Flying back to Dublin - Howth - July 2023

 

Landing incoming over Howth

Very slowly un-locking....

 

12 years

12 years ago I landed in Ireland.

Robin encounter

Nice encounter near bray head...

  

Irish bucket list (outside Dublin )

Continuing from Dublin bucket list and that old post from 2008, on the 10 best things to do in Ireland, here's my Irish bucket list (omitting Dublin ):

• See Fungi the dolphin in Dingle, and have a swim with Dustin in Doolin.   ✔ ✔
• Visit Newgrange   ✔
• Visit the Titanic exposition in Belfast   ✔✔
• lock-in a pub ( not necessarily drunk).  ✔
• See the Giant Causeway  ✔
• Games Of Thrones film location road trip:
• Tollymore Forest Park.
• Castle Ward.
• The Dark Edges.
• Downhill Strand.
• Ballintoy.
• Shillanavoghy Valley.
• Walk to the top of Croagh Patrick
• A road trip along the Atlantic Film Trail:
• Leenane (Movie: The Field)
• Cong (Movies: The Quiet Man, The Purple Taxi) ✔
• Roundstone (Movie: Into the west)
• Dingle Peninsula (Movies: Far and Away, Ryan's daughter) ✔
• Derrynane (Movie: Excalibur)
• Union Hall (Movie: The War of the button) ✔
• Kilmichael - Co Cork (Movie: The wind that shakes the barley)
• Youghal (Movie: Moby Dick)
• See the Cliffs of Moher ✔ - bonus: On a boat from the sea. ✔
• Walk the Wicklow way / St Kevin's Way
• Climb Mount Brandon (Kerry)
• Mountain bike in Ballyhoura. ✔
• Cycle the Great Western Greenway (Mayo)
• Cycle the Dublin-Galway Greenway (once completed)
• Visit the Japanese Garden in Tramore
• Cycle the Great Southern Trail
• Pub in session in the Salty dog in Kilkee. ✔
• Surf on the Clare coast. ✔
• Scuba-diving the following sites:
• Down the Skelligs. ✔
• Kilkee. ✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔
• Inishboffin. ✔
• Hook Head. ✔
• U boat in Cork.
• Spend a week on an island off the west coast of Ireland. ✔
• Father Ted Festival
• Electric Picnic. ✔ ✔
• Body & Soul. ✔
• Sea Session. ✔
• Climb Carrauntoohill. ✔
• Attend a Munster Hurling Final in Semple Stadium.
• Listen to ghost stories in Kinsale. ✔
• Watch the sunset over Rock of Cashel. ✔
• Circumnavigate Ireland in a sea kayak.
• Sea Kayak expedition in the following:
• Kerry
• Tramore ✔
• Cork
• Dublin Bay
• Clare Coast.
• A night out in a Doolin or Brandon pub. ✔
• Spend a night on one of the Aran Island, after a day of cycling, you'll enjoy the best Guinness in the world. ✔
• Drink a pint in the South Pole Inn, on your way to Dingle. ✔
• Have an unexpected encounter with sharks on the west coast of Ireland (basking or blue). ✔
• Climb all the way up to the Skelligs.
• Participate to a Currach race down in Kerry or a Galway Hooker race up to the Arans.

My Dublin bucket list

My irish Dublin bucket list, largely inspired by French Foodie ( See her's http://www.frenchfoodieindublin.com/2015/12/my-dublin-bucket-list.html )

• Kayaking on the royal/grand canal.
• Cycle along the royal canal. (grand canal too).
• Swimming at the 40 foot.
• Visit St. Valentine in Whitefriar Street Church.
• Visit the Teeling Whiskey distillery.
• See the Final of the Hurling GAA championship in Croke Park, if possible featuring Limerick - Might have to wait a long time for that one.
• Go to a show in the Abbey Theatre.
• See the deers in the Phoenix Park.
• Cycle in Phoenix Park.
• Cycle in Clontarf.
• Visit Jeanie Johnston tall ship and famine museum.
• Visit the National Gallery of Ireland. - the restaurant is very decent, but so far I have not been to the gallery itself.
• Visit the Dublin Writers Museum.
• Visit the Áras an Uachtaráin.
• Sail in Dublin Bay.
• Visit the Irish National War Memorial Gardens.
• Go see Roller Derby in Tallaght (National Basketball Arena)
• Go to the National Aquatic Centre.
• Yoga in Ranelagh / Yoga in the Park or Yoga by the sea (Sandymount ).
• Go to the Gravediggers pub.
• Hill walk up to the Hell Fire Club.
• Walk the Dodder all the way to Lansdowne road.
• Have a bite in the following restaurants:
• Super Miss Sue
• Anything suggested by French Foodie

And my completed ones:

• I saw the Book of Kells: the long hall of the library was way more awesome than the book itself - you can only see one page.
• Visit the Guinness Storehouse: Good one, especially for the very special treat of savoring a pint of Guinness while enjoying a 360 view of Dublin.
• Visit the Little Museum of Dublin: So much to see in this tiny space, a little capharnaüm-esque. I wish the museum was somehow bigger, and there were more signs telling the story of each artifact - maybe in audio format. The guides are excellent and full of stories... don't just go there to watch the items, the stories are what makes the whole experience exhilarating.
• Boating in Dublin Bay - cruise from Dun Laoghaire to Howth.
• Eat a Dublin coddle: not sure I got what so fantastic about them, nice dish, I will probably get it the next time I see it on a menu. Pity, it is so rare to find a place which serves them in Dublin. Maybe an additional excuse to go to the gravedigger.
• Go to Johnnie Fox's: fun
• Visit the Old Jameson Distillery: Quite disappointed to be honest, I enjoyed more the Bushmills tour.
• See a GAA match in Croke Park: seen a few hurling and Football, most notably on the St Patrick.
• See a rugby match in Lansdowne road:
• France and Ireland: It was friendly, and France won .... woot
• European Cup: ASM vs Leinster, and Clermont Won.... woot
• European Cup Final: ASM vs Toulon :( we shall not talk about Alesia...
• Visit the National Botanic Gardens: Excellent, especially for kids, there is also a lovely one in Wicklow.
• Visit the Dublin Zoo: Brilliant... will return soon, and more often, my favorites: the sea lions, the otters and the red panda.
• Visit the Glasnevin cemetery : the fascinating story of the place itself and then people stories, do the guided tour, learn how enemies ended up buried feet from each other. There is a documentary worth watching: "One Million Dubliners" directed by Aoife Kelleher.
• Visit the Irish museum of Modern Art: good one, the ground are excellent for kids running, and there is a tea room for mammy to relax.
• Visit the National Museum of Ireland: If only to see some of the Eileen Gray stuff, or the military area, do take the trip to see the Asgard ship.
• Go to Forbidden Fruit.
• Go see the miniature model train in Marlay park.
• Visit and Buy a book in those brilliant bookshops:
• Hodges Figgis
• The winding Stair
• Have tea and tart in the Queen of Tarts.
• Visit the Archeology part of the National Museum - an amazing collection.
• Visit the dead animal museum - more interesting than i thought, but not buggy friendly.
• Visit Dublin Castle.
• Take a stroll along the great south walk wall, (poolbeg lighthouse walk).
• Take a stroll along the north bull wall (Clontarf).
• Have a drink in those pubs - highly recommended
• Izakaya
• Stag's Head
• Against the grain
• Anseo
• The Bernard shaw
• Have a bite in the following restaurants:
• Yamamori

The dodder ....

And this is how we started exploring the dodder ....

Where you can see a Rhino in the river

Rhino

A Weir

weir

Two Pals looking for grub.

Fishing

Chilling under trees

chilling water

Under the trees

Looking back at 2015... and moving on

2015 was a weird year for me, despite my vows (expressed in that post).
It felt like nothing much happened, that I was stuck in static place, and yet I am ending the year with the biggest event of my life: becoming a father.

A year which saw an imbecile and horrific attack on the newspaper which embodied my student spiritual life (Charlie Hebdo ), the resulting death of Wolinsky and Cabu.
At the beginning of the year, I thought I'd be

I have been a shitty friend throughout 2015, to some people going through hardship. Once more I gave up on the leading diver exams, I did not blog and write as much.....
That year felt like hibernating and now I am a dad....

[Overdue post] Diving weekend 2015 ...the story so far...

Much overdue post, just couple of pictures of diving weekends.

Connemara with Aughinish, in April.

Cleggan beach Snorkelling time.

Maybe Badger from the wind in the willows, decided to move to the seaside...

10 Years in Ireland ....

A month ago, I read this French Foodie blog post about her last 10 years in Ireland, only to realize that myself, I was going to celebrate my 10 years in Ireland in a couple months.

And here we are, 10 years ago, I debarked in Rosslare with my old french car. A long road trip, which took me from the French Alps to the west coast of Ireland.

From the boat bringing me to Rosslare

To be honest, I initially thought, I would only stay a year or two, before moving on with some enhanced knowledge.

A thought, that I now realize has been shared by many expatriate, not the ones who left - as planned - after a year, all the others. One year, leading to another then without as much of a whimper to a decade.

So I am still there, 10 years after. So why did I stay so long ? What is making me stay ?

First, as a matter of fact, I  like Ireland. And more and more, the longer I stayed... even if at the same time, I am becoming more and more infuriated by some aspects of Irish life - I have the same relationship with France.

For each year I stay, there was a different reasons, from the diving, the professional challenge and finally the girl.

So in summary ... "Putain 10 ans !!!"

So to celebrate those 10 years, and yes I am copying the idea from the foodie post, I hope she won't mind. I do concur with most of the items in her list, except for Penneys, hence the duplicates.

1. The Irish people. I am not a people person, but Irish are incredibly friendly. In particular, they are really easy to work with - especially when compared to my own compatriots. I felt welcome here from day 1, and continue to have that sense, every time I encounter someone here. 
2. Pubs. An obvious one, linked to the previous item. I like the variety of ambiance, atmosphere. Nothing better than ending the day, sipping a Murphy by the fire, chatting away with friends. Since my move to Dublin, I am on a quest to find my perfect local.
3. The west coast of Ireland. I loved living by the atlantic ocean, being able with an hour drive to be by the rugged coast, from the humbling stormy waves, to a serene blue sea.
4. Scuba Diving in Ireland. I probably had the best of my dives here and love being part of this vibrant community.
5. The extra long days. Nothing beat a late evening barbeque by the beach under a late sunset.
6. The gigs in Ireland - I love how the Irish public engage with the music, and the musicians.
7. How passionate the Irish can be about any particular subject. At first Irish can seems passive, but they are also passionate, either for gaelic sport in their own parish, food, sea activity or music.
8. Irish comedians: Just look for Dara O'Briain, Dylan Moran, Foils arms and hog or the rubberbandits.
9. Cosmopolitanism. An incredible change has happened, from a country of emigrant, Ireland is now attracting brilliant mind from all other the world. I lived in Grenoble which use to have a big contingent of foreigners, but I never felt so much diversity pouring in the local culture. I am actually curious to see what Ireland will be in the next ten years as a result of this immigration flow.
10. And finally the one.

Random Thoughts redirection

Just posted a new post on my other blog, a warning: it is for geeks, it is about Python and Pycon Dublin:

https://tofguerrier.github.io/articles/random-thoughts-from-pycon-dublin-2014.html

Looking back at 2013

I have been neglected this blog, since a couple months now, just realise this post was in my draft since the first of January 2014, so with a bit of delay here it is....

Looking back at 2013:

• January: Starting the year with walks in charming company on Dun Laoghaire pier.
• St Patrick in Düsseldorf -  My first steps as a contractor.
• Tea parties.
• H-cup final ASM defeat in Dublin.
• DIY and shelves.
• Bourkes Pub.
One of my favourite in Limerick, excellent provider of gigs.
• Summer in Cambridge.
• Airport, airport and more planes.
Between fortnight trip to Germany, then UK, and France, 2013 have been dominated by airflight to the point of sickness. Not good for my carbon footprint.
• Trip to London: Science Museum
• Electric Picnic 2013
Back to the Electric Picnic, to celebrate a special anniversary <3
• The Dubliners in Whelans.
• Depeche Mode in O2.
• Heatwave in Ireland. Snorkel in Clare.
• Forbidden Fruit
• Jerry Fish.
Somehow I miss his circus in the EP, so now I am in chase mode to catch up on his performances.
• New socks - so popular someone steals them from me.
• Dublin beaches.
Thanks to the heatwave, my transition from the west coast to the east coast beaches was easy :D
• Dublin Zoo.
• Saying goodbye to Limerick.
I finally moved all my stuff out of limerick city, where I first moved to Ireland 8 years ago.
• Starting as a student again - Statistics in UCD
Here it is the big one, back on the student benches for one year. UCD campus:
Back in ampitheatre:
First homeworks:
• Enjoying Dublin.
I am still in discovery mode with this city.
• Cats time.
• Introducing my girlfriend to my beloved Auvergne.

Thanks for the memories

Last weekend, i was walking in Pery Square and my heart sunk when i discover that door...
fully repainted in black - how suiting, with a number nailed on it. 

The place is being reconverted into offices, peering though some window i could see the demolition work in progress. Sad day, the closing and reconversion happened months ago, but being away at that time, i did not notice it happening.
This place used to be "The Wicked Chicken", an iconic place of the limerick nightlife for many of us, and also for me a place of many fond memories, where i met many of my past and current friends.
Gone is the red door...

With the sign on the left side...

The little sign ...

The graffitis in the smoking area have been painted over... 

I still remember the first time i step into the place, the atmosphere was hypnotic, the music had my heart stopping, and the crowd looks genuinely friendly and happy, it was a mix of open minded different nationalities.

At one stage the place was the required meeting point for the start of any good night out. 

 
I remember going there on sunday night and monday night for a quiet chat, the barman preparing our drinks before we even ask, and looking surprised every-time we would change from our habitual drink of choice.

I remember the first time i saw people in that place, that i now consider my friends, the 3 sisters at the end of the bar, the ever wearing cap barman, the man from castlegregory ... etc ...

Maybe I should have taken more pictures of the place, as I am searching through my files, and being annoyed not to find a photo of this or this particular feature, like the headless chicken or the pictures on the wall, some picture of friends - some deceased. 

Like this Giger painting, which funnily i also had in my student bedroom, years ago back in France.
I shall not forget the DJ in that place, which made it came alive, when on a friday or saturday night all the bodies would come pouring in the tiny place around 11, for a good old bop.

In the basement

There was also a downstairs, were some gigs were held, from punk-rock, to hip-hop new-york singer. I saw DJ Andy Smith down there, for some of the nothern soul mix i've heard in a club, along with some amazing boppers.

Sadly everything must comes to an end, people moved on, to other countries, to having babies... and slowly there was less and less people. At one stage the place closed down - in 2011 I think, I am happy i was there for the party on that day, it was impressive to see some many of the old figures coming back to say goodbye to a place of so many memories.

Article from the limerick post ... when it closed initially

And after that there was an attempt to reopen it, I spend a memorable new year day in 2012 there, with the barman pouring Jaggermaster at midnight on the customer... on a personal point of view... that night in the wicked chicken, certainly kickstarted the journey i am now embarked upon till this day.


It is all gone in a blur...

And so now number 14 on the 99 reasons to visit Limerick is gone ( http://flipittv.tumblr.com/post/22412708706/99-reasons-to-visit-limerick ).
Anyway thanks for the memories to all the DJ, the barmen, the barmaid, the owner, and all the people who made that place what it was.

The flame is not dead, other venues in Limerick have been taking over, go checkout Bourkes, The Blind Pig, Dr John ... and make your own music memories.

An old roll

Today I collected a the photographs developed of a very old roll - based on some of the pictures I am guessing it was 2006 or 2007.
It was a very good surprise to discover the pictures,

First rediscovering myself from 5 or 6 years ago.

me

   I still remember that road, I took several picture of it with different cameras at the time, i think it was up in the Connemara, not very far from Achill Island.

Follow the road

 Off course there was pictures of the sea....

Or wast it a lake lost in the fog ?

And of sheeps...

Sheeeepppp

    And of me fighting the elements...

Survivor mode

The pictures were all taken by one of these wonderful camera, in that case an Action Sampler.

Looking back at 2012

For me it was a quite busy year marked, by gigs, loads of them, from the Bundoran Sea Session to the Electric Picnic, 2 Ham Sandwich gigs in Dolans, multiple session in Bourkes bar, Nouvelle Vague, a fantastic Franz Ferdinand, and it ended with The Dubliners in Vicar Street.

Motto...

Diving wise, though the year started well, I did not diving as much as anticipated. I did spend a bit more time on the water, between the surfing/body-boarding session, and the arrival of the Volvo Ocean Race in Galway.

My parents came to visit me, and i use it as an excuse for an escapade to Northern Ireland and beautiful Donegal.

And i finally saw ASM Clermont Auvergne win in Ireland against an Irish team ( first time in my seven years here, after 2 confrontation against Munster, and 4 against Leinster ).

I've also started tweeting

my year on twitter

and taking more picture on instagram.

2012 on instagram...

My top 10 of the Year:
1. The Electric Picnic 2012.
2. Trip to Northern Ireland and Donegal with my parents.
3. Fanz Ferdinand gig in Dolans.
4. Leaving my job in Shannon.
5. My friend Cedric visit to Ireland to see the Leinster vs ASM game in Dublin.
6. Discovering twitter.
7. Learning python - I now I am a geek.
8. Snorkelling and body boarding session on the Clare beaches.
9. Gigs, pubs and restaurants with my friends <3 p="p">10. Bundoran Sea Session




2012 also marked my 7 years in Ireland  ... talking about the Seven Year itch...  I left my job.... time for new adventures... roll on 2013.

Reeling the years - 2012

Almost forgot that post this year, so lets go for another spin of reeling the years. I actually think since i've been round the 5 year cycle, I will not do the post next year.

The idea is very simple and based on a simple question: Where was I 5 years ago, 10, 15 ...etc ?

Previous post were: 2011,  2010, 2009 and 2008.

2007: Limerick, Ireland

Limerick

Third year in Ireland, and still living in  Dooradoyle but soon i moved to live in the city centre.

This is also the first time I am seeing the ASM playing in Thomond park against Munster...

Le Renard in Thomond Park.

Note: on the following pictures, there might be some imprecision with the year it was taken ( it was around that, but it's grand)

2002: Grenoble, France:
Third year in Grenoble, working full steam in analog layout.
And I have starting scuba-diving in Marseille with that crazy guy:

The Master showing off ... 

1997: Clermont-Ferrand, France
In CPGE... eating mathematics and physics ..... amongst other things

L'inversion

1992: Hauterive, France
Le Lycée, en premiere scientifique...

1987: Hauterive, France
College Victor Hugo

Not the right year ... this one was 1990...

1982: Hauterive, France

Guess where ....

1977: Hauterive, France
One year old .... happy days ...

Who is this ?

A nice weekend in Dublin

I went to spend the weekend in Dublin.

Summary:

Summary of the weekend

After doing a bit of shopping in the city centre, we went to the Just In Time For The Apocalypse: 2012 group show at Moxie Studios - a bit hard to find the warehouse, but we did it.

Designer room in mox.ie

Love the central piece by the very talented Sinead Doyle - see more: http://sineaddoyle.ie/ .

Flock of clock birds by Jenny Walsh

Also like the clock by designer Jenny Walsh - see more: http://www.jennywalshdesign.com .
 

Inside mox expo

Exploring the mox....

Tree rug 

Off course there was time for food, and some guiness...

Dessert time

 Sunday was even more relaxing with a visit to Dublin Zoo ( http://www.dublinzoo.ie/ )

The old entrance of Dublin Zoo

The africans plains in the heart of Dublin

Happy life for the lemur .. I like to move it , move it...

Sea Lion

Sadly we miss feeding times for the sea lions, and we were'nt able to see the Meerkats ( http://www.dublinzoo.ie/News/66-75/Meet-the-Meerkats.aspx ) but as a result I am even more motivated to go back another time.