Ireland Miscellanea
How to get there, how to get around, where to find stuff and how to ask for it. These are tips from the local insider to make your stay here a breeze
Roma if you want to - Roma around the town
They’ve arrived.
Or maybe it would be more accurate to say that Ireland has arrived.
Yes, there was a time when no one who didn’t have to came to our little rain-soaked island and the locals were all dying to get out to places more prosperous. In today’s celtic tiger world, however, Ireland is becoming a destination for anyone looking for a better life . . . or, in this case, a better hand-out.
Date: August 18th, 2007 |
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The Irish hate Guinness?
No they don’t. With 10 million pints poured a day, Guinness is still very popular.
However, many younger tourists get this impression when visiting Ireland and drinking with the 20-something Irish population. I was reading today on vagabondish.com about an experience blogger Mike had when visiting Ireland a couple of years ago that gave him the impression the Irish hate Guinness.
In his blog, Mike says, “One night, we met a couple from Belfast. An odd thing happened each time we stepped to the bar. First, I suggested beers. Much to my horror, Stephen said he’d have a Budweiser (foreign, American beer to him). I ordered a Guinness (foreign, Irish beer to me).”
I hear ya, brother. I had a similar shock/horror experience in England during a visit in the early 90s.
Date: August 10th, 2007 |
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Newest swans on the Shannon
As I mentioned a few posts ago that feeding adult swans might not be the best idea, I thought I’d follow up on how those little swanlings are doing.
As you can see from the picture here I took last week, they’re no longer quite so little! Yes, the Shannon swan family is safe and healthy, those little swanlings have done well on their diet of tourist snacks and Shannon vegetation.
Yesterday the munchkin and I were out for a stroll along the Shannon and …
Date: August 2nd, 2007 |
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Finally some sun in Athlone!
It’s about bloody time! Just look at that lovely, sunny blue sky there!
The funny thing is not the sunny blue sky, but what lies beneath it: the water level on Shannon Weir. You may recall last December when the water level rose over the weir (it later flooded the town, actually) and it’s currently very close to that level again - here in July!
Normally at this time of year the weir wall is well above water, dry …
Date: July 31st, 2007 |
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Round Ireland with a Fridge - Tony Hawks
It’s hard not to applaud the idea behind this book. It’s also not hard, halfway through it, to get a little annoyed by the narration.
This book is actually British non-fiction describing the autobiographical journey of Tony Hawks as he attempts to fulfill a drunken bet he made with his friends to hitchhike around Ireland with a portable fridge (the kind you find in Frat guy’s dorm rooms). So far, so good.
Tony manages to garner the attention of Irish radio personality Gerry Ryan, bringing his endeavor to national consciousness and ensuring more than a few motorists know that if they spot some British dude on the side of the road with a fridge he’s not some kind of terrorist.
This is kind of where the book slows down.
Date: July 28th, 2007 |
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Wage war in Ireland
Welcome to the war zone. There you are, staring across the battle plain somewhere in Athlone (Blyry estate, actually). Ancient, gnarled oaks punctuated the horizon as if they had been placed there purposefully. Bright, roughly-painted shields dangle from soldiers’ arms, as if a giant’s brush had done the artwork. Suddenly, huge gemlike cubes fall from above, striking the ground violently and tumbling toward your armies, knocking the first few rows from their feet.
Yes, Warhammer has come to Athlone in the form of Valhalla Games.
Date: August 11th, 2007 |
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Quiet week in Athlone
What’s wrong with this picture? Well, it’s a bank holiday weekend in the middle of the summer for one. This is the HEIGHT of tourist season. Normally there would be so many rental boats here in Athlone town they’d be moored out 4 deep along the western quay wall of the Shannon.
Look up at that picture - one measly boat.
So what’s going on? It turns out there’s a good reason for the lack of traffic, nautical and otherwise.
Date: August 4th, 2007 |
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On feeding swans
It’s probably not the best thing to be feeding them at all, but it’s REALLY not a great idea to stroll right up to them and stick out your hand, folks.
It’s not like they’re going to sprout fangs, horns and claws and tear a man to shreds or anything - but those wings can grow to several feet in length and they’re pretty powerful should they decide to whack you one. Changes are they’ll peck you in the eye first, but that’s hardly better, is it?
Date: August 1st, 2007 |
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Riverdance, anyone?
Did you know I have never posted anything about Riverdance?
Did you know that the two stars of Riverdance (Michael Flatley and Jean Butler) were born and raised in the United States?
Date: July 28th, 2007 |
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Irish work party
So last Christmas I described the anatomy of an Irish christmas party. I recently experienced another type of party: the Irish going-away work do.
Posing there in Sean’s beer garden under the old sign are myself, Guy Noir and the editor.
The evening started out innocently enough at Kin Khao Thai where we partook in some excellent Thai food and drank more overpriced Tiger beer (€4.20 a bottle! Ooof!) than we meant to.
My co-workers bought me a tuxedo t-shirt to prevent the unpleasant perspiratory side effects they had seen when I wear a real tux. Very thoughtful.
Date: July 28th, 2007 |
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