Bringing the boat to Kilkee

Another gorgeous weekend, with clear blue sky in Limerick.
A very early start on saturday, in order to bring the Aughinish Diving Club boat to Kilkee, using the Tarbert Ferry.
So by 9:30 AM the boat was on Kilkee slip, ready to launch.

Anuka on Kilkee slip before launch

 We had a lovely dive in Diamond Rocks, just outside the bay. The sea was calm initially, but the weather started to pick up. Underwater there was quite a bit of movement, surprising since we were around slack water, loads of life down there, with fishes and a couple of small lobsters.

George's Head ... calm sea

 After the dive we decided, to recover the boat. Back in Limerick, I ended the day with a lovely walk up to Barringtons Pier.

Limerick viewed from Barrington Pier

  

Sunday morning, I was back in Kilkee for another dive, shore-based this time, absolutely lovely. We enter the water through the Pollock holes, and headed to Doctor's Rocks though a gap in the rocks.
We were welcome in the first meters by a conger eel swimming peacefully through the seaweed.
In the first minutes of the dive, we stumble upon a sleepy dog fish. After another snorkel in Newfie, I headed back to Limerick.
Ended up the day by a walk up to the living bridge in UL, with some French and Italian company.

The Living Bridge - UL

Born on the walk way.

Amongst the graffiti near the Locke, I found the thought of the day ...

Love is ....

First Diving Weekend of 2012

My diving club Aughinish went to Kerry in Portmagee for the first weekend away, using the pretext of Easter Bank Holiday.

So what makes a diving weekend away ?
Answer in pictures...

Towing the boat down... and back

Launching, mooring the boat in the harbour...

Anchor in Portmagee harbour...

A good bit of delicious food...

A tiny bit of drinking...

Enjoying the scenery...

Sadly no underwater pictures, since i did not bring my camera this time, but in the end 2 lovely dive with one magnificient crawfish, some anxious and damp covering of the diver in the boat, may be a head trauma or 2.... in the end a good weekend.

And as an added bonus: ASM is going to the semi-final of the H-Cup :D

Playing with instagram

I have found myself playing a lot with  Instagram recently released for Android.
The only thing missing right now is a direct upload to Flickr [UPDATE: solved via IFTT].

Playmobil

Arrr !!!!!

Lego

Legos are in formation, ready for the parade.

Dinner time

Dinner... Salad, egg, chorizo...

More to come, I feel....

So who is visiting this site ....

Well according to the march report, mainly Ireland, then France, a bit from the US.
The icelandic one, I think I know who you are ;)
But I am clueless for the Brazilian and the Russian....

Sunny Snorkel was no april fool....

A couple more pics from last sunday snorkel in Kilkee.

Danger sign near the jumping boards

Clear water....

Trying to snorkel up to George's head ... not

Navigating through the seaweed...

House with sea view in Kilkee

Link to the previous post.

 A very busy day in Kilkee with 5-6 clubs down the slip, you can read more on the diving (CFT) website:
http://diving.ie/site/post/2012/04/south-west-coxn-course/

How to end the week well

Underwater summary of the week

Found in newfie, a natural smiley...

Well, it has been a great week, with the escapes to the beach Tuesday and Wednesday. I was back in town Thursday night, with the usual concert in Bourkes. This time it was Rarely Seen Above Ground ( R.S.A.G. ).
A brilliant artist drummer, I was quite surprised by the performance in a very good way.

leaflet Bourkes

RSAG in Bourkes

Friday, was quiet at home, watching TV and chatting on FB. A bit of rest before having a rugby day, watching the French league, with a worrying prestation from ASM - hopefully it will be better next weekend - then heading saturday night to Thomond Park for the Munster-Leinster game. Not a great rugby game infairness but the ambience in Thomond is always good, even if the boys in blue managed to calm down the public.

Munster pre-game mascot

Sunday morning brought by the sun, which was perfect for a nice spin to Kilkee. A full good hour snorkel, a nice hot chocolate cake and small catch up with the diving buddies....

Anemone in Newfie

Under ....

Checking out the divers down below....

Me

Nice hot chocolate cake

In summary: good music, good company, the sun, the sea, some rugby game... what else can you ask for.

Snorkel under the sunset

Another sunny day in Ireland, as a result I went for a short snorkel in WhiteStrand near Miltown Malbay (Co Clare) after work. Ended meeting the Burren SubAqua club on a small testing gear dive.

Ready to go in the water.... at least my fins are

Emerging from the not so deep

Great visibility and color - under water

Another nice sunset ....

Perfect Day...

Irish sunset on the beach

It seems Irish summer has come early upon us, as a result I decided to leave work early and enjoy the waves of the Clare coast... well that was the initial plan... Nevertheless it feels good to be out in the sun, on a beach.

Here's a couple of picture of the sunset of this gorgeous day in Lahinch:

Enjoying the surf

Sunset

Sunset and surfer

Thanks, it has been a good day at sea

Time to go home, buddy

The sun is gone Hiding

First Dive of 2012

At the usual suspect place, Newfie in Kilkee.

Great to be back in the water. My buddies getting down 

 And again... ( don't ask )

Me in my outfit

me in my dry suit

 

 Roll on the next dives...

First snorkel of the year 2012

In the usual cold Dromore Lake, last Sunday....

Senakah launch album - Dolans - 1

Another good gig in Dolans, Senakah for the launch of their single ( Human Relations available on itunes )


Additionally you can check out the video for the song on youtube, which features nicely Limerick city (
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xvY4qh6l3w )

Putain 7 ans deja....

Il y a sept ans ( le 5 février 2005 ) je posais mes valises en Irlande. Apres un long voyage en voiture de deux jours, incluant un ferry et un tunnel en train:

En fouillant j'ai éssayé de retrouver quelques photos du voyage et bizarrement je n'en ai pas pris tant que cela...

• Départ de Grenoble, France

Un dernier coup d'oeil a la vue que j'avais depuis mon studio:

• Sur le chemin, un passage par mon village natal : Hauterive, Allier, France
• Coquelles - Eurotunnel
• Folkestone, England
• Pembroke, Wales pour prendre le Ferry, un voyage de nuit très calme.

• Pour finalement arriver en Irlande: Roslare, Ireland
• Je me souviens avoir conduit pour aller directement sur la cote ouest, Limerick, Ireland
  Et voila ma fidèle voiture sur le sol irlandais... Elle y restera d'ailleurs... sans doute dans une casse ...

Je me souviens être arrive un weekend et donc m’être précipité pour visiter la cote et les plages , je crois que c'est une plage du Burren ou du Connemara....

Bref c’était il y a sept ans déjà, je passais cette première nuit a Limerick dans un bed and breakfast prés de mon futur lieu de travail ( le lendemain ), je ne savais pas a ce moment la que je ne resterais que six mois dans ce premier job, que ce serais les 6 derniers mois ou je ferais du Layout Analogique.  Je ne savais pas qu'il me faudrait un an avant de me remettre a plonger un peu, et un de plus avant de joindre un club et de m'y remettre sérieusement. Je ne savais pas qu'un espagnol allais me faire découvrir un pub nomme le Costello et que 3 mois plus tard il allais mourir. D'un autre cote je ne suis pas sur d'avoir appris beaucoup plus que cela en sept, d'avoir progresse...
Surtout je ne savais pas que sept ans plus tard, je serais toujours en Irlande !



Le trajet sur Google Map...

View Travel to Ireland in a larger map

Stuff Irish Girls said to me...

Following that hilarious video about Shite Irish Girl Say:



Just a compilation of the one I heard, or they said to me:

The weird questions:

•  "Auvergne, it's near Paris ?"   actually works for any French place, the further form Paris the better.
•  "Are you sure you're single ?"  what i am suppose to answer to that ? .. err actually no ?
•  "Are you married ?"
• "Are you polish ?"
• "I am fierce independent, are you sure you want to ?"

The tentative french talk:

• "Je m'appelle xxxx" with an Irish accent
• "Je veux une baguette !"
• "J'aime le vin !"

 Strange logic:

• "I am not that kind of girl, i don't bring boys - like that - in my bedroom !"
  off course this is said in her bedroom...
• "You're so French, you're using a napkin..." .... well it was in a  abrakebabra

The almost good :

• "You wear me out"
• "You're wearing me out"
• "First time with a french, I highly recommend it"
• "I think there is a connection" ... well never answer that actually you don't agree....

The not so good:

• "There is no sparkle !"
• "Sorry for the mixed signal, i am not ready to date yet !"

Limerick Music Scene

I have spend my first thursdays evening of 2012 in the quite decent Limerick pub called: Bourkes ( website: http://bourkesbar.com ), enjoying some delightful and various musical acts. From electronic DJ Toby Kaar, to pop band "yeh deadlies", every night have been a joyful discovery.

Limerick is full of nice pubs where you can listen music, live bands and discover artists. The main venue for artist would be The Dolans ( http://dolanspub.com/ )  with the big warehouse but also a more intimate venue upstairs.Upstairs in the intimate atmosphere I have discovered Vertigo Smyth, James Vincent Mcmorrow, Maria Doyle Kennedy amongst other... while in the big concert room I have enjoyed The Answer, Lisa Hannigan, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Mick Flannery...



There is also a concert hall in the University ( http://www.uch.ie/ ) , and The Daghda Space - sadly now defunct - use to be another alternative venue.

But beside the musical venues, the pub are showing great activities: Cobblestone Joe and Nancy Blake have regular live band on wednesday and sunday nights. The Curragower pub and Foleys allows you to listen to some blue grass.

Interesting DJ's can be heard in Mickey Martins, but also in my favorite funky bar: The Wicked Chicken.
The Wicked Chicken also entertain some concert downstairs or in combination with Baker Place.
In my head I am still bopping to some 50s song, thanks to show hosted by DJ Andy Smith.



And lastly Bourkes have started a series of great quality musical acts.




Limerick has a very much alive music scene, with passionate listeners and sound enthusiasts.
An interesting blog delivering gig reports: Indie Limerick ( http://indielimerick.blogspot.com )

Read here last thursday gig report:
http://indielimerick.blogspot.com/2012/01/certain-three-tour-2012-bourkes-bar.html


As a conclusion lets' finish with the lost brothers as seen on Other Voices: