Waterford: The Sky’s The Limit, Bar None

Waterford is having an indentity crisis. Of course, this may just be my opinion as viewed from the vantage point of Dublin, but it does seem that it’s not a city entirely at ease with its image. Take the poster to the left here. “Waterford – Summer City”, it states, colourfully. What great Waterford landmark have […]

Salad Days

I’ve just bought a Korean lunch box. People have been asking me what’s ‘Korean’ about it, and the truth is, I’ve no idea. It was just made there. All I can tell you is that, if this is a standard example of a Korean lunchbox, they’re very good at making them. As short-legged people who […]

(One Foot In The) Grave News

40 years ago today, this rather brilliant piece of music was No.1 in the UK charts. Coincidentally, my poor mum was enduring an experience she said she “wouldn’t wish on anyone” – namely, giving birth to me. I think I’m correct in saying she hasn’t had too much cause to regret it since, despite consistent exam […]

Political Hot Potato

In the spirit of fellowship and togetherness, the Taoiseach yesterday met the heads of the Church of Ireland from north and south. And, in the spirit of Christian generosity, the Archbishops brought Mr Cowen some lunch, in the shape of a gigantic baked potato. Then, in the spirit of perma-starvation, our Brian scoffed it before commencing dialogue with the […]

“Sure, we understand irony…”

“..it’s like rain on your wedding day, right? Or a free ride when you’ve already paid. ”

Good Old American Indie-Dependence

There’s a huge underground hype-machine winging its way to Whelan’s later this year, if whispers whizzing around hip musical circles are to be believed. A new North American 5 or 6 piece are pencilled in to be the new ‘thing’ for the entire month of November. From Baltimore or Brooklyn, or maybe it’s Canada, they’re said […]

Star “Style” – Reg’s ‘Lion King’ Bassist

Hipper-than-thou Elton John groupies who attended his Thomond Park knees-up over the weekend were treated to the rare sight of a bass-slappin’ Gerry Ryan, proudly announcing his role in a new stage version of The Lion King.

Lovely Girls… They’re Running…

Plenty of unintentional humour sprang from last Monday’s Women’s Mini-Marathon in Dublin – although, technically, we’re not really supposed to find it funny. As an event being held in the country’s capital, a city with a female mayor, it’s quite extraordinary that the organisers’ theme, from the compere through to the musical accompaniment, seemed to be one of […]

Terrorvision

All that’s missing from this picture is a little table with tea and HobNobs.

Grills & Boys

Originally published in U Magazine, June 2008 Can you get the stench of burning flesh in the air? It’s that time of year again. Any day now, invitations to friends’ barbecues will come flooding in. No one invites you to dinner during this period, no one says they’re having a few nibbles and cocktails in their […]