 league and qualified for the first round of the Leinster Senior Cup. They also played in the J1 league final – victory could have meant senior status, but it wasn’t to be.
Barney resigned as president in 1979 when he was posted to the Middle East for 18 months. After his untimely death in August 1981, aged only 49, Barney’s wife Joan donated a trophy in memory of Barney.
The Curragh RFC in conjunction with the North Midlands area ran an underage competition for a number of years up until the early nineties. For many young players in the North Midlands clubs in the eighties and nineties this was their first piece of silverware.
The Dobey family (Martin, Sheila, Paul, Brian, Greg and Kevin) wish for the trophy to be played for again. They believe that a fixture between an Army XV and a Newbridge XV is an appropriate remembrance of their father Barney and of his views and aspirations for rugby. The family hope that new bonds of friendship can be built between Civvy and Army and that Rugby in Newbridge benefits.
Barney was born in Roscommon but lived in Newbridge for almost half his life. If he were alive at the time of the merger, he would have been a strong supporter of the foundation of Newbridge RFC. It is appropriate that the inaugural fixture coincides with the turning on of the new floodlights at the Newbridge RFC grounds.
The Dobey family are thrilled to have Barney’s love of Rugby, Newbridge and the Army remembered and celebrated in an annual fixture. It is a fine trophy – and any team should be proud to have it in their cabinet.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Monday, September 14, 2009
Federer's Amazing Through the Legs shot
What's even more amazing is that this shot was the one that gave him three match points in teh semi-final of the US Open.
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
New York, New York Saturday 15th August
The Taxi arrived on time. We said goodbye to the house, put on the alarm and posted the key in the letterbox. We were at the airport by 8.30. It was a very easy check-in and we were at the gate 10 minutes later. We got some breakfast and played Bananagrams to put down the time.
We were flying with Jet Blue and I would have to recommend them. The seats were comfortable - they take out a row or two for additional comfort, quite the opposite approach to Ryanair! The Air Hostess was hilarious. As we boarded she was holding a toddler in her arms whom she introduced to everybody boarding as the captain. She managed to get us all singing - "I don't do Rap" - a reference to the following SouthWest Airlines Steward:
But she had all the passengers clapping and singing "If your Happy and you know it Clap your hands ". She was a regular comedienne. It's a three hour flight and Jet Blue have individual live TV and pay movies. For some reason the live TV wouldn't work and in the spirit of customer service they opened the pay movies to all for free. The movie we watched was "I Love You Man". It was hilarious. At the projectile vomit scene I laughed so loud the passengers in front (who were watching something else) looked around to see what was going on! Ooops! The time flew and as we landed the TV came back and we watched Tiger warming up for the 3rd round of the Bridgestone Invitational.
We got a taxi into New York ending up taking the Midtown Tunnel and arriving just below Grand Central. Its my favourite way into New York - the buildings seem to reach the sky once you come out of the tunnel! We checked into our double double at the Roosevelt Hotel on Madison and 45th street. It was a tight squeeze with all our luggage. But we weren't planning on spending much time in the hotel!
We needed to get started in New York and we needed something to eat, so Lisa introduced us to Chipotle on 42nd street at Bryant Park. Then we headed up 5th Avenue towards 59th Street.
We spilt up when we saw s Barnes and Noble. We needed to find a copy of top 10 New York so that we could find the diner Lisa and Katy enjoyed so much last year. After spending about 20 minutes in the bookshop we decided that it must be EJ's on 73rd and 3rd. Lisa confirmed it later. Senan and I headed back up 5th Avenue to see if we could locate the girls.
We wandered into H&M and sure enough - there they were - as if there aren't enough shops on 5th Avenue. We left them to it and continued up 5th avenue until we reached the Apple Store. There we spent an hour playing with the iPhones and Macbooks until Lisa and Mags joined us. We paid a visit to FAO Schwartz toy store, which is right beside the Apple Store, before heading back to the hotel for a brief rest and a change of clothes.
Saturday evening we got the subway down to Spring street and walked over to Mulberry Street where Little Italy was in full Saturday night swing. We got a nice spot on the footpath and we had an excellent Italian meal with a nice bottle of Gavi to wash it down while we watched the world go by.
We headed over to Time Square to show Senan the lights of Broadway. By the time we got back to the hotel we were exhausted. Half a day done - two and a half more hectic days to come.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Last Day and Packing Friday 14th August
Well after that interesting day yesterday we have arrived at out last day in New Orleans. Packing is the name of the game today. We go through the house moving everything towards our bedroom. Then we take some time by the pool.
Mags and I head into Riverwalk where we can get the Louisiana Sales taxes back. Riverwalk is a big shopping mall. We ask at the visitors desk convention centre. They are not sure and direct is to a shop downstairs. They are not the place but they direct is back upstairs. Just when we thought this might all be a bit of a fools errand we spotted it "Louisiana Sales Tax Refund Centre" can't be any clearer than that! We collected our refund of just over $40 in cash. If we had known the procedure earlier we might have recovered more - next time we will be wiser!
Then we took a stroll down to Cafe Du Monde for a last but of New Orleans flavour. We had coffee and beignets and listened to the street musicians. The we got the tram back to where we had parked the car. We finished packing and booked a taxi for 8 am in the morning - our flight to New York is at 10 am.
We went out to Crescent City Steak House for dinner. We had excellent steak in a real old style restaurant - only been around since the 1930's. It was a nice close to an excellent fortnight. We have had warmth and relaxation combined with good food and good music as well as a couple of good away days. We have been busy - but not too busy and we are ready for the hectic pace of New York. We will certainly try to get back to New Orleans again. There is still so much to see and do. It has been a very interesting time to be there four years after Katrina. The city has made a lot of progress in four years - but the scars are still visible in places. It would be interesting to see what another few years would bring.
Outside Cafe Du Monde, Uploaded by M+MD.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Beach by Day, Zydeco by Night Thursday 13th August
Gulfport Mississippi, Uploaded by M+MD.
Well we thought it wouldn't be a holiday without going to a beach. According to the Internet there are no real beaches in Louisiana but if you want a beach you should travel East. Florida is only 3 hours away by Highway. Much nearer to New Orleans are the beaches of Mississippi at Long Beach, Gulfport and Biloxi. We settled on Long Beach. We left around 10 am and were at the beaches before 11.30. The beaches were beautiful with miles of white sand running beside the road.
The area was damaged by Katrina and we could see lots of evidence of recent repair though no evidence left of the damage. There were areas of the beach where the parking and the footpaths were being relaid and also there were some very small immature palm trees along the edge of the beach. We stopped and checked out the water - it was warm! There was also a funny looking fish swimming in the shallows. There was nobody on the beaches - it was a little eerie. There were lots of beautiful beachfront property. Of course schools in New Orleans opened last week. It seems like they must all be back in Mississippi too. We know that they are not back in New York yet - Senan checked his friend Kevin's school and it isn't back until the second week in September.
We decided Long Beach was too quite and drove along the beaches until we reached Gulfport. It was also quiet though we came to an area opposite a Marriott Hotel which had a number of sun beds for hire and a car park. There were even a few people around. That looked good enough for us. We hired 2 double lie outs for the day and got ourselves set up under a sun umbrella. We put on the sun cream and tried to stay in the shade as much as possible. We read our books. The temperature was in the mid 90's but there was a lovely fresh breeze off the sea.
At about 3 we went looking for food. We found a strip mall leading back to the Highway, but nothing interesting in the line of restaurants despite driving all around. In the end we settled for a Subway. We all agreed that it hit the spot. In the afternoon we went in for a swim. The water never really went much above the waist, but we managed to swim after a very long walk out from the beach. What was most strange was these flying or jumping fish which started to appear p front of us. They were about the size of a large mackerel and they seemed to jump rather than flying. There were a line of posts which probably marked deeper water - we never reached out that far. On the top of each pole was a Pelican. They were not very interested in the flying fish - maybe they had just eaten! They were more interested in holding onto their perch on the post!
We packed up at 6 and were home at 7.30. We decided to try our luck at the bowling in the Rock N Bowl again. It was also a zydeco night. Zydeco is Creole country rock music with lots of dancing; button accordion and washboards. We had read about it but had no real idea what to expect. Well the first thing that we found was that the place was hopping - even busier than Saturday night with Kermit Ruffins. Everyone was on the floor dancing. The dance was a strange combination of two step and jive and lots in between. The accordian and leader of the group is Geno Delafose. His album was noiminated for a Grammy in 2008. You can see the washboard (worn around the neck; and the accordian as well as the dancing in the video clip taken that evening.
It was a great backdrop to our improving bowling. We were just a little hungry and we got some fries while we bowled. After the bowling we watched the music had a couple of beers and even did a little dancing ourselves. It was another great night at the Rock N Bowl.
Dancin' to Zydeco, Uploaded by M+MD.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
French Market & Preservation Hall Wednesday, 12 August
After a couple of quiet days we needed some action. This morning planned to head down to the French Quarter Flea Market and the Farmers Market. Senan decided he needed a break from shopping and stayed at home.
We drove down and found the market. I drew, while the Mags and Lisa hunted for bargains. After about 50 minutes a downpour started. It lasted the usual 20 minutes. As it cleared we headed towards Bourbon Street. As we didn't have Senan with us we thought it would try Pat O'Briens. But we were too early for the pub although the restaurant was open. We ordered 3 Hurricanes - even if it was before noon - its tea-time in Ireland and we're on our holidays!
We had a very interesting conversation about Katrina with Rick, our waiter. He was New Orleans born and bred. He didn't leave before Katrina because they had no where to go, all their friends and relatives were from New Orleans. They lived in Algiers on the other side of the Mississippi so they had bad wind damage but not too much flood damage. However they had to evacuate about a week after Katrina because there was no water or power and it just wasn't feasible to live there. He went to Houston and stayed there for about 10 months. He got separated from his teenage kids at the time of the evacuation. Eventually he had to put out a missing persons alert to locate them. He was pretty philosophical about the whole thing. "It makes you think about what's important". We headed back for the car after buying the souvenir glasses and promising to send Rick a postcard from Ireland.
The Hurricanes had quite a kick. There is 4oz of white rum in each plus an unspecified Hurricane mix! I'm sure they were just tired but both Lisa and Mags had a little snooze when they got home. Me? I don't remember!
Mags made pasta for lunch when we got home. Maybe that's why she had a snooze. More resting by the pool was necessary because that night we were planning to go to Preservation Hall.
This is a music venue just off Bourbon Street which is dedicated to the preservation of Dixieland jazz. It is a most amazing location - it could do with a good lick of paint - though you would have to repair and plaster the walls first. Its all part of the look!
Preservation Hall Jazz, Uploaded by M+MD.
No drink or food - its just like we were in someones front room. The band was great. They started at 8 am played for about 50 minutes, took a 15 minute break and then started up again and played again for 2 more sessions. Requests cost $5 but a request for "The Saints" cost $10! We got "The Saints" in the middle of the second session. It was another great night. We left just as the third session was starting. There is lots of standing room, but only seats for about 30 people. Lisa and Mags did get sitting for the second session. They allowed photography but no flash and strictly no video. Well, we could resist the following few segments.
Afterwards we watched the madness develop on Bourbon Street from a little pizza place next door. We had french fries while we watched. Two policemen on horses came down the street and stopped at the bar across from us. The bar staff feed the horses and watered the cops! It looked like a regular nightly visit.
Soon we were ready for home. We are running out of time and we have another big day planned for to-morrow.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Bowling Blues at Rock N Bowl Tuesday, 11 August
We lazed around the pool most of the day. Mags ventured out to the supermarket on her own - didn't get lost and brought home an Indian Curry fron the Curry House on Carrollton for lunch. In the evening we went to the Lebanese Cafe on Carrollton and had excellent Kebobs and Hummus. After we were feed we went to the Rock N Bowl - this time to go bowling as well as listen to an excellent Blues Rock band.
Our bowling was a little rusty - but there were a smattering of strikes. The place was not as busy as last Saturday. The music finished at 11 and we left just a little after that.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
A Lazy Day Monday, 10th August
Mags had a need to go shopping this morning so she got up early and I dropped her to Lakeside before 10 am. On the way home I went to Best Buys at the next exit. There was some interesting looking stuff - might be of interest to Senan too.
We lay by the pool and swam and read before heading back to collect Mags around 2 pm. I left Lisa to meet Mags and me and Senan checked out the GuitarHero and Rockband equipment for the Wii. In the end we were wiser but the only purchase was a second battery for my camera.
We headed back to the. Mall where we met Mags and Lisa and decided to have lunch at Camellias again. The place was pretty quiet. We sat at the same spot on the counter and had the same waiter again! Food was fast and good and just what we needed. The rest of the day was lazy and quiet, sitting by the pool and reading our books.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
