Doin the Balls

Wishing Tree - Hill Of Tara

2009-01-25T19:02:00.001Z

This creature lives in the tree and appears to abduct children

I love the feeling of ice blowing into my face - 23rd of January 2009

2009-01-23T16:26:00.004Z

Little did I know how cold I would be

I went up Djouce mountain today with Ronan from Ballinastoe Woods. It was grand except when we walked across the boardwalk, the wind was so strong we could barely keep in a straight line. There was a good bit of snow and the winds were so high at the top that it was hard to stand up. Two other people were ahead of us but they didn't have the balls to go to the summit and turned back. If your out there, shame on you. The tea I brought with me was beautiful becuase my bottom lip had gone numb from the cold. The end.

Ronan at the summit of Djouce

Coldness.

Slipknot - Machine Head - not Children of Bodom- Glasgow december 2008

2009-01-02T17:31:00.002Z

I'm finally gonna stop not being a spa and do my blog again. Just thought I'd write a little bit about my trip to see slipknot in Glasgow last month. I went with Brendan, his buddy Will and Seamus It was good craic. The hostel we stayed in was funny. 14 men in a room. Terrible. Also the bathroom had AIDS. The funniest moment for me in the hostel involved a number of Indian men who were there studying for exams, who turned all the lights on at six am and started working on maths equations and talking loudly. This resulted in me and Brendan confusing them for terrorist bomb makers and the two men from Inverness (who were sound) and a South African guy ( who was a serial spoofer) leaving the room to drink cans.
Glasgow seems a bit boring if you don't have a reason such as a concert or a football match to go to. Although they have a good metal scene and there seems to be a gig of some sort on every night. We found a good rock bar as a base which provided lots of metal, a gay guy who fancied Seamus, an addictive pinball machine and beer. And there was a great metal nightclub called the Cathouse, that had three floors of metal. You can't go wrong there.
Slipknot were good, they played all there main songs although I couldn't help feel that their set was a bit short. Machine head were good too, I recorded the really heavy part of Davidian were Rob Flynn shouts "THIS IS SO FUCKIN HEAVY"You can't disagree with him there. We missed Children of Bodom as did everyone else because they must have played at the exact second the doors opened.

Deadliest Catch - yeah c'mon

2008-10-13T23:24:00.002+01:00

Everyone loves Deadliest catch, found a cool game based on the show. It's very addictive.

Deadliest Catch the game

Sicily - faccia le sfere

2008-10-06T13:10:00.005+01:00

little fiat 500

Hello there. Time to get back to Blogging. Just thought I'd start by doing a post on our trip to Sicily back in the end of August.

We started off by flying with Ryanair in a surprisingly hassle free flight to Trapani on the West coast of the island. It was a really nice town but there's not a whole lot to see tourist wise. It would be like travelling to Ireland and arriving in Leitrim. It was nice and relaxed though. The first night we had a really nice meal in a restaurant near to the hotel. It was hilarious when the waiter asked us what we wanted to drink. He probably hasn't said any English since he was in school and shouted "DO YOU WANT WINE?" really loudly and in an intimidating manner, frightening the shite out of us.

So we spent a day in Trapani just getting used to the whole vibe of not being in Bray. It's amazing how lazy the the Sicilians are. It looks like it's a lot of hardship just for them to get enough energy to do nothing. We then rented a little white panda and drove to the medieval mountain town of Eriche. I was shitting a brick driving because I had never driven on the other side of the road, the streets are really narrow and windy and Sicilians are the most dangerous drivers on earth. So I was really stressed out for the first part of the trip but it was still enjoyable. Some mountain top town that looked nice

Palazzo Adriano

We stopped for lunch there, then went on the treacherous drive across mainland Sicily to the town of Corleone. We chose this unlikely destination as our next stop as it is famous for being the hometown of many of the American Mafia. It was also made famous by the GodFather movie.
From being there I can see why people emigrated, there was just nothing in it. The best thing about Corleone was the hotel we stayed in. It was really dated and because we were the only guests, it felt like we were extras on the set of "The Shining". We had a nice meal too in a family restaurant made famous by Al Pacino eating there when he was in town filming "Godfather 3"

Corleone

After Corleone we drove further down along these really windy mountain roads to a mountain top town called Pallazzo Adriano. This town is remarkably un-touristy and even though a really famous Italian film called "Cinema Paradiso" was filmed there.

The famous fountain from "Cinema Paradiso"

That night we stayed in a hotel just outside of town and met a young fella called Erico who asked us a million questions. We still do impersonations of him because every time he opened his mouth to talk; his lips made a really loud separating noise, which really got on my nerves once I noticed it.
The view from our room

We then drove out of the mountains to the seaside resort of Cefalu. which really is one of the most beautiful places I had ever visited. We spent the two days there just chilling out and that. The highlight was getting a parking ticket from the Italian Police. Sound.

Cefalu

Some spas fishing

We then headed back to trapani and chilled out there before it was time to go home. I'll add some photos in due course. OH I also forgot to mention we went to the hometown of Sylvester Stallone's dad. Do the balls.

Metallica 20/8/2008

2008-08-23T14:18:00.003+01:00

Just back from Metallica gig in Marlay park. It was very good from what I can remember of the concert. They played all their hits and the sound quality was good and I was locked so it was all very satisfying. The gayest thing about it was when a big mosh pit started in the crowd and after a few seconds everyone who was participating in it decided they didn't want to anymore and there was just a big circular hole with no one in it. Oh, and Kirk Hammett shouting " My Dad is 100% Irish" at the end.

Lars Ulrich there

A video I took of Enter Sandman

Shelbourne Park

2008-08-11T13:21:00.005+01:00

Went to Shelbourne Park Greyhound Stadium with Padraic last Saturday. It was good craic but Padraic being Padraic went home with a tidy €350 profit. Beautiful laundered cool hard cash money.

We had actually done really well until this family from Cork decided that they would sit with us out our table,all five of them. They just sat down without asking. They talked really loudly and asked stupid questions like " DO WE HAVE TO GO TO THE BAR TO BUY DRINKS?" and "WHERE DO WE GO TO BET?" even though there was a MASSIVE sign saying BET HERE right next to them and a girl at a till who was clearly taking bets. I wouldn't have been surprised if one of them saw his reflection and said "IS THAT MY HEAD?" Imagine being in a restaurant and a big family just barging onto your table and taking over. That's what it was like.

Down the Cove

2008-07-31T22:28:00.005+01:00

I brought Eddie for a walk down to Naylor's Cove today got some ok pics. It was pissing rain....

The Dark Knight

2008-07-31T22:24:00.003+01:00

Myself and Michelle went to see the Dark Knight the other day, was really good. Although the cinema was boiling hot and by the end I was so uncomfortable that I was looking forward to the film to end. It was funny on the way out, I heard the geekiest voice ever say " That was the best film I ever saw in my life" He sounded like one of the nerds from the Simpsons. Michelle couldn't enjoy the film because there was this restless geek next to her ( not me, the other side) who was munching loudly on a stinking packet of sour cream and onion Pringles and a big bag of sweets.

Bray Head - 22nd of July 2008

2008-07-22T20:55:00.002+01:00

People being killed by lazers

Today I walked up Bray Head with my dad and Eddie. Got a very " do the balls" picture of sunbeams breaking through the clouds over Bray. There were loads of Chinese people at the top who had taken over the whole place so I couldn't get any pictures from there. Now I know how Tibet feels. Fuckin assholes. Also I brought eddie down Naylor's Cove for a swim but there was a load of skangers smoking hash and drinking cans down there so I couldn't take any photos becuase they accuse me of dropping anchor at Poo Bay, if you know what I mean.

Bray doesn't look to bad from far away...

The rowing club getting set up on the beach

Maulin - 21st of July 2008

2008-07-21T17:27:00.001+01:00

Today I went on a hike with Ronan and Eddie from the Car park at crone Woods to the summit of Maulin Mountain. This is a pic of Djouce that I got on the way back down. Nothing too exciting really. On the way back to the car park there was a really nice view of the Powerscourt waterfall. The Highest Waterfall in Ireland. Which they once blocked off with a dam for the Queen of England, I think it was Elizabeth ( the red head one that never got the ride, even though she was a Queen ) So when the Queen arrived to look at the waterfall, they unblocked it and all the water rushed down. Imagine being that far up your own hole, that people would turn a waterfall on for you.

Arnie - Commando

2008-07-21T13:54:00.004+01:00

Myself and Ronan have been going around work doing impersonations of Arnold Schwarzenegger all week. So here's a little video I have that really sums up how brilliant his films were. I'd love to see the script for this scene........

Luggala - 20th of July 2008

2008-07-20T18:14:00.016+01:00

Today I went on a hike with Eddie from Ballinastoe Wood as far as the memorial stone of JB Malone where there is a great view of Luggala Mountain and the Lake, Lough Tay, next to the Luggala Estate, which is owned by Guinness. It's a house right by it's own massive Lake in the mountains. It'd be ridiculous living there, you wouldn't know what to do.

It's €35,000 to rent it for one week and I heard Michael Jackson stayed there for a while. God knows what filthy Shenanigans he got up to in it's grounds.

Also on the walk up I saw a sika deer. I tried to get a pic but he's hard to see, cause he ran off when I got my camera out.

Walking along the Hills.....

The Estate where Michael "Pieball Mickey " Jackson stayed

Here is the deer

Eddie

2008-07-16T16:31:00.002+01:00

Just havin a relax for himself.

Hugleikur Dagsson - Should you be laughing at this?

2008-07-15T14:46:00.006+01:00

I got Michelle a copy of this book a few weeks ago. Just some of my favourites.

Camping

2008-07-15T14:08:00.004+01:00

Myself and Michelle went camping recently up in the Wicklow Mountains at the foot of Djouce Mountain. We hiked from the Long Hill Car Park to the camping spot at the top of Powerscourt Waterfall. It took ages and the gear was really heavy but it worth it when we got there as we had a few luxuries that came in useful. The best thing about it was swimming in the river, it was so cold and refreshing, although there was shrinkage as a result Here's a pic of me with the fire going cooking some burgers.

Southampton & London - June 2008

2008-07-15T13:09:00.011+01:00

At the start of June, myself and Michelle did a little trip to the South of England to visit Michelle's friend Naomi in Southampton and my relatives in London.

Southampton
I was surprised at how small it was, it's more like a large town than a city but it was nice all the same. The people there were ridiculously friendly. The taxi driver that collected us from the airport looked like a complete scumbag but when he started talking his voice didn't suit him at all. He was all squeaky. We stayed in the Chilworth manor, which was definitely haunted and a Blues hotel called the Blue keys Hotel. Both were really nice.

We rented a car and drove to Salisbury and Stonehenge. In an Antiques shop in Salisbury, Michelle found a Gollywog doll, she was just about to bring it to the till when a black fella came in and started looking around the shop. So we had to hide it until he was gone, then buy it on the sly.

Stonehenge was nice and I'm glad I seen it because it's so famous. We also went on a ferry to the Isle of Wight, which was way bigger than we thought it would be. I like going on ships. Oh and we got the nicest fish and Chips ever there, which are definitely worth getting even though the waitress was very annoying. She thought she was high-larious.

The funniest thing on the Isle of Wight was when we seen this old man sitting on a bench minding his own business eating chips. Little did he know that about two benches down there was a man with a MASSIVE camera taking pictures of him. He must have some bizarre fetish for old men eating chips. Each to their own I suppose. Here he is.

We also had a great time with Naomi, we had dinner in her house courtesy of her boyfriend Alex. And we also got to experience the wonders of the infamous student bar Jesters.

London

Tan-Central. On the Saturday we went to visit my Uncles Noel and Joe up in Surrey. It was funny, Joe hasn't changed a bit. When I rang his mobile from the train station he answered the phone "Gimp outfit repairs, how can I help you?". It was good to hear he's still the same. The first night was great, Noel had a BBQ out at his place and the grub was lovely. The Sunday we headed into London and saw a few of the sights. We did quite well for two lazy people with only an afternoon in London and got most of the main sights. We saw Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, Westminster, Big Ben, Soho, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus and the tower Bridge.

Funnily enough, one of Michelle's favourite films is Secrets and Lies and she always liked the scene where the main character, Cynthia is waiting outside Holborn Station. By coincidence we ended up in Holborn so we took that chance to get a pic outside it. I won't post it as Michelle will kill me, so instead I'll post a pic we got of an American Family posing outside Buckingham Palace. This wins the award for the most insincere smiles ever.

Toronto - February 2008

2008-07-14T17:32:00.013+01:00

Since I'm in a copying Brendan mood , I might as well start off with a post about my trip to Canada. Back in February myself and Padraic headed over to see Brendan and Elaine in Toronto. I didn't know what to expect as I have never been to North America before or somewhere cold before.

The trip got off on the wrong foot because our flight was delayed for ages leaving Heathrow. When it finally did take off they had to change crew in Nova Scotia which took a million years. Although I'm kinda glad we went there as well because technically I can say I've been to Nova Scotia. I've been to a good few countries around the world but I was really surprised at how strict the Canadians were. They asked us loads of questions. Which was annoying was you could tell by the look on their faces that they thought we were lying.

In the end, they finally let us through. It was great to see Brendan and Elaine. This is their house.

We did quite alot whilst in Canada. The first day we just went on the beer in the city. it was the beginning of a long week of alcohol consumption. It was good craic though. We met two lads from Newfoundland who were sound and loved Ireland. We also met an annoying English cunt who could only shout "Go Leafs go" , loudly at a hockey match on TV.

The Sunday we were dying but we went to the Museum and see the skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus Rex which was good.

We then went to Niagara Falls on the Monday on a tour. It was very powerful, that's all I can say. Oh and a Swedish man gave out to me for talking loudly on the bus. That trip was followed by more drinking at a Flogging Molly gig that Brendan had got us tickets for.

We then travelled to Blue Mountain and rented a brilliant Cabin in the middle of no-where. It was the cosiest place i have ever been. We went snowboarding there but by the end of it I had turned into a complete hypochondriac. I was convinced that I had frostbite and then an ulcer that was slowly bleeding into my stomach. It turns out in reality I had just really bad heartburn from eating like a pig and drinking all the time.

I didn't really latch on to snowboarding, if I go again I'll ski I think. The highlight was going husky sledding the next day, which I really enjoyed.

Just had enough time to go to a Hockey match. Which I must say was great. Even though I didn't have a clue what was going on it was still great to watch. There was a really shite goalkeeper who conceded three or four goals and was substituted. He was having a temper tantrum in the dug-out area and everyone was jeering him. It was really funny looking at him gettting even more annoyed by the crowd. He was raging.

This pic here is of me standing outside the Cabin we rented. If you look really closely you can see Brendan, looking out, giving me the dirtiest look ever. ( click on it for a closer look)

Copying Brendan

2008-07-14T17:18:00.000+01:00

Was just reading Brendan's blog about his trip down in South America and I decided I might as well create my own one. For two reasons:

A) I have nothing to do.

B) I'm deleting my Bebo because it's shite.

So now I am a tanned prick who has a blog. Which no-one will ever read.