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:

2011 - A summary, top events...

Top things which happen in 2011:

• A lost

Me in green ... helping somehow my grand father :)

• Diving trip to Inishboffin

Inishboffin

Post dive relaxing guinness....

• Seeing Jethro Tull in concert (Dublin, March 2011)

• The Waterford Tall Ship festival

Masts .....

• A dolans concert: The Answer

The singer of The Answer.

• Discovering Hook Head on a dive trip

xhh

• Going back surfing

Ready to go in the water in Spanish Point

• Working trip to Arizona, and making the 12 pubs of christmas over there.

No Pic available, thank god.

• Seeing my firt octopus in Irish water ( down in Kerry ).

Octopus (photo: B.Donnelly)

• A trip to Dublin to see the Guinness museum and the French rugby team in Landsdowne Road.

Inside the Guinness Storehouse

And all the friends talks and activities...

Top  Movies seen in 2011. Poor year for cinema attendance at least for me.

• Black Swan (D.Arronofsky)
• Tangled (Disney)
• True Grit (Cohen)
• Exit through the gift shop (Bansky)
• Super 8 (JJ Abrahams)
• Crazy Heart  (Scott Cooper)